A Tape Race to Get Kids Moving

On days we are stuck indoors, I create games that get Aiden moving. Sometimes we simply have a dance party. Other times we run around in circles. He loves it when I make up races for him. This simple tape race practices fine motor skills, colors, counting, and best of all gets kids moving! At the end, there’s potential for a cool piece of art.

For this activity, you’ll need different colors of tape. We used highlighter tape that my husband won as a door prize. You could use fun washi tape or whatever you can find. If you don’t want to practice colors, just grab some masking tape or some clear Scotch tape.

You will also need a surface to be taped. We used a piece of aluminum foil. You could use paper, a table, or any other surface you know the tape will remove easily.

Place the tape on one side of the room and the aluminum foil on the other.

Have your child stand next to the aluminum foil. Explain to him that he is going to run over to you and get a piece of tape. Then, run back to the foil and place the tape down. Then, you’ll repeat.

When your child runs to you and the tape, you might need to help her with the tape at first. One of the reasons we did this activity was to help my son practice taking tape from the dispenser. He always wanted me to do it. I showed him how and helped guide his hands. After a few times, he got the hang of it and could get the tape himself. If you’re using masking tape and your child has a hard time tearing the tape, have him practice using kid safe scissors. My son loves using his scissors. Cutting up paper is it’s own special activity.

As your child chooses a tape dispenser, have him name the color.

When you’re finished with the activity, count each color of tape on the foil. {You could even graph the number used of each color.}

Depending on how much tape your child decides to use and where she puts it, you might consider the final product a piece of art. I’m not sure we’re there with our final piece, but this was really about the process, right?

Other Race Ideas

Work on letter recognition and letter sounds with this fun letter sounds race.
Make clean up a game. Place the toy bin on one side of the room. Have your child pick up toys and run them to the bin. {This is currently one of the only ways my son will clean up.}
Make a race track with Legos. This idea was all Aiden’s. It doesn’t get you moving much, but it was an exercise in imagination.

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