A body-shaping challenge using string or yarn stretched across a doorway or hallway. The child has to figure out how to angle their body to pass through the web without touching the strands. Trains projected action sequences — planning a movement before executing it through novel space.
- In a doorway or narrow hallway, tape strands of yarn (or coloured masking tape, or party streamers) at varied heights and angles. Aim for 6–10 strands. Mix horizontals (knee-high, hip-high, chest-high), diagonals, and a couple of vertical strands. Leave gaps the child can fit through with thought.
- Show the web. Say: “You’re a spy sneaking through a laser web. If you touch a string, the alarm goes off. How will you get through?”
- Watch the child plan. They might duck under, step over, twist sideways, crawl, or even split a leg through one gap and an arm through another. Don’t suggest moves — the planning is the exercise.
- After the first pass, rearrange the web so the same plan won’t work twice. Add a strand they have to limbo under, or one they have to high-step over.
- Optional: time them, or have them carry a “secret package” (a small cushion) without dropping it.
Variation: add rules — “no hands on the floor” forces creative planning; “no crawling” forces upright thinking. Or run the web backwards — they enter from the far side and must exit through the original entrance. For a quieter version, lay strands on the floor as “cracks in the ice” that mustn’t be stepped on.
Requirements
- Space: A doorway, hallway, or 2 × 1 m corridor between two chairs or table legs
- Surface: Floor that allows ducking and crawling; carpet preferred for low strands
- Materials: 6–10 strands of yarn, ribbon, or coloured masking tape; painter's tape to anchor; chairs or door frame to anchor between
- Participants: 1 child at a time; 2–4 children can take turns and even build the web together
- Supervision: Moderate — watch first attempts to ensure no one tries to dive through
Rationale & Objective
Projected action sequences — planning a movement through space before starting — sit at the heart of Ayres’ praxis framework and overlap with the SIPT Constructional Praxis subtest in 3D navigation. The Spider’s Web forces the child to read a spatial layout, mentally simulate body movement through it, and execute the chosen plan. Unlike a fixed obstacle course where the route is repeated, each web is novel — fresh ideation is required every time. Bundy & Lane (2020) describe projected action as one of the most cognitively demanding praxis components because it cannot rely on stored motor memories. The activity also builds body schema — knowing where one’s limbs are without looking.
Progress Indicators
- Early: rushes in without looking and triggers many strands; gets stuck after the first contact (“I can’t!”); uses one strategy for every gap (always crawls)
- Developing: pauses to look before moving; chooses different strategies for different gaps (duck here, step there); touches 2–4 strands per pass
- Proficient: studies the web for several seconds before starting; passes through touching 0–1 strands; verbalises the plan (“I’ll go under that one, then twist”)
- Advanced: solves novel web layouts on first try with no contact; designs webs for others; can pass through carrying an object; can explain alternate routes
Safety Notes
- Use light yarn or paper streamers that break under any pull — never strong twine, fishing line, or rope that could trip or strangle
- Lowest strand should be at least 20 cm above the floor so the child can crawl under without face contact
- Highest strand should be below shoulder height of the shortest player so no one tries to dive through
- Anchor strands on chair legs or the door frame using painter’s tape — avoid eye-level hooks
- Remove necklaces, scarves, hooded drawstrings before play to prevent catching
- Supervise siblings closely if a small child is at floor level near a moving older child
Hints
- Playfulness: the laser/spy theme is a hit; alternatives: “escape the dragon’s cave,” “get through the web to rescue the fly,” “ninja training.” A black light + glow yarn version is dramatic for evening play
- Sustain interest: let the child build the web every other session — designing the web is itself a constructional planning exercise. Add a “second level” — another web in the next room they reach after the first
- Common mistake: making the web too easy (only horizontal knee-high lines) so any walking move works, or too hard (no clear path). Aim for 1–2 spots that need real thought; the rest should be approachable
- Limited space: a single doorway with 4–5 strands is plenty. Even between two chair legs in a small room is enough — the planning is what matters, not the distance
- Cross-domain: describe the chosen route aloud (language); count strands successfully avoided (numeracy); take a photo of each web and let the child name it (“the diamond,” “the lightning”) for spatial vocabulary
- Progression: 4 horizontal strands → 6 mixed-angle → 8 strands with one tricky spot → child must carry an object → child plans aloud before moving → child designs the web → final 1 m blindfolded with verbal guidance
Sources
- Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) — Constructional Praxis and Postural Praxis subtests
- Ayres, A.J. (1985). *Developmental Dyspraxia and Adult-Onset Apraxia*. Sensory Integration International
- Bundy, A.C. & Lane, S.J. (2020). *Sensory Integration: Theory and Practice* (3rd ed.). F.A. Davis
- Spitzer, S.L. (2003). "With and without words: exploring occupation in relation to young children with autism." Journal of Occupational Science, 10(2), 67–79
- Mailloux, Z. et al. (2018). "An international perspective on Ayres Sensory Integration." American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(1)
- map[OT Practice Framework (OTPF-4) — performance skills:motor and praxis]
- UK EYFS — Physical Development ELG (moving and handling)