Mat Islands: Cross the Gym Without Touching the Floor

A cooperative course linking a wall bar traverse, gym benches and mat islands to cross the gym without touching the floor. It combines balance, low climbing and helping teammates.

How to play

1. Setup in groups: a wall bar traverse stretch, benches in a row, separated mats and hoops as stepping stones (5 min).
2. Individual walk-through, no rush (5 min).
3. Group challenge: everyone crosses from end to end; whoever touches the floor goes back to the previous island, not the start (8 min).
4. Variation: the group carries a ball along the whole course without it touching the floor (7 min).
5. Take down the course together and discuss which kinds of help worked (5 min).

Rules

• On the wall bars, feet below the marked height.
• You can offer a hand to help, but never pull or push.
• One student per bench in each direction.
• No jumping from mat to mat if they're more than a step apart.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: an alternative floor path marked as a "bridge," and their role is passing the ball between islands.
• Students with low vision: hold a partner's hand, and the islands have high-contrast edges.
• Students with fear of heights: on the wall bar stretch, feet only on the lowest rung.

Learning goals

• Keep balance on different surfaces.
• Solve an obstacle course as a group.
• Help others safely.

Equipment for a class of 25

• gym benches: 4
• wall bars: 4
• mats: 12
• hoops: 8
• balls: 4

Teacher tip

Put thin mats on a non-slip floor; if they slide, take them out of the course. Common mistake: jumping between far-apart islands; limit the gap to one step.

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