Three-Legged Obstacle Course
Skill: Balance, Hop, Kick, Run
Time Required: 30
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards from the activity area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Remind participants to work together as a three-legged team, and to communicate and cooperate with each other.
Equipment: Rope, skipping rope, scarf, or anything that can be used to tie the partners' legs together.
Depends on obstacles that are set out, but example of equipment could be: pylons, rope, hoops, balls and so on.
Objective:
Participants will have one leg tied to their partner's leg, and they will have to navigate their way through an obstacle course.
Fundamental Skills: (depends on obstacles set out)
Other Skills:
Coordination
Set up:
Divide participants into pairs.
Set up the obstacle course. Please see the attached document for an example of an obstacle course. Could set up two identical courses, and then have teams race each other with one team at each obstacle course.
Tie together one participants left leg with their partner's right leg.
Step by Step:
1. Have participants practice walking and running with their three-legged partner before they go into the obstacle course.
2. Remind participants the importance of cooperation and communication with their partner.
3. Each pair gets a turn going through the obstacle course.
4. The leader could time each three-legged pair as they go through the course.
5. They could set up two identical courses and have one pair go through each one, and the first one to get to the finish, wins.
6. Please see the attached document for an example of an obstacle course.
7. Participants start by running to a line of pylons. They then have to weave around the pylons.
8. Then they run to the rows of pylons and have to hop/jump over these pylons.
9. They will then run to the soccer ball, and using the foot that is tied to their partner's foot, they have to kick the soccer ball through the net.
10. Change the obstacles around, or could change partners.
11. Could have the traditional three-legged race to get participants warmed up or to finish off this activity.
Variations:
Have a three-legged race, but place pylons/beanbags/balls/ropes around the area that participants have to avoid. If they step on or kick any of them, they have to do 2 squats together.
Set up different obstacles that will be a good challenge for the participants.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.