The quarantine might be winding down, but we also know it's still wise to stay at home and limit contact when you can. So, here's a fun idea that can really get your family moving, while also fighting that quarantine boredom.
Need a family date night? Try creating an obstacle course at home. They'll love
the challenge of having to complete each task, and you'll love the energy it can
burn off and time it will keep them occupied. The best part? You can build this
one with things you already have around the house.
Read on for some simple steps you can take to create a killer obstacle course at your house. And scroll to the bottom for some Pinterest-worthy (that's where I found them!) photos of super easy-win courses!
Step 1
Gather any or all of these supplies: empty paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls, a bouncy ball, flashcards, a kitchen spoon or ladle, kitchen tongs, a bucket or other large cup, pillows or couch cushions, a sheet or blanket, alphabet magnets, coins, dice, marbles, junky toys you get in a party goodie bag, a spinner from a board game, a toy that rolls (like a car, bus, or doll stroller), a bandanna or scarf, tape or yarn, and a book.
Step 2
Map out some space for your course—it doesn’t have to be a lot! I do these for my daughter in the spare room of our apartment. Place a piece of tape, or a piece of yarn, at the “starting line.”
Step 3
Pick a silly move your kid can do at the starting line to begin the obstacle course. A few ideas: strike a pose, do a dance, do three jumping jacks, spin around three times, pretend to be a certain animal—you get the idea.
Step 4
Decide on some fun ways that your kid can get from obstacle to obstacle. A few ideas: crab walk, bear walk, slither like a snake, walk backwards, walk sideways, dance, walk with eyes closed, walk with a book on her head, and so on.
Step 5
Set up some bigger physical obstacles. A few ideas: Drape a sheet between two chairs, where your child has to crawl under or limbo under. Pile some pillows that your kid has to “mountain climb” over. Put a small bouncy ball on the floor, which your kid has to pick it up with her toes and drop it into a paper towel roll suspended above a bucket. Place a toy that rolls at one station and have your kid push it with his nose to the next station. Have your kid push the bouncy ball with her nose across the floor into the paper towel roll (tape it down so it doesn't move).
The idea here is to make a course that's going to entertain your family while burning off some energy and boredom. A good way to tire them out is to make a station where a task is repeated over and over, like having them roll a pair of dice and do a certain move that number of times, or move a pile of something back and forth. If you have small hand weights at home, use them! Your kid will be thrilled to get to use grown-up equipment in the game.
A final tip: Make sure you time how long it takes your child to do the course, because when they finish it, you know they're going to ask, “How long did it take me???"
Need some ideas? Check out some pics:
