Jumping Obstacle Course – Preschool Fitness Activity

by Kelly Pfeiffer
For an indoor or outdoor activity full of heart healthy exercise, set up an obstacle course that features jumping activities for preschoolers. With a few simple items from around the house or preschool supply closet, turn any space into a series of jumping fitness challenges. Balance and coordination skills are essential to gross motor activities such as jumping up, jumping down and jumping from one foot and landing on two feet. Offer preschoolers balance and coordination practice with an obstacle course full of healthy development and jumping fun.

Touch This

Set up - Use string or yarn to hang small items from a doorway, tree limb, swing set, etc. at different heights.

Preschooler Task - Preschoolers jump up and try to touch a high hanging item.

Item Ideas - wiffle balls, foam cut out shapes, card stock paper shapes, gloves or mittens.

Jump Down

Set up - Place a chair, step bench or other sturdy platform next to a hula-hoop (or jump rope or yarn laid in a circle on the ground).

Preschooler Task - Preschoolers climb on the chair, jump off and land in the hoop.

Caution - Do not set up the Jump Down task over a hard surface such as concrete or asphalt.

Bunny Hop

Set up - The Bunny Hop station can be set up in a number of ways.

1. Draw lines onto a sidewalk, driveway or hard playground space with sidewalk chalk.

2. OR lay jump ropes or other heavy cord in lines approximately one foot apart. Preschoolers bunny hop in the space between the ropes.

3. OR tape lines on the floor with painter’s masking tape approximately one foot apart.

Preschooler Task  - Preschoolers jump with both feet together into a series of spaces. Five spaces is a nice challenge for most preschoolers.

Creative Hopscotch Paths

Set up  - Use sidewalk chalk for outdoors or painter’s masking tape for indoors. Mark different patterns on the ground for preschoolers to place their feet when they land.

Lay out the pattern of square so that preschoolers will be jumping

-from one foot to two feet

-from two feet to one foot

-from two feet to two feet

Vary the distance from one jump spot to the next so that preschoolers will be making both short jumps and long jumps.

Vary the distance between feet when two squares are beside each other and preschoolers will have both feet on the ground. Draw some squares close together, next to each other so that preschoolers’ feet will be close together. Draw other squares approximately 8” apart so that preschoolers’ feet will be wide apart.

Preschooler Task - Preschoolers jump from one end of the creative hopscotch path to the other by jumping and landing on the drawn or taped pattern.

Add a Theme

Valentine's Day

Touch This - Tie a blow up heart, small stuffed heart or foam cut out heart.

Jump Down – Tape  4  foam or construction paper hearts around the hula hoop.

Bunny Hop – Add hearts on the ends of the lines of sidewalk chalk. Or tape foam or construction paper hearts on the ends of the taped lines.

Creative Hop Scotch Paths - Draw heart shapes for hopscotch.

Winter - Hang an inflatable snowflake for Touch This. Draw mitten shapes for creative hop scotch paths. Change the bunny hop to the Snowman hop and have preschoolers carry a snowman while they hop or have them put the snowman on top of their head while they hop.

St. Patrick’s Day - See ideas above for Valentines Day. Change the hearts to shamrocks.

Summer - Hang an inflatable beach ball for Touch This. Draw sun shapes for creative hop scotch paths.

Fall - See ideas above for Valentines Day. Change the hearts to pumpkins.