Location: indoor or outdoor

Materials: painters tape, paper shapes, cones or other markers (bean bags, blocks, etc)

This variation on an obstacle course is a great activity to mix gross motor development with executive functioning practice.

Create a route around the classroom using painters tape (it can be as simple or complex as your space allows). Every so often tape a paper shape to the floor (or place a cone or bean bag). These objects represent where children will need to do a specific action. For example: at the red square: children will do 3 jumping jacks, at the purple circle: children will hop on one foot, and at the green star: children will turn around in a circle.

Invite your children to line up behind you and lead them through the wacky walking course, pausing at each shape to do the decided action.

Possible Extensions:

• Invite your children to help you decide what actions to do at each shape
• Incorporate musical instruments into the actions
• Let children take turns leading the group through the course