The Explorer Squirrel Obstacle Course
Children are squirrels traveling a course made only from natural materials: zigzag around pine cones, jump over sticks, walk along a low log, circle around large rocks, and dive into a leaf pile at the end. It builds fundamental movement skills and moving safely in a natural setting.
How to play
- Set up the course together with the teacher: each group carries one type of material to its station (3 min).
- Walk through the course while the teacher shows how to do each station (2 min).
- First squirrel lap: zigzag through the pine cones, jump the sticks, walk the low log holding the teacher's hand, circle the rocks, and hide in the leaf pile (4 min).
- Second lap, faster, with a squirrel tail: one arm behind you swishing like a tail (3 min).
- Third lap carrying a pine cone, the squirrel's acorn, and dropping it in the leaf pile (3 min).
- Take the course apart, carrying each thing back where it belongs (2 min).
Rules
- I go when the squirrel ahead of me has passed the first stick.
- On the log, I walk slowly; if I wobble, I step off and keep going.
- We go around the rocks, not on them.
- No passing anyone on the course.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, a short course with three stations (pine cones, sticks, leaves), and a line of sticks on the ground in place of the log.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, all five stations, with help on the log.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the group invents a new station with natural materials and decides how to do it.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a version where the child weaves around the pine cones and rocks in the wheelchair and rolls through a leaf corridor.
- Visual impairment: travel the course holding a buddy's hand as the buddy calls out "pine cones," "stick," "log."
- Autism: a poster with pictures of each station in order, to check before starting.
Learning goals
- Combine traveling, jumping, and balancing in a course.
- Move safely among natural objects.
- Keep the order and spacing with classmates.
Equipment for a class of 25
- large pine cones: 8
- long sticks: 6
- logs: 1
- large rocks: 5
- dry leaves
Teacher tip
The log must be well wedged and no higher than the knee; stay at that station yourself. Set the course up in a loop so paths don't cross, and keep a squirrel's length between kids.
PatioLab has "The Explorer Squirrel Obstacle Course" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.