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active challenge:

mini obstacle course

Suggested Ages: K – 5th Grades

Think outside-the-box to create a challenging obstacle course in a tiny space! Use materials from around your house and BE VISIONARY by taking the time to imagine multiple ways any one object could be used as a component of the course.

Active Challenge: Fun, movement-oriented games and activities to spark innovation and creativity

This is no ordinary DIY activity for kids: It’s a step toward becoming an innovator.

 

Every Galileo Active Challenge gets kids moving and teaches the same mindsets that professional designers, engineers, artists and athletes use in their work. With skills like these, we believe you can change the world.

Get Involved—For Grown Ups

Materials list:

Help your child find these materials or a close substitute: 

 

  • 6’x6’ space (Smaller is okay too!)
  • All materials are optional, there are no specific items that are needed.
  • Tape
  • Furniture
  • Boxes
  • Balls
  • Scissors
  • String
  • Yard Stick
  • Wooden Board

 

Activity Steps:

Use these to keep your innovator on track as they play: 

 

    1. Create the course-space by taping off a 6’x6’ square on the floor.
    2. Gather items to use as obstacles. (Check with an adult to make sure you have permission to use all the items.)
    3. Clear the course-space so you have room to design.
    4. Select your first object and be visionary by taking the time to think of several ways it could be used before finalizing the first obstacle.
    5. Select the next item and repeat.
    6. Keep adding obstacles, testing the course as you build.
    7. Try your finished course!
    8. Invite others to try it!

 

Guiding Questions:

If your child is stuck, try asking these questions to help them keep on innovating: 

 

  • Imagine some of the different (safe) ways you could use that object as an obstacle? Try turning the object upside down. How might you use it like that?
  • Practice extreme thinking! What’s the simplest way you could use that object? What’s the most challenging way you could use that object? What new ideas do you get after thinking about these opposites?
  • Put it together! What about those two objects? What are some different ways those could used in combination to make an obstacle?

 

More Ideas:

Every project presents opportunities to add your own twists or extensions. Here are some ideas to get you started: 

 

  • Time yourself to see how fast you can do the obstacle course. Then try to beat that time. Can others beat your time?
  • See how many times you can flawlessly complete your course in a row?
  • Innovate On! What’s your least favorite part of the course? How can you redesign that part to make it more fun? Or make the space even smaller and envision a super-mini obstacle course!

 

Wrap Up Questions:

Lock in the learning by asking your child these questions about their activity and how they practiced the featured Innovator’s Mindset element: 

 

  • You used a lot of objects in interesting ways. You must have taken time to be visionary and think of multiple ways to use each object. Can you share some of the ideas you didn’t get to use?
  • How did stopping to test help you when you were making the course help with your design? Did you get new ideas after trying different moves? Tell me about them.

SHARE!

Great learning can come from sharing successes and failures—to solidify your own experience as an innovator and to inspire others.

 

SHARE WITH galileo

 

Take a video of your child completing their course, or your attempt at it and share it with the Camp Galileo Anywhere Facebook Community.

 

Share with family and friends

 

Your innovation doesn’t stop with you. Inspire someone else by sharing your active challenge—maybe they’ll try it themselves or maybe your experience will give them a new idea.

 

  • Who: someone in your house, a family member, a friend
  • How: in person, on the phone, online
  • When: anytime, starting now!