Are you looking for a way to get your kids to have fun outdoors? Create an adventure in your backyard. Backyard obstacle courses for kids are great for fun and skill-building!
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We’ve developed a list of five backyard obstacle course ideas to keep your kids entertained for hours. They’ll have fun doing them, and you’ll have some fun helping them set it up!
Whether you’re looking to plan a birthday party or just looking to have some fun outdoors, these backyard obstacle courses will be a hit!
5 Fun Backyard Obstacle Courses for Kids
Make sure you are getting your kids active with one of these fun backyard obstacle courses for kids! Active kids are happy kids!
1) The Toddler Obstacle Course
- Activity Playset: Five big, soft foam blocks for toddler and kids to use as they develop agility and…
- Developmental Play: Brightly colored blocks encourage little ones to identify colors and stimulate…
- Durable Materials: Dense foam core is covered in soft vegan leather; platform, wedge and half-moon…
- Certified Safe: This indoor play set is GREENGUARD [GOLD] Certified for low VOCs, CPSIA compliant,…
- Product Dimensions: The assembled platform and wedge measure 40” L x 16” W x 8” H; Half-Moon…
If your little one isn’t ready for climbing or swinging, use ideas that encourage free play and imagination. For example, using soft blocks is a great way to create a playful environment.
Toddlers love to build things. So, they can use soft toddler-friendly blocks to build a wall or a house.
With soft blocks, buy something to throw like balls or plastic bowling pins. Children love to play with them in the backyard.
It is possible to introduce some ‘shoot the object’ games, too, to build coordination. Additionally, a light water bucket they can carry from Spot A to Spot B is quite entertaining.
You can set up easy and safe obstacles by using a few pool noodles and hula hoops in your outdoor obstacle course (you can find pool noodles and hula hoops on Amazon).
You can add obstacles that involve crawling under the bridge or walking on a balance wood beam with some old crates and wood pieces to improve their motor skills.
This obstacle course will provide lots of fun as it combines physical activity with play.
This backyard obstacle course is for your small kids and is super easy to set up.
Check out another set of soft blocks for toddlers below.
2) The Fort Magic Course for Kids
Fort building is fun, and kids love it. You can turn this into a very fun obstacle course.
We have been dying to make a special Fort Magic course for our kids in our backyard for years. Our kids would love it.
The Fort Magic Kit includes over 350 pieces for you to build your custom obstacle course. You can also customize the parts to make the end-goals more interesting.
The best part about the Fort Magic Kit is that it has almost everything you need. Let your kids build the fort and obstacle course, and then time them to see how long it takes them to get through it!
A few blankets with couch cushions and 2-3 extra tables will make an instant outdoor fort where the kids will disappear for hours or engage in different types of activities. You can make your own obstacle course using some imagination.
For a fun twist, use party supplies like balloons and lights and challenge your kids to decorate the fort with them. You can even create an indoor obstacle course with this set.
3) The Fun Water Obstacle Course
- Easy set up and storage
- Durable PVC construction
- 16ft L x 42in W x 23in H water slide W/ limbo pole
- 47in L x 25in W x 12in H inflatable hurdles
- 70in L x 32in W water-filled tire jump built-in sprinklers
The backyard water obstacle course is excellent for hot summer days.
You can make this course a competitive race for your kids to beat their own time. Another great thing about the water obstacle course is it is not a one-time activity for kids.
They always want to run the full course multiple times in a day. They see it as an enjoyable party or picnic.
It can be tough to create a water obstacle course as it requires specific products. Therefore, we recommend Aqua Blast Obstacle Course from Banzai. Treat it like an obstacle, not as a waterslide.
In case you are interested in a slip and slide wave rider, opt for Wham-O Brand. Their slip and slide wave rider has incredible quality, and it has double sliding lanes.
Add a pool noodle to jump over for added difficulty. You can use a pool noodle to set up jumps or help guide them in right direction. Pool noodles are safe and inexpensive as well.
Our only suggestion is to put a small amount of dish soap on its surface to make it easy for the kids to slide.
As an added obstacle, you can set up targets and have your kids use water guns or water balloons to see how fast they can knock down the targets. But, of course, the better they get, the farther they have to go.
4) Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course
- ✔ 11 ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES … Our obstacle course for kids has accessories such as 50 foot…
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- ✔ PERFECT GIFT.. Perfect gift for your Ninja in the making, Comes with giftable box
We love watching the Ninja Warrior show, so why not get in on the fun with your kids.
This one is for all those parents who want their kids to get off the PlayStation and playing outside. Particularly with boys, it is a massive hit as they love to participate in ninja-type activities.
These courses are tough and meant to be physically challenging. The Ninja Warrior course can release your children’s pent-up energy and restlessness.
There are a few variations of this obstacle course on the market, but we recommend the B-Branton Store obstacle course. They have ten accessories for kids, such as gymnastic rings, monkey bar hold, slacklines, rope ladders, skipping rope, etc.
The good thing is you can customize these accessories in any way you want according to your backyard’s size. Also, the components don’t have fixed pockets or fixed distances from each other, so you’ll have flexibility in your design.
5) Spy Training Backyard Obstacle Course
We searched all spy obstacle course themes and discovered that we could design one using simple materials. With that in mind, you’ll have to get creative.
First, set up a “special mission” that your kid(s) will have to go on. The end goal could be something as simple as finding a toy that you’ve hidden somewhere in the house or backyard.
Then, come up with the clues. Next, get crates or boards and write some invisible code on them with a pen. You can also do the invisible writing inside a fort obstacle course as well.
Many invisible pens are available on Amazon. They have little UV flashlights that will reveal the secret codes, keeping the kids busy for a long time.
Additionally, you can also transform a simple roll of string into a string laser maze. It is easy to do in the backyard and requires just the strings and the tape.
Tape the string horizontally, diagonally, and vertically to create a challenging situation for them. Then they have to get through the maze without touching the “lasers.” If they touch them, they have to start from the beginning.
If you’re ready to take the spy obstacle to the next level, grab some extra items from Amazon to indulge in the spy fun:
You can incorporate each of these items into your spy obstacle course!
Summary of Best Backyard Obstacle Courses for Kids
| Course Idea | Age | Difficulty Level | Benefit |
| The Toddler Obstacle Course | 2-5 | 1/5 | Problem-solving skill |
| The Fort Magic Course for Kids | 4-6 | 3/5 | Coordination |
| The Fun Water Obstacle Course | 4-8 | 2/5 | Great for Summer |
| Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course | 5-10 | 4/5 | Strength & balance |
| Spy Training Obstacle Course | 4-10 | 4/5 | Creative and imaginative |
Don’t you remember how much fun you had outside playing with friends when you were a kid? Get your kids off of their tablets and get them outdoors with one of these fun obstacle courses.
The best backyard obstacle courses for kids get the heart rate up, get the creative juices flowing, and challenge your children physically.
If you have a large enough backyard, consider making a permanent obstacle course that can be available all the time.
Don’t forget – this is an opportunity for you to get creative as well!
Not only will you have some fun with them, but you’ll also help them will some of their fundamental brain development skills.
So, create a fun course for your kids and keep them happy & healthy!
Have a creative idea? Create your own DIY obstacle course! Use a large cardboard box to create a cardboard box tunnel. Use a hula hoop to make a jumping obstacle. Get creative!
Once your kids finish one course, they’ll be eager to start the next obstacle course! So get one started for them now!
TIP: If you’re looking for other fun ideas for your kids, check out these fun scavenger hunt ideas.