Classes 3, 4, 5

Ping Pong Ball Obstacle Course

The video is a little bouncy, so watch with care. It's only there for some ideas.

Here's another one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WUyTZkixvk

Use what you have, though. A marble could work just as well, you just need to be creative and see what can be done. Ask for your parents permission before doing anything too crazy or borrowing anything.

Another one is where you power the ping pong ball with your breath, and you have to complete "checkpoints" along the route.

Buddy Backyard Obstacle Course

5th - Backyard Obstacle Course

Right about now your 1st grade buddies need a good obstacle course. They probably miss my Friday Astronaut Training we used to do in the gym. You'll save them with a new adventure!
Click left to see the assignment.

What you need...

Tennis balls, rice and balloons.

Making your own juggling beanbags


<--- This is one way.

Here's another--->

These seem a nicer, softer ball.

This requires sewing; Mrs. McKenzie would be proud!

Using Stilts!

I've found the best way for me to use them is to put the pole section behind you and then tuck the pole under your armpits, squeezing them.
Then reach your hands down and grasp the pole, thumb down.
Then step up onto the footpad section, first one foot, then the other.
The footpads should be even - not one in front of the other or behind, and the poles should be as vertical as you can get them before stepping up onto them.

Challenges

Try to balance on them, taking steps when necessary to stay up.

Then try to take as small as a step as you can when you need to move. This increases your control.

Those first few times may take awhile to get going.

Now you can try to get somewhere, say 10 feet away, without coming down.

See how long you can stay up, either by distance or time.

Once you get going you can try different surfaces - grass, concrete, asphalt - and uphill and downhill.

Then you can add very low steps - say a 2" step up (use scrap lumber lying around if you have it, or find something 2" high).

Those steps can present a challenge to master.

Stilts Project.doc

Building your own stilts

This is a fun project that you can create.

Some pictures to help

Above is a link to a step by step website.

Above are painter stilts

Remember to wear a bike helmet when you get on.

Lawn Games: Do you have any of these lawn games around your house? If so, set them up and give them a play! Have a parent take a picture and send it to me here.

  • Kubb (my personal favorite)

  • Cornhole

  • Croquet

  • Bocce

  • Molky


Disc Golf in your Yard! What you need - a can lid, CD, or actual mini-disc and a couple of shipping boxes.


Set a par (the # of throws you imagine it would take to get the disc into the box) and then go for it.

Set 9 tees (where you throw from), including uphill/downhill, trees in the way, etc for added fun and challenge.

Play against siblings and parents or yourself. Play 3x a week, try to improve your score.

Basics of learning to juggle

I hope to record some of my own juggling videos soon. Until then, practice with a beanbag or tennis ball. PRO TIP: Practice over a table so if you drop it , you save your back picking it up.

Cupstacking (if you have a set)

If you'd like a set of your own , you could order them from either here or here .