Go Around or Go Over
by Steve West on May 28, 2020
Because Olivia's school is closed we've been forced to do home schooling along with her teacher doing Zoom three times each week. So lesson plans are still happening but her special education also includes speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy. I don't do speech or occupational but I stepped in for physical. I built her an obstacle course in the backyard.
Each station is numbered and the object is to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. Station 1 starts inside the house. Our sliding door to the backyard is a little heavy (it's a really good door with double paned glass, built-in Venetian blinds, and heavy duty lock). She has to manage the lock and slide it open.
#2 is a tunnel of sorts I fashioned out of extra large pool noodles forming an arch. I combined two noodles together then staked them into the ground to form five adjacent arches that she has to crawl under although sometimes she sits and scoots along the ground. Either way, she's getting some exercise.
#3 is a series of hula hoops that crookedly lead to the next station, far enough apart that she has to take large strides to get from one to another while staying inside the circles.
#4 is a short ladder for which she climbs only two steps to slam dunk 3 balls through a small basketball hoop I secured to the side of the house.
#5 is walking a 12 foot long balance beam.
#6 is a sandbox at the end of the beam in which is buried a box with a message within. She just use a large wooden spoon to dig through the sand to get the box and open it to reveal the message, "You did it!"
#7 is a toy car that when rolled backward for a few inches and then released, it rolls forward on its own. The object is to see how far down the balance beam she can get the car to go.
#8 is to walk backward for about 15 feet to the next station.
#9 is to pick up some ivory dominoes with salad tongs and place them back into their container.
#10 is a kiddie pool filled with floating rubber ducks. On the bottom of each such I drew either a star (96) or the letter O (4). She needs to grab a duck and turn it over to reveal its symbol. She keeps searching until she finds an "O".
#11 is simply to kick a ball through a goal.
#12 is to crawl under a sawhorse with blue crepe paper draped heavily across it. I tell her she's going through a waterfall.
#13 is to drag a wagon loaded with enough bricks to make it heavy (but not too heavy) across the finish line marked with a waving checkered flag.
Olivia has been quite enthusiastic about it all and has modified a few tasks to meet her abilities. I'm very okay with that. She looks forward to doing it once each day when it's not raining. If anyone has a suggestion for another station, I'm all ears, thank you.
Two Replies to Go Around or Go Over
Kelly Lee | May 28, 2020
Watch out, Scott, I might do that.
Web Junkie
Steve West scours the Web searching for interest or absurdity and then shakes his head ruefully when he finds it. Read more »
Scott And The Genie
Scott Hardie was walking along the beach one day and discovered an old oil lamp. While rubbing the lamp a genie popped out. The genie said in a loud voice, "I am the genie of the lamp. Go »Love is a Hurtin' Thing
Recent conversation with Brenda: Me: I need a reservation for Valentine's Day. Brenda: I'll see if I can find a restaurant that takes reservations for one. Me: No, I need a reservation for two. Go »Father's Day Memories
One of the greatest gifts I ever received was on my twelfth birthday. My Dad gave me a small box with a note inside. It read, “Son, this year I will give you 365 hours, an hour every day after dinner. Go »You Make Life Worth Living
Recently, I attended a wedding for some close friends of mine. The reception featured a DJ who doubled as emcee announcing what was happening and what would happen next. After doing the stupid chicken dance and the hokey pokey, he tried to create a “feel good” moment for the newlyweds. Go »Halloween Post #2: Halloween Masks, For Real
No matter how wrinkled I get. No matter how much money I ever make. No matter how desperate I become to restore the perception of my youth. Go »
Scott Hardie | May 28, 2020
That sounds like fun -- to run and to build. :-) You did good, Steve.
Obstacle courses, matched to the player's ability level, are fun. I remember a Survivor contestant remarking how fun some of the show's challenges would be to play if there wasn't so much pressure to win them.
I see videos online of parents constructing obstacle courses at home for their bored kids, and I think, I wish someone would make an obstacle course for me. :-)