Making an Indoor Obstacle Course for Toddlers
When the weather outside is not conducive to outdoor play, parents may need to help toddlers find ways to expend their energy indoors. An indoor obstacle course will not only help a toddler practice different skills, but it will also will tire her out for nap time. Parents can use items they already have around the house to create different indoor play stations. Start with a few stations and add more later, as the child starts to understand the concept of an obstacle course.
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Things You'll Need
- Chairs
- String
- Large cardboard box
- Pillows and cushions
- Puzzle
- Blocks
- Beanbags
- Laundry basket
- Wooden board
- Paper plates
Instructions
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Clear out a large area and remove any hazards. Toddlers can be unsteady on their feet, especially if they get running or tired, so remove any items that could harm a child in the area you plan to put the obstacle course. Remove tables with glass or sharp corners, cover a fireplace hearth with soft blankets, and look around for any other hazards.
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Empty a box to make a tunnel for a toddler Set up items for the child to climb over, under, or through. Family Fun suggests tying string to chair legs that the child will need to crawl under. Recycle a large box and use it as a tunnel to climb through. Use throw pillows and couch cushions to create a mountain the child will need to crawl over. A child can climb on and jump off of low step-stools or ottomans.
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Have children toss beanbags or balled up socks into a laundry basket. Set up stationary tasks in between the crawling obstacles. Have a child stop and put together a simple puzzle, put shapes in a shape sorter, or make a tower out of blocks. Family Education suggests having a child throw bean bags in a laundry basket, or using a ring toss game.
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Add in more elements. Put a low, flat board down that the child can walk across as a balance beam or place paper plates on the floor that the child has to jump on to get across an area like lily pads on a pond. See if the toddler can hop on one foot, walk backwards, or act out animals like a bear or a crab while going through certain areas. The possibilities are endless.
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Tips & Warnings
Give an overview at the beginning of the entire course. The toddler probably won't remember lengthy directions, but it is worthwhile to try. Give a toddler reminders at each station of what he is supposed to do. Young toddlers may need a parent or older sibling to model the desired behavior at each station.
When creating an obstacle course, keep in mind the toddler's abilities and skills. Pushing a child to accomplish tasks that are developmentally beyond her ability will cause frustration, and possibly injury.
References
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