Stay on the Line

When little ones are stuck inside, it can be difficult to get those wiggles out. This movement activity is part of my Activity of the Day series and can be used to get your kids up and moving even when you’re stuck inside.

Stay on the Line

This activity requires minimal prep and can keep kids moving and using their imagination for an extended period of time.

Supplies

• painters tape or masking tape (indoors)
• chalk (outdoors)

Set Up

1. If you’re doing this activity inside, use the tape mentioned above. I have found that these tapes come up easily from most surfaces. If you’re doing this activity outside, you can grab chalk to use on the sidewalk.
2. Create a design on the floor using the tape or chalk. You can use straight lines or get fancy with more jagged or curved lines. Make sure some of the lines are connecting.
3. Tell your kids that they’re to stay on the lines. Then, let them get creative! This activity is designed for your child to lead in the play. You’re simply setting the stage.
4. If your child is having difficulty, you can demonstrate and play along with them.

Babies (under 1)

Let your little one explore the design. You can also adapt this activity by placing strips of tape on the floor and letting them peel it back up. You can leave an edge up to help your little one out.

Toddlers (1-3)

Encourage your little one to stay on the line. This is good for balance practice and helps build early writing skills.

Preschoolers (3-5)

As your little one is walking on the lines, challenge them to jump from one to another. Add in new connecting lines if needed to make this a possibility. Jumping is a great skill to work on. You can also challenge them to hop, skip, march, etc along the pattern.

Big Kids (6+)

With big kids, I would recommend focusing on their imagination with this one. Set it up and see what they do with it. You can offer examples and guidance as needed.

Notes

With this activity, I recommend setting it up and seeing what your kids do with it. You can offer suggestions and challenges as they go along if needed. Let them have some freedom first – you might be surprised by how they play. This activity can be used over and over again. It can be new each time since you can set up different shapes, patterns, and designs.

This activity is a part of our Activity of the Day series. This series was created to help parents with activities to do during school closures due to the coronavirus. Check back every weekday for new activity that you can do with kids of all ages!