Lantern Trail Circuit

In a dimmed room, six lanterns mark six stations of a nighttime obstacle course (tunnel, bench, hoops, mat…) and children travel from light to light taking on each challenge. It works on gross motor coordination and confidence moving in low light.

How to play

1. With the lights on, walk through the course while the teacher shows each station next to its lantern (3 min).
2. Lower the blinds halfway and turn on the lanterns: it’s nighttime in the forest and the lanterns show the way (1 min).
3. First round, slowly: crawl through the tunnel, walk the bench, hop hoop to hoop, roll on the mat, zigzag through the cones (4 min).
4. Second round as a nighttime animal: tiptoeing owls, sneaky cats (4 min).
5. Third round holding a friend’s hand at the stations where you can (3 min).
6. Turn the lanterns off one by one, raise the blinds and sit down to share which station we liked best (1 min).

Rules

• Go from lantern to lantern without skipping any.
• At each station, wait until the person ahead finishes.
• Don’t touch the lanterns.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a parallel route on smooth floor, with the lanterns as goals to roll to.
• Visual impairment: very gentle dimming, brighter lanterns and a buddy guide for the whole course.
• Autism or fear of the dark: do the first round with the lights on as many times as needed and let them carry a hand lantern.

Learning goals

• Coordinate different movements in a row.
• Move safely and calmly in dim light.
• Overcome fear of low light with the group’s support.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Battery-powered LED lanterns: 6
• Mats: 2
• Play tunnel: 1
• Low bench: 1
• Hoops: 6
• Cones: 6

Teacher tip

Walking the course with the lights on before lowering the blinds is what reassures them most. Use LED lanterns (never candles) and place them where they can’t be stepped on or knocked over, on top of a cone or a box.

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