4 tips to create a pool noodle outdoor obstacle course

Test your kids agility this summer with an inexpensive family activity using pool noodles! This activity can be made Arizona-summer-friendly by turning on the sprinklers or adding a water feature.

Materials:

• Pool noodles

• Duct tape

• Yard stakes or pens / pencils

• Toothpicks 

• Scissors

1. Crawling station: This one may be the most complex to put together, and the only one I cut pool noodles for. To create this crawling station, you need two intact pool noodles and two pool noodles cut in half, creating four halves. Make a capital letter I or H with three of the halves. Keep these in place by using toothpicks as placeholders. Then take the intact noodles to create arches on each side. I used duct tape to secure these. Finally, use the remaining half to connect the top part of the arches. My children loved crawling under this over and over again!
2. Hurdle jumping: This obstacle is the easiest to put together. Bend a pool noodle into a desired arch, and secure it on the grass using stakes or pencils/ pens (you heard that right. That is what we used!)
3. Agility steps (pool noodle circles): Grab the duct tape, and tape pool noodles into circles. Some may be stubborn and could open back up, so don’t be afraid to really layer on the duct tape. These can be scattered in the yard in several ways, depending on how much you want to challenge your child. After they’re set, kids can step in and out of each circle until they reach the desired location. 
4. Football toss: I ended my obstacle course with this station. Take two intact pool noodles and three noodles duct-taped into circles. Each circle is then secured in between the intact pool noodles with duct tape. Your football toss is a lot heavier than the hurdles, therefore yard stakes are definitely recommended to keep this one standing. We used both a foam baseball and a football to toss in.

What are some other ways to set up an obstacle course or fun water activities for kids? Let us know at Arizona PBS KIDS on Facebook.

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About the author

Marissa Will is the mother of two, Olivia (6) and Logan (4). Writing was her first passion: she’s a freelance writer and a Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumna. Will is currently educating the future leaders of tomorrow: She has spent the past nine years educating third grade with a master’s degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University-Yuma.