35 DIY Obstacle Courses for Kids That Anyone Can Build
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Obstacle courses are terrific for field days, phys ed class, summer camps, birthday parties, and so much more. These DIY obstacle courses for kids are easy enough for anyone to create. We’ve got indoor and outdoor options too. Get ready to show off your moves!
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2. DIY American Ninja Warrior obstacle course
If kids can’t get enough of the hit show, they’ll love this course inspired by the ones they’ve seen top-notch athletes tackle on TV.
In addition to pool noodles, you can pick up all sorts of inexpensive items at the dollar store to incorporate into obstacle courses for kids. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
Sidewalk chalk obstacle courses don’t require any special equipment, and they’re perfect for a playground or neighborhood. Add your own creative elements to challenge kids, and don’t be surprised when adults join in too.
Video game fans, put down the controllers and jump into the action instead! This clever course lets kids feel like they’re living out their favorite game.
Travel back to days of yore, and turn kids into knights as they take on this unique course idea. If you don’t want to sew your own hobby horses, just make paper heads to attach to broomsticks instead.
Every kid gets excited when you add water into the fun! Dash through sprinklers, jump into kiddie pools, and dodge water balloons to make your way to the end.
Kids will need to move quickly but carefully if they’re going to make it through this one! Attach jingle bells to a variety of obstacles, and challenge little ones to complete the course without making a sound.
Getting ready to start school? Use this ingenious idea to teach kids skills they need to know, like hanging up backpacks, sharpening pencils, and more.
Tip: Let kids design their own DIY obstacle courses for each other—they’ll love it! Lay them out on paper (or whiteboards) first, then build what you’ve envisioned.
Grab some painter’s tape in different colors and plan out a fun movement adventure. Assign a different color of tape to each kid, then create paths that cross and separate, requiring them to really think about what they need to do next.
This combines a bit of a STEM challenge with obstacles. String a course throughout your yard with plastic cups attached. Kids have to use squirt guns to move the cups along—no touching with your hands!
This sweet little idea helps wee ones build their agility and motor skills. Simply attach red and green plastic balls to various locations along the course with packing tape. Kids “pick the apples” as they go along.
Everything gets trickier when two kids have to work together to complete a course. Whether they’re balancing along planks or trying to figure out how to go over or under an obstacle without dropping their plate, they’ll learn important lessons in teamwork.
All you need is a ball of yarn to create a course that will keep kids busy for ages! Create a giant web for them to follow. The only rule is they can’t let go of the string.
Obstacle courses for kids don’t have to be complicated. A few Hula-Hoops, cones, and balls can be utilized to create a quick obstacle course for the classroom.
29. A bouncy indoor course
We love that this indoor obstacle course uses mostly items that can be found in a typical home. Blocks, Frisbees, couch cushions, and even a mini trampoline make for a great way to burn off some of that extra energy on a rainy day.
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30. Toddler time course
If you think your toddler is too young for an obstacle course, think again! Before getting started, create a simple line on the floor or ground using painter’s tape or chalk. Then, create several obstacles with various gross motor skills in mind. You’ll want to include something to jump on, something to crawl through, something to wind their way around, and finally, something to run to!
We’ve seen our fair share of indoor obstacle course ideas, but we especially love the inclusion of plastic clothes hangers here. Get some of the plastic ones, hook them together, and hang them high or low around the rest of your obstacles.
A lot of kids have foldable scooters and we think they add a really cute touch to an otherwise typical outdoor obstacle course. Use cones, inflatable tires, etc., to create the front part of the course and then place a folded scooter by a cone. Kids will have to unfold the scooter and then ride it to the finish line to win!
Obstacle courses for kids don’t have to include fancy equipment. Before doing an obstacle course with your kiddos, go on a nature hunt and collect things like long sticks to use as obstacles. You can buy some hay bales and other natural items if you want too.
This video has a lot of cute ideas for easy DIY obstacles you can set up in your classroom, home, yard, or playground. Hang an elastic cord and then have kids stretch it around themselves. Save a large Amazon box and open the ends to create a tunnel for your little ones to crawl through.
@elizabeth_ot4kids via Instagram
35. Pop-It stones
Leave it to an occupational therapist to create a stellar DIY obstacle course. It seems that these days, most parents have found themselves with drawers full of Pop-Its. Why not put them to good use and create stepping stones?
