You’ve seen that Montessori lesson for walking on the line — usually a long strip of painter’s tape laid down on the floor, with a child trying to balance on it as she walks. That’s great for many children, but for some it just won’t be enticing or hold their interest. So let’s think outside the box to spice it up a bit!

Let’s say you have that long line made of painter’s tape on your floor, and it’s just not getting any use. Try:

• taking a favorite toy animal or doll and having it “walk the line”
• drive a toy car along the line
• make the line zig-zaggy instead of straight
• roll a rolling pin along the line
• balance an egg or a pompom on a spoon and walk the line without letting the object fall
• balance a book on your head and walk the line

Or maybe a line of painter’s tape isn’t for you. That’s okay! There are tons of lines available for walking just in your regular environment — you just have to know how to look for them. Try:

• walking along a floorboard on your hardwood floors
• walking along the edge of an area rug
• walking on a sidewalk curb
• drawing a chalk line on the driveway and using that
• walking on the line between each sidewalk block
• walking on fallen logs in the woods

Your child notices those lines. How many times has it happened that you’ve been trying to get somewhere and your child is dawdling by pretending one of those things is a balance beam? Children are naturally drawn to walking on the line — you just have to find the right line for yours.

---