Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.7.2, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # My Obstacle Course: Engage, Encourage and Empower A fun, structured, systematic way to work on your child's strengths and weaknesses at home! ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://myobstaclecourse.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Blog](https://myobstaclecourse.com/blog/) - [Exciting News!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/11/27/exciting-news/) - I am excited to share with you something I have been working on for the past 8 months... Margaret Webb Life Coaching - Find Peace in the Chaos of Life Me and my teacher - Martha Beck! A life coach could help you if... Life feels chaotic and you want more peace and joy in - [ABC's of Peaceful Parenting Tele-class](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2012/05/21/abcs-of-peaceful-parenting-tele-class/) - Do you… crave more peace and joy in parenting? find yourself getting annoyed, frustrated or angry with your child? feel out of control, overwhelmed and exhausted? If so, come learn the… ABC’s of Peaceful Parenting Learn some simple yet effective strategies and tools to help you become a peaceful leader for your child, family and - [What's Perfect About This?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2012/01/28/whats-perfect-about-this/) - Deep breath followed by this fabulous question, "What’s perfect about this?" I asked myself this question as I woke up one morning to find red pepper flakes in the cast iron skillet and an interesting aroma coming from my son's room. Turns out that he loves to spin and really loves to spin glass jars. - [When People Stare, Mind Your Own Business](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2012/07/02/when-people-stare-mind-your-own-business/) - This is a repost from my life coaching blog. I wanted to share this here because the chances are VERY high that you've experienced this at some point. What I share below has made such a difference for me and I am hoping that it can also help you! Thanks for reading!  Margaret I have - [Inspiring Blog Award](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/04/inspiring-blog-award/) - Yesterday morning I received a surprise while checking out my friend Tracie's blog at Cleverly Inspired.  She has always been creative and on the lookout for what she could transform next.  Even back in high school we would venture to a local stencil store, buy wooden things and then paint and stencil them- we - [Valentine Themed M&M Math Part 1](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/01/valentine-themed-mm-math-part-1/) - I love months that make it easy for me to create fun, thematic activities and February is one of those months! For this math activity, you have to go no farther than the candy aisle in your grocery or department store. I found these small packages of Valentine M&M’s and had several ideas for how - [Valentine Themed Math Part 2](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/08/valentine-themed-math-part-2/) - Valentine M&M Graphing Here is another opportunity to build math skills while having a bit of yummy fun with the small package of Valentine themed M&M’s. I use the package of candy with Andrew to make graphs. As I’ve said before, I like to use things that are random because it helps to keep things - [My Obstacle Course: February Theme](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/07/my-obstacle-course-february-theme/) - Here is a video clip from a February themed My Obstacle Course that we did last year. The station activities are all specific to the skills and concepts that Andrew was working on in therapy and school but I want you to see how it looks when I combine the station activities I post on - [Word Family Sorting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/10/word-family-sorting/) - Word Family Sorting- I have been asked a number of times by parents about what they should work on with their children after they have mastered ABC recognition and letter sounds. The next step is putting together the sounds to form small words and this is easily done by building word family recognition.  Here is - [Sentence Strips](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/04/sentence-strips/) - Sentence strips are strips of lined paper, usually colored, that are used in classrooms to build literacy skills. They can be found in teacher supply stores or online (You can google sentence strips or click here for a link to Teacher Heaven where I got mine.) As a classroom teacher I would use them to - [Dice](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/22/dice/) - If you are looking for a fun way to sneak in basic number identification, counting skills and/or math facts, try using something you probably have sitting in a cupboard inside of a board game box - dice. I like to use dice because it keeps things random, requires no set up, helps build motor skills - [Greater Than/Less Than Using Sticker Cards](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/15/greater-thanless-than-using-sticker-cards/) - Here is a link to a previous post, Sticker Cards, that I did showing how to make what I call sticker number cards. These are modeled after a deck of cards but because I make them with stickers and colored index cards, they can be made quite easily to go with the theme we are doing - [Spring Themed Word Sort](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/23/spring-themed-word-sort/) - When Andrew was younger, it became obvious that sitting at the kitchen counter to practice school work or therapy words was not going to be easy or fun, for either of us! That is one of the main reasons for coming up with My Obstacle Course. We needed something different and one of the things - [Stir Up Some Fun With Spring Colored Whisks!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/25/stir-up-some-fun-with-spring-colored-whisks/) - I found these colored whisks at Target and besides being perfect for using in a spring themed My Obstacle Course, I realized they would be perfect for building a skill I was working on with Andrew. If At First It Doesn't Work, Try Something Different I had introduced a stirring activity with him (stirring frosting - [Patriotic Pails and Word Sorting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/04/patriotic-pails-and-word-sorting/) - If you've been reading my posts for a while, you know that I love finding things to go with the theme we are doing. These little July themed pails were in the dollar section of our Target and I know that they are the perfect addition to a July themed My Obstacle Course sorting station. It - [Make The Same- Sight Word Building](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/29/make-the-same-sight-word-building/) - Have I ever mentioned that I love using things I already have around my home to help Andrew build developmental and academic skills? Perhaps only a hundred times but it is so true! I also like to pass on ideas to you that are simple to put together and also easy to adapt to various - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #4: Tweezers or Tongs](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/15/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-4-tweezers-or-tongs/) - Kit Item #4: Tweezers or Tongs Tweezers or tongs (or even kiddie chopsticks like the ones I got from Sur La Table) are great for building muscles required for handwriting. Tweezers are something that almost everyone has at home which makes it even better, almost like getting a free tool! They also pair quite nicely with - [Sports Themed My Obstacle Course Idea #4](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/12/sports-themed-my-obstacle-course-idea-4/) - Oops! When I opened the email version of my post from yesterday, I realized that I was not really clear about the link I had provided for the sports activities page. It was the very first link (in green on my website, purple if you subscribe). You can also click here for it: Enchanted Learning's - [Treasure Hunting for Apple Themed Station Items](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/02/treasure-hunting-for-apple-themed-station-items/) - When I think of September, I think apples!! (Although at the grocery store this morning they were stocking Halloween candy - seriously?? Perhaps I'm just way behind.) Back to apples... there's apple picking, apple cider, apple pie, etc. Just as there are lots of ways to eat and drink apples, there are also many apple - [Apple Themed Tally Mark Crawl and Match](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/22/apple-themed-tally-mark-crawl-and-match/) - I created this Crawl and Match activity because I wanted Andrew to begin understanding what tally marks were, how they were written and how to count them. The Crawl and Match concept can be used to reinforce a wide variety of skills and concepts, this is just one example of how I did it to - [Mini Apple Cut-Outs](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/09/mini-apple-cut-outs/) - I'm going to try something different in my upcoming posts. I've been feeling like I'm not providing enough prep time by posting on thematic/seasonal things as the theme or season is taking place (would love to hear thoughts on this!). I've decided to try bunching some ideas I have that utilize similar materials instead of - [Handwriting Helpers](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/16/handwriting-helpers/) - Need To Help Your Child build Fine Motor Skills?  You're Not Alone! One thing that has come up over and over again when working with other parents is a desire to build fine motor skills with their children. Since I also have a child who has difficulties with fine motor skills, handwriting in particular  (he - [Winter Themed Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching Game](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/13/winter-themed-uppercase-and-lowercase-letter-matching-game/) - I was at the teacher supply store looking for some ideas for a winter themed Obstacle Course and found a package of these cute penguin and igloo cutouts.  I think their original purpose was for a bulletin board but I decided to use them to create an Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching Game.  It is - [More Nature, Less Electronics](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/11/more-nature-less-electronics/) - Just as I like to share practical ideas for ways to work on building academic and developmental skills with your children, I'd also like to share something that has made a huge difference in my life (and now Andrew's) over the past two years - reconnection to nature. Two weeks ago I participated in a - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #7: A Writing Surface](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/22/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-7-a-writing-surface/) - Kit Item #7: A Writing Surface There are many different writing surfaces out there that would be perfect to put into a kit. I love using things that can be used again and again to help Andrew build his handwriting skills. I have the following items in my own My Obstacle Course materials: Magna-Doodles (I - [Halloween](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/11/01/halloween/) - I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday. Halloween holds a special place in my heart, not because I love it or love to dress up or scare people (I actually don't), but because it is the holiday that woke me up a bit to something I had been overlooking with Andrew. We were - [Enchanted Learning Halloween Themed Pages](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/27/enchanted-learning-halloween-themed-pages/) - If you have been following my posts for a while, you know how much I love to use materials from www.EnchantedLearning.com. Here are some examples of what they have to help build math skills using the Halloween theme. Note: This is just me, but I wanted to make the papers look a little more appealing - [Halloween Sticker Patterns](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/27/halloween-sticker-patterns/) - This is a super simple way to build patterning skills along with fine motor skills - Halloween themed patterning! I had some packages of Halloween themed stickers (could be any theme at any time of the year though) and got out some orange index cards. I began a pattern using the stickers (shown in the - [Halloween Ring Sort and Count](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/25/halloween-ring-sort-and-count/) - This is one of my favorite station activities because it was one of those moments where I realized that I could take an item, alter it a bit from it’s original intended use and create activities with it to build skills and find out what Andrew knew. I purchased a package of Halloween rings (either - [Geoboard Spider](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/20/geoboard-spider/) - Using a geoboard to create a spider is a great way to sneak in some fine motor and motor planning skills during an October/Halloween themed My Obstacle Course. This is a super easy station to set up, all you need is a geoboard and some rubber bands (which the geo board comes with). Click here - [Jack-O-Lantern Ball](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/19/jack-o-lantern-ball/) - A jack-o-lantern ball like this one is a super fun addition to an October/Halloween themed My Obstacle Course! I saw one of these the other day at the grocery store and I think I got mine at Target. Use for: bouncing tossing catching passing kicking rolling making a basket (whether with little basketball hoop or even - [Preparing For An October/Halloween My Obstacle Course ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/16/preparing-for-an-octoberhalloween-my-obstacle-course/) - Today I am sharing an example of what it looked like when I was preparing for an October/Halloween themed My Obstacle Course done with Andrew. Prepping for an October/Halloween Themed My Obstacle Course Below is a photograph of my desk while I got organized. This is how I play!! While it may seem to be - [Farm Themed Station Ideas Using Items Found At Home](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/15/farm-themed-station-ideas-using-items-found-at-home/) - These are some other basic station activity ideas that I have included in a farm-themed My Obstacle Course for Andrew. The great thing about them is that I used things that I already had at home so this is another reminder to look around in your child's stuff to see if they have toys that - [Help the Baby Chicks](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/13/help-the-baby-chicks/) - This station activity is perfect for a farm-themed My Obstacle Course. All you need are some colored puffs (yellow works great for baby chicks) and some tweezers or ice tongs. I had some brown shredded paper that I placed into a baking pan because I thought it would help in pretending that they were still - [Farm Themed Sticker Story ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/12/farm-themed-sticker-story/) - When I purchase things to use in My Obstacle Courses with Andrew, I LOVE it when I can use them for multiple activities. Here is just one example of how easy it is to create a completely different activity using something as basic as package of stickers. I had some farm stickers, which I used - [Autumn Themed "Make This Number"](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/11/autumn-themed-make-this-number/) - I first did a post sharing this activity in September (Apple Themed Make This Number) and wanted to share how easy it is to update this station activity simply by using some colored index cards and thematic or seasonal stickers. For the autumn-themed number cards, I decided to use colors that represent autumn for me - - [Autumn Themed Vocabulary and Picture Matching](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/06/autumn-themed-vocabulary-and-picture-matching/) - When I begin working on putting together a My Obstacle Course, I choose my theme and then as part of my preparation, I usually head to Enchanted Learning to see if they have anything I can use to build literacy or math skills. This is an example of how I used one of their thematic - [Autumn Manipulatives](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/10/04/autumn-manipulatives/) - You have heard me mention the word "manipulatives" many times and in case you don't know what they are, they are basically items that children can manipulate while working math problems. Here are some manipulatives that are perfect for an autumn themed My Obstacle Course: These are great to pair with math equations to help - [Farm Themed Memory Match](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/30/farm-themed-memory-match/) - This is a really easy way to create a thematic memory match game using stickers and index cards (or cutouts). Here is a link to an earlier memory match post I wrote. I like including this game because it helps to build concentration, encourages basic game skills like turn taking and provides a good opportunity - [Calendar Number Sequencing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/26/calendar-number-sequencing-2/) - Calendar numbers make it super easy to build math skills such as number sequencing. I like to use calendar numbers because they are thematic according to the month or season, which makes building vocabulary relevant to the month we are in easier to weave into conversation as we are working with the numbers. Because the numbers - [Apple Fact Reading and Answering Questions](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/20/apple-fact-reading-and-answering-questions/) - When I did an "apple" search on www.enchantedlearning.com, I came across an  "Apple Book" that had a page of "Apple Facts" as well as some "Apple Questions" based on the facts. Andrew was reading but I wanted him to practice his oral reading because he would drop sounds and read too fast. I also wanted - [Do A Dot Apple Trees](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/19/do-a-dot-apple-trees/) - Here is another simple idea combining an apple tree with building fine motor skills, particularly with a child who is not crazy about doing art projects. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Do A Dot Apple Trees I took a few sheets of white paper, drew an outline of a tree  (I'm really good at these - [How Many Apples On The Apple Tree?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/19/how-many-apples-on-the-apple-tree/) - This My Obstacle Course station activity is so simple yet it helps to build math skills and fine motor skills - bonus!! While I know that apples are usually picked off of an apple tree, for the purpose of this station activity, we are going to be putting apples back on the tree. I guess - [Pass the "Apple"](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/16/pass-the-apple/) - This is a super basic activity to set up yet was one of the more challenging for Andrew. I set out a red plastic bouncy ball (the "apple") for us to pass back and forth 10 times. A red balloon would also work well for this activity and you could make it as big or - [Apple Books](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/15/apple-books/) - Including short books or pages of books is a great station activity in any My Obstacle Course. When setting this up as My Obstacle Course station, I set out two books and have Andrew choose the book he'd like to read. Giving him the power to choose the book has worked so much more than - [Apple Themed Puff Blowing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/14/apple-themed-puff-blowing/) - In keeping with the apple theme, here is a station activity which uses red cotton puff balls as “apples” to blow to build oral motor skills. Here is a previous post, Puff Blowing, I did which details why I began using this activity with Andrew. I like to keep Andrew on his toes when working with - [Apple Themed One To One Correspondence](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/12/apple-themed-one-to-one-correspondence/) - Last week I shared how to make your own "Apple" book using a cute, thematic note pad and some basic facts about apples. Today I'd like to share some ways to use this same apple themed note pad (shown below) to build number skills. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Show How Many Apples I created - [Make Your Own Apple Book](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/07/make-your-own-apple-book/) - This is a super easy fact book you can make at home to go with almost any theme. It can be made with themed note paper (if you can find it), index cards or just sheets of paper - whatever you have around your house. It really is so easy to make something that can - [Apple Themed "Make This Number"](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/09/06/apple-themed-make-this-number/) - This was one of my favorite math activities to do with Andrew when he was building basic addition knowledge. It is really such a simple idea but was always a hit with him because it was always different whether by theme or the number he was to find. To make it, I used my pad - [Back To School Tip #7](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/31/back-to-school-tip-7/) - Decoding the Teacher's Weekly Letter I’m sure that most of you get a letter at the beginning of the week from your child’s teacher explaining the themes, concepts and skills they are working on in class. This is an important way for them to communicate with you what they are teaching your child in school. - [Back To School Tip #6](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/29/back-to-school-tip-6/) - I have a few questions for you. Do you want to do My Obstacle Course activities with your child but you have other children to tend to? Do you wish you could have another set of hands while doing the station activities with your child? Do you wish you could have some help preparing the - [Energetic Children Part 2](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/21/energetic-children-part-2/) - The My Obstacle Course station ideas I gave yesterday included toys and tools that we have accumulated through the years as holiday and birthday gifts as well as some things that we purchased for him to work on his motor skills. Today I will focus more on things that I have around my house and - [Annie the Bear](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/12/annie-the-bear/) - Social Skill Building:  Thinking Beyond One's Own Needs One of the things that we are continually working on with Andrew is his social skills.  He is gifted at being able to get everyone around him to meet his wants and needs, even when his speech was limited to "uh uh uhs."  He is an only - [Coins - Part 1](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/25/coins-part-1/) - Coin Counting Coin counting is always a bit of a challenge for young children.  I think that perhaps the way coins are used in real life creates this urgent need to get them counting different coins all together right away before they have a chance to fully grasp what the coins are and what they - [Groundhog's Day](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/01/groundhogs-day/) - My apologies for the lateness of this post but I just realized that tomorrow is Groundhog's Day and while this isn't a major holiday, I do have some ideas for how to introduce or reinforce this at home with your child.  Last year, Andrew was at home sick and it occurred to me that they - [Building Pouring Skills ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/02/building-pouring-skills/) - Most young children spend a great deal of time in the bathtub playing and while they are playing, they are building skills that will help them later on. Andrew enjoyed hanging out in the tub, but he kind of did just that - he hung out in the tub, floating around, holding his breath under - [Race To 100!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/04/race-to-100/) - The other day was the "Hundredth Day of School" for Andrew and for those of you who don't know about this, it is a big deal for young children. At the beginning of the school year they begin keeping track of how many days they have been in school. This allows for a very natural - [Lite Brite Heart](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/14/lite-brite-heart/) - We have a lot of toys that Andrew does not play with (click here for a previous post about new toys) and so I began including these toys as station activities in My Obstacle Course. I do this so I can teach him how to play with them (in case that is why he doesn't - [Super Simple Shape Sorting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/09/super-simple-shape-sorting/) - Last year I was working with a mother who had a young child but was wanting ways to work with him without having to go out and buy all sorts of new toys and gadgets. One of the things that I found really helpful when I began doing this was going through our own closets - [My Obstacle Course Recipe](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/01/my-obstacle-course-recipe/) - I am a big recipe follower. I am not someone who tosses or mixes things in hoping for the best. I find comfort in knowing that someone has tried and tested something AND feels it is good enough to pass on to others. That is how I feel about My Obstacle Course. This is something - [Back To School Tip #3 ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/19/back-to-school-tip-3/) - How Do You Want Your Morning To Feel? This is the most important tip in my mind. Take a few minutes and think about how you want your mornings to feel. If your mornings are great and peaceful, than awesome! If they are causing you to feel stressed or rushed, think about what things have - [Gone Fishin!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/05/gone-fishin/) - Andrew was always taken with the fishing game sold in stores, the one where the fish go around in a circle while opening and closing their mouths while you try to get the end of the fishing line in their mouths. He got one and was extremely frustrated. I tried it and got extremely frustrated. - [Back To School Tip #5](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/24/back-to-school-tip-5/) - As parents and caregivers, there are always going to be things that we do for our children that may not be the most fun for us (carpool, sports practices, waiting rooms, etc.) but that doesn’t mean that these things have to be completely unpleasant. I learned that by adding some things that I really enjoyed - [Back To School Tip #4](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/22/back-to-school-tip-4/) - In honor of Andrew's first day back to school, I thought I would share how I combine what I have learned over the years as a teacher and what I have learned as his mother in order to build good working relationships with the members of his "team." Working With Teachers and Therapists I am - [Back To School Tip #2](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/16/back-to-school-tip-2/) - Use A Checklist A basic checklist with words or picture symbols can make a huge difference for you and your child. This has helped us because like the timer, it removes the “mom” (or “dad”) aspect of telling him what to do over and over again. Start Small AND With Things You Know They Can - [Back To School Tip #1](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/15/back-to-school-tip-1/) - It is back to school time and I have seen several questions posed on different forums asking for tips and strategies to help kids get back to school. I thought I would share some things that not only help Andrew but also help me BIG TIME! Tip 1: Use A Timer Time To Go Helper - [Sports Themed My Obstacle Course Idea #3](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/11/sports-themed-my-obstacle-course-idea-3/) - Enchanted Learning Website - Sports Theme I have mentioned this website before (click here for previous Enchanted Learning post) because I love how easy they make it to be thematic while building academic skills. It is a subscription site with some free materials but I have found it to be worth the fee for what - [Sports Themed My Obstacle Course Idea #2](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/10/sports-themed-my-obstacle-course-idea-2/) - I found these really cute sports stickers at Michael's and while they are probably meant for some art project (like a picture frame) or a scrapbook page, I got them to help build math skills like patterning, sequencing, counting and building math vocabulary. They are great because they can be used to create your own - [Sports Themed My Obstacle Course Idea #1](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/09/sports-themed-my-obstacle-course-idea-1/) - While sports are not a big thing with Andrew, I know that for a lot of children if they could play sports all day they would. For those of you with children like this, it may seem like more of a challenge to find ways to motivate them to build academic skills however there are - [Finding Motivators to Gently Push Beyond Comfort Zones](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/04/finding-motivators-to-gently-push-beyond-comfort-zones/) - When I did a post earlier this summer on creating a water wheel pouring station, little did I know that a water wheel was going to be the thing to motivate and encourage Andrew to get closer, even into, the ocean. My mother in law brought a bunch of sand toys, including some pails and - [Sand Writing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/03/sand-writing/) - No beach? No problem! I shared in an earlier post about creating a Sand Bin and how that can be used to hide items to increase sensory tolerance and build hand muscles through sand play. This bin can also be used to build handwriting skills by having your child do some sand writing. One of the things - [Beach Themed My Obstacle Course: Station Activities Using Shells](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/08/02/beach-themed-my-obstacle-course-station-activities-using-shells/) - I know that it is now August and people are probably in "back to school" mode but we just returned from a vacation at the beach and I got lots of ideas for a beach themed My Obstacle Course to use with Andrew before school starts again. Don't worry, I have LOTS of ideas for - [Favorite My Obstacle Course Station Activities](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/30/favorite-my-obstacle-course-station-activities/) - There are some station activities that I love to use because they have a basic structure that allows me to not have to think about what to do with regards to setting it up so I can place my attention towards what concepts I want to help Andrew build. They also have worked really well - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #10: Tunnels](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/27/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-10-tunnels/) - Kit Item #10: Tunnels Tunnels are one of my favorite items to include in My Obstacle Courses because they encourage cross patterning, creeping and crawling while creating a fun, movement filled transition from activity to activity. Tunnels can be created a number of different ways. I have used dining room chairs (ones that don't have - [Sample My Obstacle Course Using Kit Items](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/28/sample-my-obstacle-course-using-kit-items/) - I hope you have found these past posts on what I would include in a basic My Obstacle Course kit helpful. These are just some of my favorites and are examples of items that could easily be assembled to provide activities to help build your child's skills. I encourage you to go on a little - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #9: Clothesline and Clothespins](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/26/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-9-clothesline-and-clothespins/) - Kit Item #9: Clothesline and Clothespins This is one of my favorite tools and the fact that I can use it to build multiple skills and concepts by combining an academic or concept driven skill with the fine motor skills and planning involved with using clothespins just makes it even more awesome! It adapts beautifully - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #8: Beach Ball or Balloon](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/25/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-8-beach-ball-or-balloon/) - My Obstacle Course Kit Item #8: Beach Ball or Balloon I chose a beach ball or balloon to build gross motor skills involving ball play because they can deflate and fit perfectly into a kit. They are also colorful, light and float in the air a bit longer than a regular playground type ball, making - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #6: Food Coloring](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/20/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-6-food-coloring/) - My Obstacle Kit Item #6: Food Coloring When thinking about how to make activities fun in order to make building more challenging skills exciting, I thought back to teaching my "Colors" unit in kindergarten. The students loved experimenting and learning how different colors are made. I started using food coloring in My Obstacle Course station - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #5: Droppers, Bulb Syringes and Turkey Basters](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/18/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-5-droppers-bulb-syringes-and-turkey-basters/) - Droppers, Bulb Syringes and Turkey Basters These items are great to have in a My Obstacle Course kit because they add fun and build hand muscles with hardly any set up - just add water and some bowls or cups and you are good to go! They also help to build some other skills, like - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #3: Colored Puffs ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/14/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-3-colored-puffs/) - Kit Item #3: Colored Puffs This is one of my most favorite My Obstacle Course purchases and I actually bought this package of multi-sized, multi-colored cotton puff balls at Michael's for my first Obstacle Course with Andrew. They were great then and I am still finding ways to use them! I'd say I'm getting an - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #2: Scrabble or Bananagram Letters](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/13/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-2-scrabble-or-bananagram-letters/) - Kit Item #2: Scrabble or Bananagram Letters This will probably come as no surprise to any of you who read my posts, but item #2 that would definitely go in My Obstacle Course kit would be either Scrabble or Bananagram letters. I love them because they are so versatile. They can be used on their - [My Obstacle Course Kit Item #1: Dice](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/12/my-obstacle-course-kit-item-1-dice/) - I frequently get asked about what I would put into a My Obstacle Course kit to have some basic things to help build basic skills and I definitely have some favorite things and activities that require little if any set up at all. The next few posts will feature some of these. I have lots - [Alphabet Stars](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/08/alphabet-stars/) - These wooden alphabet stars were one of the first My Obstacle Course station materials that I came up. I purchased some blank, wooden star-shaped pieces from Michael's and wrote the letters A-Z with permanent marker on each piece. That's it! I still have them and they are in great shape! When I made these, Andrew - [A Tribute To "Welcome To Holland"](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/07/a-tribute-to-welcome-to-holland/) - This morning I woke, checked my email and went on to Facebook. I do this every morning as part of my routine but this morning someone in the Apraxia-Kids group referenced a poem called "Welcome To Holland." How have I never heard or seen this beautifully stated poem before? I love this - thank you - [Different Shades of Blue](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/06/different-shades-of-blue/) - In keeping with the summer, beach themed My Obstacle Courses, I'm including a station to use the primary colors to make different shades of blue, like water. This is something that only takes a few minutes to set up but is so fun for children to get to play around with. An activity like this - [Easy Object Graphing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/05/easy-object-graphing/) - As I reviewed Andrew's end of year progress report, I noticed that he still needed some reinforcement with graphing. I looked through my stuff to see what I could have him graph. There were all sorts of things - stickers, buttons, a variety of Goldfish crackers, fruity Cheerios, pattern cards, etc. (Here is a past - [Fourth of July Hat "Search and Find"](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/07/01/fourth-of-july-hat-search-and-find/) - Fourth of July hat "Search and Find" is a modification of the "St. Patrick's Hat Search and Find" I posted on in March. This version uses a July themed hat (think Uncle Sam and parades!) along with some different textured items. I liked this hat because it was deep enough to put items in so - [Dinosaur/Dragon Type Water Squirters](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/28/dinosaurdragon-type-water-squirters/) - I found these dinosaur/dragon type water squirters at Walgreens in the "seasonal" aisle. They are basically water guns without the pointy gun aspect, which I really like! I picked them up because they are great for water fun on hot days but also help build hand strength through squeezing to squirt the water out. If - [Sensory Sand Bin](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/27/sensory-sand-bin/) - I’ve done previous posts on using sensory bins with dried beans and fake snow and think that a perfect summer sensory bin is a sand bin. This is something that I would do in a low, wide plastic bin with a lid, so it can be stored away while not in use. I would also - [Summer Themed Memory Match](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/23/summer-themed-memory-match/) - If you've been following my posts, you know by now that Andrew is crazy about memory match games. Using colored index cards and stickers makes it so easy to create new, thematic memory match games that go with whatever we are doing. (Here is the link for the original Thematic Memory Match post with step - [Party Tray Sorting: Buttons and Coins](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/22/party-tray-sorting-buttons-and-coins/) - I shared a few weeks ago about these fun, colorful plastic party trays that I found that can be also used for sorting items. (Here is the link to Party Tray Sorters.) Here are two more ways to use them with things that you probably have lying around the house. Using a party tray like this - [Pipe Cleaner Twisting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/21/pipe-cleaner-twisting/) - This is an activity that I came up with to work on hand coordination with Andrew. He is not yet tying his shoes (I am thankful for velcro and Crocs!) but I wanted to work with him on using his hands together while doing different things with each hand. (Turned out that his Occupational Therapist - [Summer Themed Obstacle Course](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/20/summer-themed-obstacle-course/) - Through my posts, I try to provide a lot of different station activity ideas, varying the developmental and academic skills so that you can see easy ways to work with your child at home while also having fun. Since the activity ideas are presented individually, I thought I would share some photos from a recent - [How Many Words Can We Make?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/17/how-many-words-can-we-make/) - Scrabble or Bananagram letters are great for playing word games, the most obvious being a Scrabble type game where words are built off of other words. Another fun way to use them is to play, "How Many Words Can We Make?" This presents itself as a purely a game but is also helpful for building - [Packing Bubble Popping](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/16/packing-bubble-popping/) - Did you know that packing bubble sheets are great for building fine motor skills? I grabbed a bunch out of a package we received a few months ago and stashed it away, knowing that I would be able to use it for something (I'm kind of like a squirrel this way, seeing things and storing them - [Beach Towel Reading Station](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/15/beach-towel-reading-station/) - My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Summer Reading A fun way to make a reading station more inviting - set out a beach towel! So easy and basic but provides a specific location for the reading to take place, makes it a bit more fun and adds an element of pretend as you pretend to be - [Water Wheel Pouring Station](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/13/water-wheel-pouring-station/) - My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Water Wheel Pouring Station Here is a great toy to help work on pouring skills. Andrew is still very tentative about pouring and hasn't quite gotten the slowing down when the cup is almost full concept yet. Because of this, I tend to be very involved when he is pouring - [Find It! Toy](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/10/find-it-toy/) - I was doing a "treasure hunt" around my house to see what we have to include in a summer themed My Obstacle Course. I went into Andrew's closet to look for some summer books and my eyes fell upon the shelf where this "Find It" toy he had received from his grandma was sitting. This - [Calendar Number Sequencing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/09/calendar-number-sequencing/) - I love to use calendar numbers in My Obstacle Course stations. They add instant theme and require no preparation to make (although you could make your own if you are so inclined :).). I just like to get things that I can put into a My Obstacle Course kit (see below) so I can set - [Squeeze Toys For Building Hand Muscles](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/08/squeeze-toys-for-building-hand-muscles/) - Andrew’s OT is working with him on strengthening his hand muscles, which in turn will help him with things like handwriting. She showed me where the muscles were located and what she was doing to help build these. That got me thinking about fun ways to work on this at home, so as I did - [Sand Pail Sorters](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/07/sand-pail-sorters/) - I love utilizing sorting stations in My Obstacle Courses. It allows children to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding without needing to have words. There are so many different sorting options depending on the things and concepts that you want to build or reinforce with your child. I have found that by changing up what the child - [Plunger + Dive Rings = Summer Themed Ring Toss](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/06/plunger-dive-rings-summer-themed-ring-toss/) - This is an activity idea I got from the Recycling Occupational Therapist: (http://recyclingot.blogspot.com/2009/06/plunger-ring-stack-activity.html) She had posted about using a plunger for ring stacking and when I was at Target, I found these dive rings in the dollar section (I also grabbed an inexpensive new plunger. :) ). While the dive rings are meant to go - [Exercise Ball Swimming](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/02/exercise-ball-swimming/) - Andrew is a great swimmer! He always has enjoyed being in the water and loves diving down for things like dive sticks and rings. People are always amazed at how comfortable he is in the water and I was encouraged to sign him up for swimming lessons so that he could learn the strokes and - [Beach Ball Questions](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/06/01/beach-ball-questions/) - June is here and I cannot believe it! Time flies when you're having fun! I will be posting on some summer themed station activities to help make skill building and reinforcement a bit more fun. I got this idea from a company called Clever Catch that makes inflatable balls for classroom use to work on - [Pretend Play - Theme Boxes](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/31/pretend-play-theme-boxes/) - When I first set out to really work with Andrew, one of the things that I wanted to focus on was his pretend play skills. I thought about what preschools and kindergartens did to encourage children to pretend play and realized that they simply provide materials for children to experiment with and play with usually - [Patriotic Pinwheel Blowing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/27/patriotic-pinwheel-blowing/) - You may have picked some of these up for your yard or bicycle this Memorial Day but did you also realize that you can use this patriotic yard decoration to help your child build oral motor skills? Andrew had a lot of difficulty trying to figure out how to blow air out of his mouth - [Velvet Coloring Pages](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/26/velvet-coloring-pages/) - These are Velvet Coloring Books that I found in the dollar section of Target recently. (Andrew also got one yesterday from a friend at school as a birthday favor.) I have seen these many times before, I even remember coloring with them while I was growing up but picked them up because I thought they - [Calendar Numbers With Story Starters](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/25/calendar-numbers-with-story-starters/) - I recently found these calendar numbers at the teacher store and thought they were perfect for summer. In addition to being great for working on number recognition and number order, these also include "Story Starters" on the back to encourage creative writing. Each calendar number has a story starter on the back which makes them - [The Nap Mat...Not Just For Napping!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/24/the-nap-mat-not-just-for-napping/) - Ahhhh...the nap mat! How I would love to have a mandatory nap time. Perhaps I’ll carry this around with me and when I get tired whip it out and take a nap. Wouldn’t that be awesome!! This is something I picked up two years ago at the beginning of the school year for Andrew to - [Make Your Own Counting Book](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/23/make-your-own-counting-book/) - I wanted to work on the math concepts of “How many ___?” and “How many in all?” with Andrew. While my first preference is to use objects or manipulatives, I also realized that it would be helpful for him to be able to count things on paper. I wanted to see how he would do - [Crawl and Match](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/21/crawl-and-match/) - This is one of my favorite My Obstacle Course station activities because it is so simple and has so many possibilities! Crawl and Match is as simple as it sounds. On one end of a carpet runner, or carpeted area, I place some objects, cards or cutouts which focus on some academic skill. He chooses one, - [Practicing Speech Words](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/19/practicing-speech-words/) - It really can be as easy as this next My Obstacle Course station activity that I am going to tell you about! When Andrew goes to speech, we usually get a sheet of words, mostly with pictures, to take home to practice. My apologies to the maker of this sheet but as it is, it - [Repurposing Packaging](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/18/repurposing-packaging/) - I get a lot of questions about storing all of the materials that I have. One thing that is helpful for me is to keep things contained in clear packages so I can see what is inside. Easy to spot, easy to grab, easy to put away! Love it! I also like to use things - [Scratch Magic](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/17/scratch-magic/) - If you've been following my posts, you know that I have a child who is very reluctant to write or draw. This makes practicing things like holding a pencil, practicing proper grasp with the correct finger placement, using different pressure and changing hand movements to create controlled strokes very challenging. Therefore, I am always on - [Lightbulb Pattern Pieces](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/16/lightbulb-pattern-pieces/) - This package of fun Lightbulbs Mini Accents from our teacher store are probably meant for bulletin boards in the classroom but when I saw them, anyone who knows Andrew also knows that I had to have them! Andrew’s love of ceiling fans is second only to his love of lights and light bulbs. One very - [Look How Far We've Come! ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/13/look-how-far-weve-come/) - As you all know, this past weekend was Mother's Day and my husband was on call which left me with a good deal of free, non-scheduled time at home with Andrew Saturday and Sunday. I figured I would give myself a Mother's Day gift of doing something I had been putting off for a long - [Geoboards - Fine Motor Skill Building Tool](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/12/geoboards-fine-motor-skill-building-tool/) - The "geoboard" is something that is found in most elementary school classrooms and is generally used for the purpose of building math skills like making geometric shapes and finding area and perimeter. This is something that I will definitely work on with Andrew someday but when I looked at this tool I realized that it - [Recognizing Feelings Using Photographs](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/11/recognizing-feelings-using-photographs/) - This is an early My Obstacle Course station activity that I did with Andrew (he was four at the time). I wanted to help him recognize and understand facial expressions in other people and thought that it would be a good idea to start with pictures of himself. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Match the - [Building Letter Recognition - Letter Sort](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/10/building-letter-recognition-letter-sort/) - This is another really basic station activity to reinforce letter recognition. I love to use the concept of sorting because it gives a lot of reinforcement in a short amount of time. If you are looking for something more challenging, it could also be done with word families, words with common vowel patterns, or beginning - [Building Letter Recognition - Sensory Bin Letter Hunt](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/09/building-letter-recognition-sensory-bin-letter-hunt/) - I recently received a letter asking about activities to work on beginning letter identification and uppercase/lowercase matching. As with any concept I work on with Andrew, I begin by providing him with very basic activities and build according to what he needs. This is one of my favorite ways to approach this and lots of - [Make the Same - Part 2](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/06/make-the-same-part-2/) - I modeled this My Obstacle Course station activity after several packaged toys I’ve seen that come with pattern cards for children to replicate. It's so easy to make your own and custom fit them to what your child needs to work on. To make them, I used some color coding dot stickers that I found - [Make the Same - Part 1](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/05/make-the-same-part-1/) - One of my favorite My Obstacle Course station activities is something I call, “Make the Same.” This is a station activity that I came up with to help Andrew build imitation skills. After using it a few times, I realized that this activity not only helps with imitation, but also fine motor skills, visual and spatial - [Party Tray Sorters](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/04/party-tray-sorters/) - I found these bright, colorful, plastic party trays last year (I think at Michael's but I cannot remember for sure :( ). You can pair one of these trays with items like colored puffs, thematic felt stickers, goldfish crackers, buttons, beads, or anything that can be sorted by a specific characteristic (color, size, etc.) and - [Learning Styles](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/03/learning-styles/) - With each of the My Obstacle Course station activities I share, I try to make sure that each one incorporates all of the learning styles: visual auditory kinesthetic This was drilled into me while studying education during college and it has stuck with me - thank goodness! I feel that it is so important to - [Cool Tool - Reading Guide](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/05/02/cool-tool-reading-guide/) - On one of my recent visits to the teacher store, I was in the literacy aisle and noticed that they had these colored reading guides. These are a great tool to help children focus on what they are reading, really making the words stand out and reducing the amount of background distraction. They come in - [Summer Themed My Obstacle Course Finds](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/29/summer-themed-my-obstacle-course-finds/) - I've had a lot of people inquire about where I get my materials and seasonal items. I visit stores like Target, Michael's and Walgreens because they have a lot of kid-friendly items that aren't super expensive. I plan ahead so when they begin putting out items for the next season or holiday, I check out to - [Cootie Catcher](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/28/cootie-catcher/) - I received some wonderful materials from Creative Teaching Press and these “Cootie Catchers” were included. Seeing this activity sent me back to elementary school days remembering when we would make these out of loose-leaf paper in order to determine who best friends were, who we were going to marry, and all sorts of  other goofy - [Computer As Translator](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/27/computer-as-translater/) - My last year of teaching, I had the blessing of having a child who was on the autism spectrum in my home room. At the time, I knew very little about autism but he taught me so much and I learned quite a bit that year that would later help me with Andrew. This child - [Do-A-Dot Art Station](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/26/do-a-dot-art-station/) - Do-A-Dot paint markers provide a great way to quickly and easily get an art project together without worrying about getting a lot of paint on fingers, hands, etc. It also is a good way to build hand muscles by pushing and using pressure to make the dots on the paper. My Obstacle Course Station - [Egg Tray As Math Organizer](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/25/egg-tray-as-math-organizer/) - Egg Tray For Adding/Subtracting/Multiplying/Dividing Ok, so Easter is done but I have one more idea for how to use something you may have...an egg tray (you could also use an egg carton or ice-cube tray). I got this bunny shaped Egg Tray at Target last year and thought it would be perfect not only for - [Reusing Egg Coloring Cups ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/22/reusing-egg-coloring-cups/) - It's Earth Day and I thought it would be nice to combine the practice of reusing with something you may have purchased in the past weeks - the colored cups that come with egg dying kits. Once you're done coloring Easter eggs, the containers are perfect for using in My Obstacle Courses! They stack well for - [Jelly Beans Tweezing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/21/jelly-beans-tweezing/) - I was at our grocery store and found these different colors of Easter grass. I purchased them not for our Easter baskets but rather to use in My Obstacle Course along with tweezers or tongs for fine motor skill building. While Andrew’s handwriting is really improving, we still need to build his pencil grasping muscles - [Jelly Bean Sorting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/19/jelly-bean-sorting/) - My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Jelly Bean Sorting This is the jelly bean variation of a My Obstacle Course Sorting Station Activity that I have posted on before. Here is the link for the one using Colored Marshmallows. Set Up: The set up is super simple, requiring only white printer paper, a marker, some jelly - [Jelly Bean Graphing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/18/jelly-bean-graphing/) - I may as well call this "Jelly Bean Math Week" because there are so many ways to use this seasonal item to build a wide variety of math skills. (I'm sure they are around all year, I just associate them with this time of year.) Grab some jelly beans (and a toothbrush) because here I - [Sample My Obstacle Course From Start To Finish](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/15/sample-my-obstacle-course-from-start-to-finish/) - This is an outline of what I do when I set up My Obstacle Course for Andrew. This particular course is one we did a few years ago when he was 5 years old. I like to do 20 stations, which usually takes us about 45 minutes to an hour. Don't panic at the number! - [Treasure Hunting At Home](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/14/treasure-hunting-at-home/) - When doing My Obstacle Courses with your child, start small and basic so you can learn firsthand about your child’s learning. Remember to have fun with this! Yes, there are a lot of things I want to help my child with but adding something like this made it so much easier to engage with him, - [My Obstacle Course Video](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/24/my-obstacle-course-video/) - I thought I would share a video I made for a tele-class I am taking (I posted it on Facebook as well so my apologies if you have already seen this!). My original intention for the class was to create "How To" videos for my website, which I'm still working on, but decided to begin - [Skills? Check. Now What?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/13/skills-check-now-what/) - The last two posts have introduced you to how I approach working with Andrew at home by meeting him where he is, providing activities that are developmentally appropriate for him and knowing what he needs to work on and where we are heading with those skills. Hopefully you have some ideas for skills you want - [Meet Them Where They Are - Part 2](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/12/meet-them-where-they-are-part-2/) - A re-post for "Getting Started" week. Meet Them Where They Are - Part 2 It was so great to hear from all of the people who agree with the importance of meeting children where they are. This is something that seems so basic and obvious yet can get overlooked when fear and frustration take over. - [Meet Them Where They Are - Part 1](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/11/meet-them-where-they-are-part-1/) - I am re-posting this because I am doing a series this week on how to get started with doing your own My Obstacle Courses at home. I have been getting a lot of emails from people who are excited to try this with their children but need a little direction about how to start. Hopefully - [Giant Alphabet Beads For Lacing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/08/giant-alphabet-beads-for-lacing/) - I was looking for ways to help Andrew build the fine motor skills and motor planning necessary when lacing or stringing something together. I tried all sorts of things - the lacing boards, which did not interest him at all because he truly did not care if the holes around a picture had a lace - [April Themed Money Match-Up](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/07/april-themed-money-match-up/) - I have to say that after doing this for a while, I have found myself noticing things that I've probably seen a million times but have never really "seen." This next find is one of those things. I had just picked up some new markers for Andrew in the school supply aisle of our grocery - [April Memory Match Games](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/06/april-memory-match-games/) - This month I have two different memory match games to share, one using butterfly stickers and the other with Easter themed stickers. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Memory Match Game or Find the Same Spring Butterfly Themed Memory Match Game: I like to use calendar cutouts or colored index cards cut in half... and thematic - [Find Baby Butterfly](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/05/find-baby-butterfly/) - This is an adaptation of a game that I used with my students when I taught kindergarten. It was called "Where's Uncle Ugboo?" and it was basically a hide and seek game using construction paper umbrellas with letters of the alphabet on them and a small picture of Uncle Ugboo that I would "hide" under - [Math Fact Sorting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/04/04/math-fact-sorting/) - This is a station activity that I made last year to help Andrew work on his math facts. It was a huge hit with him and it is another example of how easy it is to tweak something so that a child can demonstrate their knowledge. Intelligibility and legibility DO NOT indicate intelligence! He was not - [Design and Drill](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/31/design-and-drill/) - When I first saw this toy I thought it would be a huge hit with Andrew and when he seemed reluctant to play with it I immediately made plans to turn it into a station activity in My Obstacle Course. It is a square with holes to be used with colored screws to create designs - [Pastry Brush as Paint Brush](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/30/pastry-brush-as-paint-brush/) - Pastry (or Basting) Brush I found these bright brushes at Target. I thought that they would be great for painting with while also being super easy to clean. Andrew is not a huge fan of painting and past attempts involving sheets of blank white paper have lasted about 15 seconds. I took that knowledge and - [Practicing Speech Sounds](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/29/practicing-speech-sounds/) - Most speech pathologists will send home practice pages with words that have the target sound for the child to work on.  If they do not, contact them and let them know that you would like to reinforce what they are doing and would like to stay current on the sounds your child needs to practice. - [Colored Marshmallow Graphing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/28/colored-marshmallow-graphing/) - I love it when I find something that is fun and inexpensive that can be used in many different ways and the colored marshmallows I wrote about last week are another one of those things! Here is a My Obstacle Course station activity to build the math skills of graphing and interpreting data with colored - [Colored Marshmallow Sorting Station](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/24/colored-marshmallow-sorting-station/) - It was springtime last year and I was on the hunt for things that reminded me of spring to use with Andrew's My Obstacle Courses. I was in our grocery store, (which is a great place to find fun, thematic materials- especially in the “holiday” aisle and the shelves at the end of the aisle), - [Spring Colored Containers](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/22/spring-colored-containers/) - I love containers! I don't know what it is about them, it just always makes me feel good to know that something has a place. When I began doing My Obstacle Courses with Andrew, I began collecting inexpensive containers (paper or plastic cups included!) that went along with themes that would not only help me - [Building Hand Strength with Frosting and Food Coloring](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/21/building-hand-strength-with-frosting-and-food-coloring/) - I was looking for ways to build Andrew's hand strength, particularly the muscles that allow the hand to squeeze and squash things. I have shown how I've used frosting in a cake decorator (Cookie Cutter Decorating) to work on this and was particularly excited about his interest in making colors with food coloring and thought about - [Calendar Numbers - Not Just For Calendars!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/17/calendar-numbers-not-just-for-calendars/) - I was strolling through the aisles of my local teacher supply store (One of my favorite things to do! What can I say? Some people love to browse for shoes and clothes, I love to browse for educational supplies! :) ) and noticed that there was a whole section devoted to calendar supplies, especially thematic - [Easy Theme Reinforcers - March](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/16/easy-theme-reinforcers-march/) - One of the main reasons I came up with My Obstacle Course was to find a way to engage with Andrew at home while doing reinforcement activities for therapies and school. I found that utilizing a theme for each Obstacle Course allowed me to work on skills in all developmental areas while being purposeful and meaningful - [Handwriting Skill Building With Dry Erase Books](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/14/handwriting-skill-building-with-dry-erase-books/) - This is for those of you who either have children that actually enjoy working in workbooks or have children who are ready build handwriting skills yet are reluctant to practice with paper and pencil. I do not have a child who loves working in workbooks but I was one of those children. I loved doing - [Balloon Tossing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/11/balloon-tossing/) - This is an idea that I tried years ago as a My Obstacle Course station activity when working on ball skills but heard about it again last week from Andrew’s Occupational Therapist so I thought I would share. I began using balloons when it became obvious to me that ball skills were going to be - [Tweezers](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/07/tweezers/) - This is one of my all time favorite discoveries! I was looking for ways to build Andrew’s pincer grasp for handwriting and began using tweezers because they require using the same fingers and muscles for grasping a pencil. I paired the tweezers with colored puffs in different sizes because he would have to squeeze his - [St. Patrick’s Hat "Search and Find"](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/10/st-patrick’s-hat-search-and-find/) - I got this idea from a game that Andrew’s class had been playing called "Ned’s Head." The idea for this and the "Ned’s Head" game comes from using the sense of touch to locate or identify an object. (Here is a google link to show what I'm talking about.) Last year I found this St. - [March Themed Memory Match](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/08/march-themed-memory-match/) - This is a super easy March Themed Memory Match game to make. I used some shamrock shaped calendar cutouts and some St. Patrick's Day themed stickers (I usually use colored index cards cut in half but grabbed these because I needed something quick and easy and these fit the bill perfectly!). I know that I - [Using Timers for Motivation and Self Regulation ](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/03/using-timers-for-motivation-and-self-regulation/) - I am someone who LOVES  (and needs) to use a timer. I tend to get distracted easily (wonder where Andrew gets it from!) but there is something about a timer that helps me to focus. It is great because when the timer is on, I think, "Ok, I can do ___ for x amount of - [Emotion/Feeling Stamps](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/02/emotionfeeling-stamps/) - We received these stamps as a Christmas gift this year and they are awesome! They allow us to build the fine motor skill of stamping while talking about and modeling different situations that might result in different feelings. We are definitely going to be using these in an upcoming My Obstacle Course, primarily because Andrew - [Enchanted Learning](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/03/01/enchanted-learning/) - Enchanted Learning is one of my favorite websites to find thematic materials and ideas to use in My Obstacle Courses. I began using the site years ago while teaching because they have thematic materials for multiple grade/age levels and all academic areas. The information and activities are well organized and have great information for children to - [See and Spell Puzzles](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/25/see-and-spell-puzzles/) - Thanks To My Obstacle Course, Another Toy Saved From The Island (Or Closet) Of Unused Toys! I got this great set of Melissa and Doug See and Spell puzzles to help with letter recognition and introduce word building with Andrew when he was around four. He wasn't really interested in it until I began using - [Dr. Seuss' Birthday](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/28/dr-seuss-birthday/) - Dr. Seuss’ Birthday is coming up on March 2nd and every year I am reminded of a story one of my kindergartener's parents told me. She had been living in California at one point in time and had the opportunity to go to Dr. Seuss' house and he would sit in a rocking chair with - [The Bulb Syringe- Not Just For Baby's Nose!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/21/the-bulb-syringe-not-just-for-babys-nose/) - I know I say this all of the time but I really do love that there are so many wonderful and unexpected items sitting right in my cupboards that allow me to help Andrew build skills! I found this bulb syringe, aka the booger bulb, while cleaning out our medicine cabinet and figured since it hadn't - [Cutting Out Grocery Store Ads](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/17/cutting-out-grocery-store-ads/) - I love to find things that can be combined with another thing or tool to make an interesting station activity for My Obstacle Courses. When they are delivered to my mailbox and are free, I am beyond excited! Grocery advertisements are a perfect example of this. I used them all of the time when teaching - [No "Ick" Finger Painting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/16/no-ick-finger-paint/) - Finger Painting! A wonderful, soothing activity to express creativity with cold, wet paint on a blank canvas of white paper - for some that is. For others, it is definitely a non-preferred, "avoid if possible" activity. Why is this? Some people, especially those with sensory sensitivities, do not like getting things on their skin. There - [How Do They Feel?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/15/how-do-they-feel/) - My Obstacle Course Activity Idea: How Do They Feel? Sorting Station This is a station activity I used with Andrew to work on recognizing how other people might be feeling during certain situations. This is a very easy station to make and only takes a short amount of time to write the situations, especially if - [Candy Heart Math](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/11/candy-heart-math/) - Candy hearts are another way to sneak in some math while using something that is really easy to find this time of year. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Match Up Numbers With The Same Number Of Items (Clothesline Clipping An Optional Add-On) This activity helps to build one to one correspondence, which involves being able - [February Puff Sorting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/09/february-puff-sorting/) - Puff Sorting This is a basic activity to work on visual discrimination of color and size using colored puffs. I purchased a large bag of colored puffs, in different sizes, from Michael's a few years ago and am still finding ways to use them in My Obstacle Courses to build different skills. Since it is - [Valentine Themed Ball](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/02/03/valentine-themed-ball/) - This particular ball holds a special place in my heart and while I know that sounds corny, it actually does. I found this ball last year and purchased it because it was sparkly and went along with the February theme since it had a heart inside.  At the time, we were really working with Andrew - [Things That Go Together](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/31/things-that-go-together/) - One concept that comes up in evaluations and therapies is being able to determine what things go together (like hammer and nail, bowl and spoon, etc.). This usually involves the child looking at a picture of something and having to choose from another set of pictures what goes with it.  Being able to match things - [Droppers](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/28/droppers/) - Unexpected Find = Fun, Engaging Activity I was wandering through the aisles of my teacher supply store and saw a package of these droppers in the science section. I thought that they would be great to introduce a little bit of experimentation while also building his grasping skills. My Obstacle Course Station Activity: Experimenting with Color - [Using A Mirror To Practice Speech Sounds](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/27/using-a-mirror-to-practice-speech-sounds/) - This is a very basic idea that we have used quite a bit with Andrew.  He has apraxia of speech which makes it very difficult for him to make certain sounds. What comes naturally and easily over time with most children is something he has to practice A LOT! Part of that practice involves him - [Coin Counting-Part 2](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/26/coin-counting-part-2/) - When I saw on Andrew's weekly note from his teacher that he was going to be working on counting coins, I got excited, grabbed a cup full of mixed coins and was set.  That is until I remembered that the last time we had done skip counting by fives he struggled a bit.  (I will - [Recognizing Silly Things](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/24/recognizing-silly-things/) - Andrew has been getting the High Five magazine (the Highlights magazine's version for younger children) for a few years now and he always had his favorite section that he'd flip to right away - Hidden Pictures. One day I was looking at it with him and we came across the “That’s Silly!” section and I - [Winter Themed My Obstacle Course YouTube Clip](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/21/winter-themed-my-obstacle-course-youtube-clip/) - I have gotten a lot of feedback from people telling me how it has helped them to understand what My Obstacle Course is when they see a video clip of what it looks like when I set it up.  There is one clip on my website's home page but I thought I would show an - [Sight Words](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/20/sight-words/) - Sight words, also known as Dolch words, are specific words that are most common in reading materials at a certain reading level. They are also referred to as "the words you just have to know." The other day I overheard some parents discussing how they needed to be doing more flash card work with their - [Domino Math](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/19/domino-math/) - If you have been following my posts, you know that one thing I try to do when putting together activities for My Obstacle Courses is use things I already have, whether they are toys, pouches or calendar cutouts. I love it when I look around the house and find something that can help me make - [Stamping](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/18/stamping/) - This is one of Andrew's favorite My Obstacle Course station activities and when I think back to when I taught kindergarten, it was one of their favorite "center" activities as well. There is just something about stamping that children seem to enjoy, perhaps it seems like grown-up activity or is something they rarely get to - [Questioning Skills](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/17/questioning-skills/) - Andrew did not speak intelligibly until he was about 6 and to help him get his wants and needs met when around people who didn't understand him, we had scripted some basic questions. He was quite a master at asking the question "Can I have ____?" and once he began speaking so others could understand - [Station Numbers](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/14/station-numbers/) - When I first began brainstorming on how to work with Andrew at home, I envisioned a treasure hunt with clues scattered about.  As I got thinking about how to make this work best for both of us, I knew that while the format of a hunt would be fun, I needed something more structured and systematic. - [Sticker Cards](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/13/sticker-cards/) - Two of my favorite items to use when making My Obstacle Course stations are colored index cards and stickers.  I love how they make things colorful and bright while also allowing me to change up the theme easily with stickers. Building Math Skills Before setting up My Obstacle Courses, I always think about what skills - [Building Scissors Skills](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/11/building-scissors-skills/) - The fine motor skill of cutting is something that is difficult for many young children and Andrew was no exception. I had gotten some children's scissors but it was really difficult to get his fingers into the holes in the right position.  In addition to that, there is the whole skill of opening and closing - [Word and Object Matching - Real Life Flashcards](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/10/real-life-flash-cards/) - I have been sharing what I learned by doing My Obstacle Courses with other parents and since Andrew is now 7 years old, I frequently get questions about working with children who are much younger.  I began doing this at home with him routinely when he was 4 years old but used some of the - [Winter Themed Graph](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/07/winter-themed-graph/) - Math was one of my favorite subjects to teach and is something that I find easy to incorporate into My Obstacle Courses with Andrew.  One of my favorite station activities is graphing.  This one activity builds many different skills - sorting (visual discrimination), arranging (fine motor skill), counting (math), and answering questions using the graph - [Winter Themed Memory Match](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/06/winter-themed-memory-match/) - I am in the process of gathering and creating materials for Andrew's Obstacle Courses this month and am going to share one of his favorite station activities, memory match.  This was one of my first posts but feel it's worth revisiting because I have had many new visitors since then.  (Click here to view the original - [A Bit Of Mystery and Intrigue](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/05/a-bit-of-mystery-and-intrigue/) - So, I have this black pouch.  It is sitting on the table as part of a My Obstacle Course station.  Are you curious as to what is inside of it?  I'll give you a hint.  It has a bunch of something inside, something I'm sure every house has.  Think you know?  I'll let you know - [Calendar Cutouts- Flip and Draw](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2011/01/04/calendar-cutouts-flip-and-draw/) - This is a My Obstacle Course station idea that is easy to put together and makes sneaking in some fine motor/drawing skills more like a game than a "sit at the counter and practice something that's really difficult for you" session.  That hasn't worked for us and this is much more fun! A My Obstacle - [No Paper Or Pencils Required Here!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/31/no-paper-or-pencils-required-here/) - Fine motor skills, other than spinning small items like a dime, have been a bit of a challenge for Andrew. I wrote about some handwriting helpers (markers, crayons and pencil grips) I found that help with finger positioning and I would also like to share some fun toys/tools he's gotten that I’ve incorporated in My - [Puff Blowing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/30/puff-blowing/) - I’m sure that I am different from many people in that I have spent a good deal of time thinking about a skill that children usually pick up early on - being able to blow air out of their mouth. This skill usually comes naturally as parents model and teach their children to blow on - [Make Your Own Tunnel](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/29/make-your-own-tunnel/) - Andrew began getting OT (occupational therapy) services this year and it has made such a big difference for him.  I would sit in the waiting room and listen to the laughter coming from the kids and the therapists - what a fun job!!  One day they had me come back and Andrew was creeping and - [Cookie Cutter Decorating](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/28/cookie-cutter-decorating/) - While I love to cook, I cannot bake.  When I say I cannot bake, I mean I really cannot bake, not even cookies you drop onto a tray. This has been an issue all of my life and whenever I get up the courage to try again, I always end up with cookies that are - [New Toys Not Played With...Now What?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/27/new-toys-not-played-with-now-what/) - It seemed like every year Christmas would come, I would go out, search for toys and find some that I thought would be fabulous for Andrew. I tended to choose pretty basic things that had lots of possibility in my mind to build his pretend play skills. He would open the toys and they would - [Gingerbread Man Activity- No Baking Required!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/23/gingerbread-man-activity/) - This past week, with the holiday season upon us, I have noticed things related to gingerbread men and gingerbread houses all around me. It reminded me of an activity I did with Andrew in one of My Obstacle Courses. One of my favorite websites to get thematic ideas and printable materials is www.enchantedlearning.com. I don’t - [Clothesline Clipping- Ornaments](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/22/clothesline-clipping-ornaments/) - As a child I always loved playing with a little clothesline that I would tie between trees while hanging my little doll clothes on it. When I taught kindergarten, I used a clothesline as a station center but instead of hanging clothes on it, the children used it to work on building fine motor skills - [Energetic Children?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/20/energetic-children/) - The next two posts are specifically for all of you out there with children who are really active and need to be moving around (like my child!).  One of the things about My Obstacle Course that has made such a huge difference for us is the fact that the activity stations are not long, drawn out, - [Hammer Away!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/17/hammer-away/) - I love this activity and have used it with my kindergarten students as well as with my son.  So easy and so fun! What You Need For A Hammering Station: These three things, put together, help build fine motor skills as well as motor planning. If they have difficulty with this, help them by placing - [Snowy Sensory Bin](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/15/snowy-sensory-bin/) - I have posted before on how much I love using sensory bins as activity stations in My Obstacle Courses (probably as much as Andrew loves having them!) and showed how to make a Sensory Bean Bin. This Snowy Sensory Bin is perfect for a winter themed Obstacle Course and you can see it in action - [Holiday Hershey Kiss Patterning](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/14/holiday-hershey-kiss-patterning/) - Here is a great way to motivate a child who loves chocolate to work on some patterning skills.  A VERY easy My Obstacle Course station idea that requires little in preparation other than purchasing the Kisses and with the holiday break fast approaching, I am looking for every activity I can to help me keep - [Ball Play a Problem? Try Something Sparkly!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/10/ball-pla/) - My son is one of those children that doesn't like to play ball- throwing, tossing, catching or kicking - doesn't matter, because right now* he could care less. (*Note:  I say "right now" because there have been things in the past that he didn't care about (ex. handwriting) but now he does (because he's obsessed - [Button Sorting](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/08/button-sorting/) - Years before I had Andrew, I was a teacher.  I taught kindergarten for 4 years and loved it!  I loved it because of the emphasis on play and discovery when given common household items, such as buttons.  One year I requested that families send in any unused buttons that they may have lying around their - [Calendar Cutout Matching](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/09/calendar-cutout-matching/) - Matching has been an important activity for us in My Obstacle Courses, especially when Andrew's speech was not intelligible.  He didn't need to speak intelligibly to show what he knew because he could demonstrate his knowledge by matching pictures, letters, words and numbers.  This simple activity gave me a great deal of information, specifics about - [Jingle Bell Patterning](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/07/jingle-bell-patterning/) - Last year I was wandering the aisles of Michaels Arts and Crafts store, looking for things to incorporate into My Obstacle Course.  Since it was December, the store was filled with lots of items symbolic of the holiday season, just like it is now.  During the next few weeks I'll share what I discovered and - [Writing Out Directions](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/06/writing-out-directions/) - A lot of parents that I have talked with have expressed concern that their children don't necessarily want to do what they ask them to do.  I COMPLETELY understand!!  I would ask my son to come and play blocks with me...nothing.  I would get on the floor and play cars, driving them around his feet, - [Easy Math Organizers](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/03/easy-math-organizers/) - Engage In My Obstacle Course stations, I like to include math activities that get my son involved in what the concept really is, not just pencil/paper math memorization.  Try this if your child is just learning their basic math facts or is having some difficulties because they just don't get what they are supposed to - [Tunnels](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/02/tunnels/) - One of the great things about My Obstacle Courses is that multiple areas of development are mixed and matched giving me more bang for my buck, especially when needing to build skills that my son wasn't crazy about practicing.  I had learned about the importance of crawling for brain development (cross-patterning, using both sides of your - [Sensory Bean Bin Add-In: Scrabble Letters](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/11/30/bean-bin-plus-letters/) - I love using the bean bin in My Obstacle Courses because I can work on my son's sensory issues while combining it with things that he finds interesting.  He loves letters and words so for us it makes complete sense to combine the two! Most everyone has a Scrabble game in their house, a game - [Leftover Foil Pan? Just add...](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/11/26/leftover-foil-pan-just-add/) - So Thanksgiving has come and gone, we are all wishing our pants had that wonderful stretchy fabric found on maternity pants and we are dealing with all of the leftovers.  Here is an idea for a leftover you may have that will not add any inches to your waistline, a foil pan you can use - [Cool Find- Textured Rubbing Plates](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/11/28/cool-find-textured-rubbing-plates/) - My son HATES to color.  He doesn't see the purpose in it, knows he's not great at it (getting better since starting OT for fine motor skills) so he literally looks elsewhere while he is coloring.  That said, it is something that I have tried many different ways to make purposeful for him and haven't - [Thematic Memory Match](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/12/01/thematic-memory-match/) - One of my original goals when I began doing My Obstacle Courses with my son was to work on building his play skills, particularly turn taking since he is an only child and doesn't have to do that very often.  As I looked through his toy closet, I noticed that we had accumulated a number - [Bean Bin](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/11/27/bean-bin/) - Seasonal Sensory Bean Bin If you walk into most preschool classrooms and/or occupational therapy rooms, chances are you will find something called a sensory bin.  This is something that most children enjoy and if your child has sensory issues, is something that can be used to help get them more comfortable with different textures.  I - [Foil Pan Salt Writing](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/11/24/foilpansaltwriting/) - Since the foil pan (or roasting pan if you prefer something heavier) has very deep sides, it makes it a great container for things that otherwise would get all over the place.  When doing station activities like this, activities kids can really get into, there are things you can do to make your life a - [I'm Thankful for...Foil Pans!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/2010/11/23/foilpan1/) - When I think of November, I think about cozy, autumn days spent at home. My mission this month was to find some ways to help you build your child's skills at home while using things that you most likely have. The Foil Roasting Pan The Foil Roasting Pan made it’s appearance at the end of ## Pages - [Welcome to My Obstacle Course!](https://myobstaclecourse.com/) - ENGAGE your child with fun, thematic activities at home! ENCOURAGE your child by building skills in multiple developmental and academic areas! EMPOWER your child by building on their strengths and weaknesses! EMPOWER yourself by learning what they know and how they learn! This is for you if... you want to work and play with your child at home your - [Activity Suggestions](https://myobstaclecourse.com/what-is-my-obstacle-course/activity-suggestions/) - I will post a few of my most commonly used activity ideas in this section.  Check my blog often, as I will use that to provide more seasonal, thematic and specific skill building activities. Make the Same - [Contact Information](https://myobstaclecourse.com/contact-information/) - If you have any questions or have specific skills you want me to post ideas for, please fill out this brief form or email me directly at obstaclecoursemom@yahoo.com.  I will do my best to get back to you in a timely manner. Thank you!! Margaret - [Developmental Timelines](https://myobstaclecourse.com/developmental-timelines/) - True and Powerful Message from My Unintelligible, 5-Year Old Son: "Mom, I may not be able to talk intelligibly but don't insult my intelligence!!" We had been doing My Obstacle Courses for a while and I had drilled the ABC’s (putting in order, matching upper and lower case, etc) into my son’s head when he - [What is My Obstacle Course?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/what-is-my-obstacle-course/) - My Obstacle Course uses the structure of stations (numbered spaces to work- think life size dot to dot, where the child goes in order from one activity station to the next), combined with thematic activities to build developmental and academic skills so that parents are able to work with their child at home. It ties - [What Is My Child Ready For?](https://myobstaclecourse.com/developmental-timelines/developmental-skills-survey/) - You have to know WHAT they need to work on before you can help them work on it, strength or weakness. Here is a link to the condensed version of the developmental timelines I use to determine what skills to work on. skillschecklistsurvey Other places/resources to guide you: Weekly Letter from Teacher If they send - [About Us](https://myobstaclecourse.com/about-me/) - Who am I? Hi! I am Margaret Webb, educator, wife and mother of Andrew.  I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education, certified K-9, from the University of Dayton.  I taught Kindergarten for 4 years and 3rd grade for 5 years.  I had Andrew after my 8th year of teaching, took a year off while ## Categories - [Uncategorized](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/uncategorized/) - [Blog](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/blog/) - [My Obstacle Course Station Ideas](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/) - [Math](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/math-activity-ideas/) - [Literacy](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/literacy-activity-ideas/) - [Fine Motor](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/fine-motor/) - [Oral Motor](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/oral-motor/) - [Gross Motor](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/gross-motor/) - [Sensory](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/sensory-activity-ideas/) - [Problem Solving](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/problem-solving/) - [Social Skills](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/social-skills/) - [Getting Started](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/getting-started/) - [Cool Tool](https://myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/cool-tool/) ## Tags - [autism](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/autism/) - [late talking](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/late-talking/) - [developmental delay](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/developmental-delay/) - [speech delay](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/speech-delay/) - [literacy](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/literacy/) - [math](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/math/) - [Thanksgiving](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/thanksgiving/) - [November](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/november/) - [Foil Pan](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/foil-pan/) - [Turkey Baster](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/turkey-baster/) - [Water](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/water/) - [Sensory](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/sensory/) - [Play Skills](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/play-skills/) - [My Obstacle Course](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/my-obstacle-course/) - [Enchanted Learning](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/enchanted-learning/) - [ADHD](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/adhd/) - [PDD-NOS](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/pdd-nos/) - [sensory processing disorder](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/sensory-processing-disorder/) - [social stories](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/social-stories/) - [apraxia of speech](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/apraxia-of-speech/) - [motivation](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/motivation/) - [self regulation](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/self-regulation/) - [auditory processing disorder](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/auditory-processing-disorder/) - [apraxia](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/apraxia/) - [learning disability](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/learning-disability/) - [Fine Motor](https://myobstaclecourse.com/tag/fine-motor/)