How to Make an Obstacle Course for Preschoolers

Preschoolers enjoy crawling through tunnels in obstacle courses.

Teachers as well as parents can make an obstacle course for preschoolers. Space the activities 10 to 15 feet apart, position them on mats and number them. Some activities should involve the entire body, while others should involve just the upper or lower parts of the body; some activities should involve object manipulation and tool use. The child who completes the course the fastest might be given a prize, or prizes might be given to all children who complete the course.

Things You'll Need

• For each activity: 1 large spongy mat, 1 numbered sign and 1 signpost (optional)
• Tape or stapler
• Stopwatch (optional)
• At least 1 prize
• 2 small step ladders
• 1 smooth plank of wood -- 2 inches thick, 4 inches wide and 8 feet long
• 1 beach ball
• 1 stick
• 2 chairs
• 1 Rope -- 6 to 8 feet long
• 1 large cushion
• 1 long sheet of blue paper shaped like a river
• 1 small bean bag
• 1 small hula hoop or tube
• 1 plastic baseball bat
• 1 water balloon with attached string
• 1 straw
• 1 ring
• 1 large bucket of water
• 2 large barrels or boxes
• 1 tricycle
• 4 cones
• Paint

Instructions

1. Create activities requiring the use of the lower body, but no object manipulation. For example, a child might climb up a small step ladder, walk across a smooth plank of wood, and then climb down another small step ladder. The wood should be fastened to the two step ladders.

2. Create activities requiring the use of the lower body and object manipulation. For example, a child might kick a beach ball over a stick held in place by two chairs.

3. Create activities requiring the use of the upper body, but no object manipulation. For example, a child might cross a "river" either by pulling himself across using a rope that is fastened to two trees like a clothesline, or by swinging across holding onto a rope fastened to a branch of one tree. Once across the river, the child would drop onto a large cushion.

4. Create activities requiring the use of the upper body and object manipulation. For example, a child might throw a bean bag through a hula hoop or tube. The object manipulation also might involve a tool -- as when a child uses a plastic baseball bat to hit and break a water balloon suspended above the child; or when the child uses a straw to retrieve a ring from a large bucket of water.

5. Create activities involving the whole body, but no object manipulation. A child might creep on his belly, crawl on all fours or scoot on his bottom through a tunnel created by attaching 2 large barrels or boxes together.

6. Create activities involving the whole body and object manipulation. The child might weave a tricycle around alternating sides of four traffic cones. Use paint to indicate the correct side of each cone.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider varying the texture of the course for children who are sensitive to rough textures.

• A uni-directional course minimizes confusion and injuries.

References

• "Enhancing Outdoor Play with an Obstacle Course"; Christina Griffin, et al.; 1998
• Out-of-sync-child: Indoor Obstacle Courses for Parents and Teachers
• Simplekids: Make your own Backyard Obstacle Course
• Imagination Soup: A Backyard Obstacle Course for your Kids

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• "Physical Activity"; June 2008
• "How to Get More out of the Outdoors"; Heather Olsen, et al.; Spring 2011