It is important to support children's gross motor development, especially in their early years. Putting together an obstacle course that is non-competitive and focuses on having fun is a great way for children to have a wide range of gross motor experiences. Some of the skills children need for ideal gross motor development include balancing, jumping, crawling, climbing, reaching, bouncing, rolling, running, catching, and throwing.
In the first part of the course, the children were practicing both jumping and balancing. They pretended that the floor was lava and did their best not to fall in!
Then they used a hopping ball to get to the other side of the room. These balls help children establish coordination and balance while improving their muscular strength.
Next, the children had to crawl through a tube while pushing a weighted medicine ball in front of them. Medicine balls provide "heavy work" needed for integrating sensory information, engaging the body with the brain, and building coordination.
Once they reached the other side of the tube, they stood up and lifted a lighter medicine ball over their head three times!
Save the best for last! The children ended the course by rolling themselves in the tube from one end of the room to the other, which they came up with all by themselves! The room was echoing with laughter and they proceeded to go back and forth several times.