Indoor Obstacle Courses
It’s still too cold for me outside in Georgia, so I thought I would discuss some more fun indoor activities for your children. This time we are talking about…obstacle courses! They are one of my favorite activities as a physical therapist to incorporate into treatment sessions. The possibilities are endless and there’s so much room to work on motor skills, which is always a win for me.
Need to work on balance?
Use pillows or a foam mat to stand on one leg, jump from each surface, or hop on one leg.
Floor markers are small velcro spots that can easily attach and be removed from carpet floor. They are a great way to set up hopscotch, “twister”, or “floor is lava” type activities.
Balance beam walking if you have a low, elevated surface or tape a straight or zigzag line on the floor to have them walk heel to toe.
Strengthening?
Attach a rope to a laundry basket and fill it up to add a little weight as they navigate the obstacle course. I also like to hide a few of their favorite toys and have them pull the basket while searching for the toys to fill the baskets themselves. You can remove the rope to increase the challenge and have them push the basket.
Follow the leader: perform a few exercises and have them follow along. This may include jumping jacks, push-ups, crab walks, bear crawls, etc…
Have them change levels such as crawling under a table, walking on pillows or couch, and jumping up stairs.
Have you heard of squigz? They are small, suction cup toys that stick to a ton of surfaces and are great to promote upper extremity strengthening. You could even have them stand on pillow while playing to increase the challenge.
Coordination?
Balloon volleyball: blow up a balloon and practice hitting it back and forth without letting it touch the ground.
Blowing bubbles. Have your child jump up, reach overhead, and squat to the floor to pop bubbles.
Hallway bowling or soccer. I’ve used plenty of household items instead of real bowling pins. Have fun and be creative.
These are just a few ideas that you can piece together to create a fun and entertaining obstacle course. As always, we would love to hear how you created a course in your home. Email info@setinmotionphysicaltherapy for any questions.