Obstacle courses are a fun way to develop perceptual motor and fundamental movement skills!

Children between the ages of two and six years benefit greatly from play-based activities that develop a variety of perceptual motor skills and fundamental movement skills.

Perceptual motor skills require children to receive and interpret sensory information and to respond through movement. It is important to develop an awareness of one’s body and the surrounding space. Perceptual motor involves coordinating muscles to move with control and to interact with objects that vary in direction, speed of movement and distance from oneself.

Fundamental movement skills include balance skills, locomotor skills (e.g. crawling, running, jumping) and ball skills (e.g. throwing, kicking).

Perceptual motor skills and fundamental movement skills are the building blocks required for the development of more complex functional life movement patterns and sports skills.

You can help your child to develop these important skills through creating an exciting obstacle course to explore.

Get creative with objects from around the home. For example obstacles may include climbing over a pile of pillows, wiggling under a broom handle, jumping over a pool noodle, crawling between two chairs, kicking a ball, throwing rolled up socks into a basket, hopping like a rabbit, or balance walking along a rope.

Create activities that are safe, challenging, and achievable, so that children have fun and feel successful.

If you would like to discover other age appropriate and fun physical activities that you can do with your child, follow our blog or join us at KineticKids. Register here for a free trial KineticKids class.

Wishing you all the best with your health and wellness journey,

Dr Tamara Street

Mum of two beautiful boys, psychologist, exercise professional, and Director of KineticKids