EXPLANATION OF THE ROUTINE
The routine exists of three different exercises in an ongoing obstacle course. It starts with walking on a bench (maintaining balance) moving a tennis ball (bending the knees, picking up the tennis balls from a cone, walk forward and placing the tennis balls back on a cone). Then the child steps on a box and jumps off on a landing surface (boxes can vary on height and rotation can be added to the jump) (landing correctly). As a final exercise the child jumps through the hoops (landing correctly) in a straight line, from left to right or in combination of catching a ball (landing combined with changing direction).

 

EXECUTION OF THE ROUTINE
In this routine, the primary context is an indoor sports area where PE teachers regularly perform the PE lessons at school. The routine can be used as warming-up for different types of goals in PE (i.e. jumping, balancing, throwing, catching, etc.) or as a core exercise in a PE lesson. It is recommended to perform the courses in couples, having one child performing the exercise (so three exercises during one course) and one child assisting (replacing the tennis balls, throwing a ball, coaching on the right execution etc.)

PREPARATION

Materials needed:

  • 3 benches
  • 3 boxes
  • Jumping board
  • 4 cones
  • 2 tennis balls
  • Landing surface
  • Small hurdles (or similar obstacles to jump over)
  • 4 hoops
  • Basketball, volleyball, foam ball (etc.)

Place the materials as presented on the map (above). You can create as many courses as possible. Let the children form a line at the start of the course. It is possible to let the next child start the course as the child in front of him reaches a certain point.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: HOW DO WE REACH OPTIMAL MOTOR LEARNING AND APPLY SELF-DETERMINATION?

  • Implicit motor learning: This is stimulated with the external focus / analogy examples of instructions/feedback to improve body posture while balancing, jumping and landing and changing directions.
  • Challenge/Fun: With two courses: beating the opponents during the race (challenge). Furthermore, winning points (based on difficulty level or movement execution (optimal vs. suboptimal)) can be collected to make it more fun. The unanticipated landings and cutting movements make it challenging and context specific. Picking your own material also makes it fun.
  • Motivation: Enhanced by providing autonomy to choose the level of exercise to practice and materials to practice with. Furthermore, exercises will be done together to make it more fun. Enhanced expectancies: different difficulty levels between and within exercises. You can add a point-system (easy: 1 point; intermediate: 2 points; difficult: 3 points) to encourage the pupils.
  • Autonomy: Make the players choose or control different aspect of the play (e.g. buddy and material to practice with and level of exercise).
  • Competence: Feeling of competence is created by giving the child option to choose a variation of the exercise (by means of level or material). Let the child pick the version of the routine s/he feels most comfortable with to complete successfully. Also, positive feedback from teacher confirming good trials well boost feelings of competence
  • Relatedness: Feeling of relatedness is created by practicing with and helping peers.
  • Differentiation (age/difficulty): The routine is made in order to be easily adapted by the PE teacher for various children‘s

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS
You can add variations to the obstacle course by:

  • The obstacle course can be shortened or extended to fit the timeframe and purpose of the PE lesson.
  • Adding more exercises to the obstacle course.
  • Vary in type of materials you are using (balls, beanbags, cones, etc).
  • Let a child close one eye during the obstacle course.
  • Let children choose the way they cross the obstacle course (i.e. sideways of backwards).
  • Use iPads with video-delayed feedback for children to watch themselves.
  • One child starts first and the next one will go to the race after hearing the signal given by the previous child who completes the route and shouts to his buddy GO!
  • “Follow the captain” in order to ensure the possibility to create different versions and variants of running / movements skills by themselves.
  • Can be described as a “story” in the preparatory class at the youngest pupils.

The child is walking on the bench, picking up the tennisballs from the first cones and placing them on the second. Then the child  jumps over the small hurdles, with two feet at the same time. In the last section the child jumps from hoop to hoop, also taking off and landing with two feet.

The child is walking on the bench (which is placed upside down), picking up the tennisballs from the first cones and placing them on the second. Then the child climbs on one of the boxed (varying in height) and jumps off, with two feet at the same time. In the last section the child jumps from hoop to hoop sideways, also taking off and landing with two feet.

The child is walking on the bench (which is placed upside down on a jumping board (or something else to create a seesaw)), picking up the tennisballs from the first cones and placing them on the second. Then the child climbs on one of the boxed (varying in height) and jumps off, with two feet at the same time, performing a turn (or another creative jump). In the last section the child jumps from hoop to hoop sideways, also taking off and landing with two feet. While jumping, another child throws a ball, making sure the jumping child catches it while it is landing.