The Bedtime Obstacle Course
Children move through a course with stations for the bedtime routine: bathroom (brushing teeth with jumps), pajamas (crawling under a piece of fabric), story (walking along a bench to the bookshelf) and bed (rolling on a mat and lying still). It works on a range of motor skills and the order of habits for good sleep.
How to play
- Sitting down, the teacher asks what we do before bed and sets up a station for each step: bathroom, pajamas, story and bed (2 min).
- Bathroom station: five jumps with toothbrush arms, everyone tries “up and down” and pretends to gargle (2 min).
- Pajama station: army crawl or crawl on all fours under the big piece of fabric, like slipping into pajamas (2 min).
- Story and bed stations: walk along the bench to the cushions, pick an imaginary story and roll on the mat until lying flat (2 min).
- Do the whole course in a line, each child at their own pace, several times (5 min).
- Last round in “nighttime mode”: everything slower and silent, and finish with everyone lying on the mats, eyes closed (2 min).
Rules
- Wait your turn at the start of each station.
- One child at a time on the bed mat.
- In nighttime mode, cotton-ball steps and no talking.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use only bathroom, pajamas and bed, with the teacher walking the course alongside them.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, use all four stations with a low bench.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, they remember the routine order and say it out loud before each station.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: each station has a version off the floor (going under the fabric in the wheelchair, brushing with the arms) and the bench is replaced with a line on the floor.
- Autism: a board with photos of the four stations in order, using the same words as at home if the family shares them.
- Visual impairment: a partner guide and a different sound at each station (bell, hand drum, maraca).
Learning goals
- Practice a range of moves: jumping, crawling, balancing and rolling.
- Learn the order of habits before bed.
- Take turns on a course.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Mats: 4
- Large pieces of fabric: 2
- Benches: 1
- Cushions: 6
Teacher tip
The bench must be low with a mat beside it and an adult close by at that station. Share the routine with families so they can use the same words at home.
PatioLab has "The Bedtime Obstacle Course" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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