INSIDE: Here is a fun way to play in the snow in your backyard! Create a backyard obstacle course this winter! This is an amazing way to keep kids big and small entertained outside on a snowy day!
Have you made your kids an obstacle course in your backyard? You will after reading this. They are such a fun an easy activity for toddlers and preschoolers and even older kids. In fact I had my 6 year old help me make this course for herself and her siblings. We first made an obstacle course in our backyard back in the spring and it was such a hit we made a version in the fall with leaves and now this one in the snow. If you live in a snowy climate this is a must try this winter!
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How to Create a Winter Backyard Obstacle Course Kids Will Love
To create a great course you need to have a few physical elements:
- jumping
- hopping
- crawling
- throwing
- riding
- balancing
- sliding
- bowling
- zig zagging
- tossing
To create the opportunity for the above movements use a few key supplies. But you what you have in your backyard. Get older kids involved in making and cleaning up the obstacle course. This make a great problem solving activity for big kids:
- Cardboard box
- Skipping rope
- Toddler slide
- Hula hoops
- Bicycles
- Sidewalk chalk
- Bowling set
- Ball Pit Balls
- Basket
- Storage Bin
- Painter’s Tape
- Basketball net
- Balls
- Buckets
Building Your Winter Backyard Obstacle Course
Or course when creating an obstacle course in the snow using the snow as an obstacle is the best part! If you are lucky enough to have lots of snow you can build a maze; make mounts to jump over or run around; make snow angles; or get your sled or skis involved! The possibilities are endless! We unfortunately didn’t a ton of snow at the time of us doing this obstacle course. So instead I used some other items that we had in our backyard such as plastic toys and chairs and sticks!
Slide to Start
To start our course I used our plastic slide. We used it in the spring and it makes a great first obstacle.
Branch Jumping
Next, I set up some fallen branches and sticks so that my kids could jump over them.
Crawling Tunnel
Creating a tunnel in the snow was the hardest one. We didn’t have enough snow to create a snow tunnel something that I will definitely do the next time we get a huge dump of snow. I used two chairs backing each other with the lid to our sand pit on top! It worked!
Chair Obstacles
Next, I set up some chairs for them to run around. My 6 year old got this part but it took my 2 year old a few time to get the hang of running through and around the chairs.
Dig and Drive
For this stage I set up a dump truck and wagon. We couldn’t ride our bikes in the snow, obviously, so I had them dig in the snow and fill the dump truck. Had I thought about it I would have pulled our sled from the front of the house to use here! They dumped the snow into the wagon and then ran it up the side of our deck and back.
Balance on the Rope
For a balancing challenge I lay a skipping rope in the snow and had them balance on in. Super easy!
Frisbee Toss
Next, was the frisbee toss. They had to throw the frisbee into our empty sand pit. If you have packing snow this would be the perfect time to make some snowballs to throw. Unfortunately we had fine power snow (it was very cold) so no snowballs for us.
Basketball Throw
For the final challenge was a basketball toss challenge.
Winter Backyard Obstacle Course Tons of Fun
This was just as fun as the obstacle course that we did in the spring. I only wish that we have more snow in order to create obstacles with. Fingers cross we do before the end of winter!
Looking for more Fun Winter Activities? Check out these fun ideas:
- 50+ Winter Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- 30+ Snow Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Snowflake Activities & Crafts
- How to Make Fake Snow: 5 Recipes using only 2 ingredients
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