More Fun Tape Games – Wellesley Community Children's Center

Inch Worm Race

Have two of your kids stand with their arms to their sides.
You can use a towel, blanket or sheet depending on the size of your child and wrap them all the way to their shoulders.
Lay what ever you are using out flat. Then have the child lay straight down and roll them up like you would a burrito. You want them to be rolled up tightly. Remember it is supposed to be difficult.
Place two small bowls of applesauce at the other end of the room. When you say go, they have to inch-worm across the room, eat the apple sauce, and then inch-worm back. (feel free to get creative on what is in the bowl, just keep in mind it shouldn’t be anything that a child could choke on).
If you are worried about a mess you can make a finish line on both sides. Whoever goes down and back first, wins. Remember their entire body has to get completely across the finish line in order to win! (This game should be played on a carpeted or soft surface to avoid injury)

Use painter’s tape (easy to find at most art supply stores, hardware stores, or can be ordered online through amazon). It will indicate on the tape that it’s for delicate surfaces but it can be used on a hard surface/carpet.
Once you’ve found a spacious area, you may begin to tape a variety of shapes, letters/numbers spaced out however you want. You can be as creative as you want. Just remember you want to have a decent amount of space between each shape.
Have your child stand on their favorite one then give them instructions to follow that will lead them to their next destination (for example: “bear crawl to the square”, “hop like a Frog to the T”, “Run to the rectangle”).
This game can be done with school age kids as well as toddlers. It keeps your child moving, it can also help children learn their shapes, letters and numbers. This game promotes mental awareness and exercise.

Use your painter’s tape (or if you’re looking for a more realistic track you can purchase race car tape on amazon that looks like an actual street with lines) to make a huge road system for your kids’ matchbox cars.
Think outside the box and have the track scale furniture and other obstacles (just make sure it’s something you don’t mind toy vehicles being “driven” over).
The key to making it active is to make it large-scale, so they are engaging their core muscles while crawling all over.

Make a simple hopscotch “board” this can be done in side on a hardwood floor.

Make a large square with your tape and then divide it into 9 or more small squares, marking random numbers in each one.
Now ask your child to perform a specific movement to get to the next number like “jump to 10”, “zoom to 3”, “slither to 67”.

Activity by Dan Finucane, Floating Site Coordinator