Clothespin Harvest: Traverse Relay

A team relay where students pick colored clothespins clipped to the rungs while traversing, always below the marked height. It combines tempo, one-handed grip and teamwork.

How to play

1. The teacher clips four colors of clothespins on rungs below the tape; teams of four or five, each with a hoop (3 min).
2. Relay: each student goes, traverses, picks a clothespin of their color, steps down and drops it in their team's hoop (7 min).
3. Reverse round: now the clothespins go back onto the rungs during the traverse (6 min).
4. Challenge round: pick only with your non-dominant hand (5 min).
5. Whole-class count: the goal is for everyone together to collect every clothespin; quick talk about speed and safety (4 min).

Rules

• Clothespins and feet always below the tape.
• Anyone who jumps off the wall bars clips the clothespin back on a rung.
• Step all the way down before running to the hoop.
• Only one student per team on the wall bars at a time.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with low vision: high-contrast clothespins, with a piece of rough tape on theirs.
• Limited mobility: clothespins on the lowest rungs of a nearby section, collected from a wheelchair.
• Hand injury: picks with the healthy hand and a teammate places it in the hoop.

Learning goals

• Move on the wall bars with agility and control.
• Grip with one hand while the other works.
• Cooperate toward a whole-class goal.

Equipment for a class of 25

• clothespins: 60
• wall bars: 6
• mats: 12
• hoops: 6
• colored tape: 1

Teacher tip

Count the clothespins when you clip them and when you collect them; a few always end up in pockets. Common mistake: running and jumping onto the bars; if it happens, that student restarts walking.

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