Working together, decision-making and problem-solving never looked like so much fun.
Building on the trend of obstacle course competitions popular among adults and children, the Wampus Obstacle Course will feature seven challenging elements, including climbing walls, ninja jumps, tunnels to crawl through and a slalom course.
It’s a unique and exciting way to help students improve their fitness and health and set goals. While it will be fun and engaging for the students in grades three through five, the permanent, outdoor course is designed to promote teamwork as children plan and participate in the courses they create together.
“The obstacle course is more than just playground equipment,” said Wampus Principal Debra Cagliostro. “It’s a very collaborative process.”
“We see a mechanism for kids to round out their 21st century skills, like problem-solving, communication, decision-making, collaboration, critical thinking and being creative in a way that’s fun and meaningful. It helps kids be leaders in the 21st century.”
Along with a physical workout as they run, jump and crawl through the obstacles, students will gain experience working together in a social way.
“If they planned a course and it didn’t work because they couldn’t do parts of it well, they can go back and problem-solve,” Mrs. Cagliostro said. “It’s a social process. They need to talk things through and come to a consensus if they’re doing a joint challenge.”
The experiences will serve them well in their Wampus classrooms - and beyond.
“It’s not like knowing the periodic table of elements in science,” Mrs. Cagliostro said. “These are lifelong skills that will transfer from the obstacle course to the playground to the classroom to college. They’re the skills that underlie everything else. The world they’re entering in terms of careers is more collaborative than ever.”
The course offers students the chance to improve their balance and agility along with their strength and cardiovascular endurance. Achieving personal goals will help students gain self-confidence.
“Kids will be making choices for themselves, which is always a good mechanism for feeling confident and successful,” Mrs. Cagliostro said. “If they’re choosing it, they’re more motivated to be persistent and keep practicing until they get it, instead of a teacher saying, ‘Do 20 pushups.’”
The obstacles were strategically chosen to create a well-rounded course. “It’s geared to give a total workout of all the muscle groups,” Mrs. Cagliostro said.
With the recent focus at Wampus on emotional wellness, the obstacle course was the “perfect fit” because it adds a component that lets students be active in a social setting, Mrs. Cagliostro said.
“They’re getting the physical benefits of wellness to go along with the emotional wellness we’ve been doing at Wampus,” Mrs. Cagliostro said.
The more exposure to different forms of wellness these young students have, the longer their focus on having healthy minds and bodies will be. “This is a time when teaching and learning these kinds of skills really does have a lifelong impact,” Mrs. Cagliostro said.
But the best part about the obstacle course, which will be located on the field between Wampus and H.C. Crittenden Middle School, is the great time that students will have while swinging on the side-by-side monkey bars or traversing low balance beams.
“They probably won’t be aware that they’re learning anything because it’s fun and it’s something they’re interested in,” Mrs. Cagliostro said. “But they’re going to be learning through experience, and that’s the best kind of learning because you just feel like you’re playing.”
The Wampus Obstacle Course is yet another example of how Byram Hills students benefit from the generosity and support from the Byram Hills Education Foundation.