Obstacle Course

Right now, we’re all working our way around, through, and over obstacles – so why not have a little fun with it? In this activity, Connections Coordinator Aubree Fairchild uses items from around her house to create an obstacle course for her stuffed animal friend, Meg, to complete. Follow along with your child to build an obstacle course for a favorite toy – or a favorite family member to complete—and enjoy a well-deserved sense of accomplishment!

Learning Goals:

• Be Curious
• Come Up with Ideas and Try Them Out
• Make Thoughtful Decisions
• Take Risks and Persist Through Challenge

Materials Needed:

• Stuffed animal, toy, or person to complete the obstacle course
• A variety of materials to build the course with, such as:
  • Boxes
  • Shoes
  • Food containers
  • Blocks
  • Other toys
• Timer for recording (optional)
• Paper and pen to write down times (optional)

Tips for Adults:

• After the first trial of the obstacle course is complete, prompt your child to reevaluate their design. Ask them if there are any obstacles they want to change or move. Do they think that the order worked well? Could more obstacles be added to make the course more challenging?
• Have your child predict how long they think it’ll take the toy, stuffed animal, or person completing the course to make it all the way to the end. Have them compare their prediction with the actual time and discuss any differences – remember, it’s ok if your guess is wrong!