Blanket Swing/Puzzle as a Route Game

Route Games can be simple or quite complex--depending upon the needs or preferences of your child. One third grade child, who does not find it easy to sit and do homework, does the first five minutes of his homework at the kitchen table, the second five minutes under the table, the third five minutes on any stair he chooses, the fourth five minutes on the couch, and the last five minutes back at the kitchen table with a snack "to keep him going to the bitter end." Some kids just need to be on the move. Here is a early, very simple Route Game:



In this game, the child moves between two activities in two locations. You can use this clip as a Video Model for your child if you want him or her to see how this game works before trying it. There are many reasons you might want to use Route Games like this: 1) By simply moving across the room, you have integrated an organizing sensory activity into the game. The movement helps your child stay at a just right state of alertness for learning. 2) Learning to shift attention between two activities (and not loosing track of the first activity while attending to the second) may be a wonderful skill for your child to practice. 3) Your child may be more willing to try new activities (or do non-preferred activities) if he or she know that a more familiar or preferred activity is coming soon. Route games can add both novelty and structure to any activity--which is the exact combination that many children need. For more about Route Games see Obstacle Courses and Route Games.