Heavy Work Obstacle Course

Activity Overview

Heavy work is essential in the development of our proprioception, the sensory system that helps a child better understand where their body lies in space, and how they move it successfully. Heavy work is the basis for general functioning activities, such as walking, lifting, cooking, and cleaning. It also supports our athletic coordination and is very important in understanding how our bodies balance. Weaving heavy work activities into our everyday life gives our children a better understanding of how their own body works.

What You Need

This activity is all about using what you already have in your home. Some great options include:

• A roll of painter’s tape (this can help children see their path and causes no damage to floor or carpets)

• Chair

• Books

• Laundry basket full of clothes

• Bags of rice or beans

• Canned food

• Groceries

• Backpack

• Bottle of laundry soap

• Carton of milk

• Bins of toys

Steps

1. Choose pushing, pulling, walking and walking-backwards activities that work with what you have at your house. Some ideas are as follows:

   • Push a chair from one point to another. If it needs to be heavier, put a few books on top.

   • Push a laundry basket full of clothes from one end of the room to the other. It should be a challenge, but not impossible for your student to move. After they push it, have them repeat the exercise, but this time pulling it.

   • Put books, bags of rice or beans, or even some cans of food in a reusable grocery bag and have your student pull it from one spot to the next.

   • Support the family by weaving a pulling exercise into the act of putting away groceries. Have the student drag the bags from the door to the kitchen.

   • Lift and carry heavy books from one point to another.

   • If your child has a backpack, or there is a backpack that can be adjusted to fit the student, you can once again put a bag of rice or can in the bag to make it heavy.

   • Walking backwards activities are good opportunities to have your student carry something heavy in their hands, such as bottles of laundry soap or a carton of milk.

   • Use a weighted backpack to walk backwards, but have the student wear the backpack on their chest rather than on their back.

2. Have the child do each activity for about 8-12 feet. In between the heavy work, add some guided movements like crawling, crab-walking, bear-walking or a balance beam on tape. Have them use their whole body to try to push one of the walls over in your home!

3. If you and your student come up with your own ideas, or are inspired to add to or change the challenge, that is great!

Guiding Questions

• How can we design this course? Can we work together?

• How heavy is this?

• What muscles are you using today?

• Can you move that object with a different part of your body? Your back? Your feet?

• Can I help you or would you like to do it on your own?

• What other heavy items do we have around our house that we could use?