Why Room-to-Room Relay works

Carry an imaginary message from one safe room zone to another at a controlled walk. Choose two nearby room zones with a clear doorway and no stairs between them.

Set up — Choose two nearby room zones with a clear doorway and no stairs…

No special materials are needed before the child is asked to choose two nearby room zones with a clear doorway and no stairs between them. The setup is ready when the child can choose two nearby room zones with a clear doorway and no stairs between them and then move on to the instruction to give each zone a simple name such as base and delivery point without a new explanation. Keep the floor clear and the movement controlled while those two steps are connected.

Step 2 — Give each zone a simple name such as base and delivery point

After the child tries to give each zone a simple name such as base and delivery point, ask one brief question about the result. Connect their answer to the next request to the child walks from base to the delivery point, says or repeats a short message, then walks back rather than explaining it for them.

Step 3 — The child walks from base to the delivery point, says or repeats…

Have the child the child walks from base to the delivery point, says or repeats a short message, then walks back before offering a solution. What happens here should help them understand how to change the message or destination each round, especially compared with the earlier request to give each zone a simple name such as base and delivery point.

Step 4 — Change the message or destination each round

Give the child time to change the message or destination each round and notice the result. The following instruction to keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered should use what they learned after previously trying to the child walks from base to the delivery point, says or repeats a short message, then walks back.

Step 5 — Keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered

Allow room for a mistake while the child tries to keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered. A self-correction here is more useful than fast repetition before the child moves on to keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered.

What to notice before Keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered

After the child has tried to change the message or destination each round, ask what changed. An answer connected to the earlier attempt to the child walks from base to the delivery point, says or repeats a short message, then walks back is good evidence of whether the child can change action or direction deliberately without losing control before the final step.

Make The child walks from base to the… easier or harder

If asking the child to the child walks from base to the delivery point, says or repeats a short message, then walks back is too demanding, shorten the route, slow the pace, or use fewer actions. Once that step is comfortable, add one remembered action or direction change without increasing speed before returning to the final request to keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered.

Finish after Keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered

Keep doors fully open and the route uncluttered. Close on that result so the child leaves with one clear idea from the activity. For another activity, use the activity search or create one with the activity generator.