Recommended Age: 3 to 5 years
Level of Parent Involvement: Low, mainly supervision and commands
Prerequisites
- None, this exercise allows the child to build their balance and control and coordination of movement through repetition and the variations
Materials
- Masking tape
- Small jug, bean bag, cup and ball (for variations)
Preparation
- In a large space with a smooth surface, for example a tiled area in the house, on floorboards, on pavement outdoors etc use the masking tape to make large shapes on the floor. For example, a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle, an oval, a star etc
Steps
- Invite the child letting them know they are going to play a movement game which requires balancing
- Take the child and show them the masking tape shapes you have made on the floor
- Let the child know that it is best to have bare feet for this exercise, the child may take off their shoes and socks if they are wearing them
- Indicate to the child where they can place their shoes and socks to put back on once they are finished
- Ask the child to identify the shapes made with the masking tape
- The child may choose their favourite shape
- Take off your shoes/socks if wearing
- Standing on one side of the shape show the child how to step onto the shape
- Placing one foot in front of the other, show the child how to walk around the shape back to where you stepped onto the shape
- Show the child how to step off the shape
- Invite the child to have a turn
- Encourage the child to keep their head up as they are walking around the shape and walk toe to toe, one foot after the other
- Encourage the child to use the feeling of the masking tape under their feet to guide them around the shape and to keep their head up
- Invite the child to choose the next shape and repeat as above, demonstrating how to step on and off the shape, invite the child to have a turn
- Repeat for the remaining shapes
- Invite the child to balance walking on the masking tape shapes independently
- Come back once the child has walked around all shapes
- Let the child know they may keep practicing or they may like to practice walking around holding an object
- Show the child the objects they may choose from
- Demonstrate how to walk around one of the shapes holding an object, invite the child to have a turn
- On another day show the child the variations
Variations
- Objects to carry while walking around the shapes (a basket, a tray, a toy etc)
- Walking with a bell without the bell making a sound
- Walking on the masking tape shape holding a cup balancing a ball without letting the ball fall off
- Walking on the shape with a bean bag on the child’s head/ shoulder, under their chin etc
- Walking on the shape holding a jug of water without the water spilling
