Obstacle Course for Outdoor Fun

/
Obstacle Course for Outdoor Fun on Hello Rascal Kids

Sidewalk chalk is an all-time favorite item in our household. We love drawing with the chalk, writing our names, playing games, and even creating illustrations on our wooden fence. Both of my rascals learned to spell and then write their names using sidewalk chalk.

A recent favorite use of our sidewalk chalk has been to create obstacle courses in the driveway. The rascals love it! The obstacle course changes each time, requiring them to practice new gross motor skills, coordination and balance, and even their academic skills. They assist in the design and creation, which helps because it can take time to get everything mapped out and illustrated on the concrete. The payoff is great, though - I can often sneak away to indulge in a chocolate treat while they are busy!

The obstacle course can include just about anything. We love to focus on gross motor skills and age-appropriate academics. This can include:

  • Crawling

  • Running

  • Jumping

  • Skipping

  • Galloping

  • Lifting

  • Throwing

  • Hopping

  • Shapes

  • Letters

  • Spelling

  • Patterns

  • Numbers

  • Alphabet

One of the best parts of the obstacle course is that you can make it whatever you want or need it to be, based on the age and development level of your rascal(s). Below is an example of our latest creation.

Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course.jpg

We almost always celebrate the end of the obstacle course with a roar, but you can choose to end it any way you want or even make it a continuous loop.

I keep the academic components alive by asking questions of my rascals along the way. “What shape is that?” or “What did you just spell?” or “How did you know to do that?” I’m getting them to verbalize their understanding and processing so I can comprehend where they are intellectually.

There are tons of sidewalk chalks available, but our favorite are ones that have bright colors and if they have glitter - even better! Try these or these.

Written by Brandi Stanton, mama to two rascals, ages 2 and 4.

Shop The Post