Parents are always looking for ways to keep their kids happy and entertained during the summer. This easily customizable pool noodle obstacle course is perfect for a kid’s play date, party or a family time in the yard. You can find pool noodles just about anywhere (I got loads of them at the dollar store), so pick some up and get started; you won’t believe just how easy it is.
Materials:
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Note: The amount of each material we used is listed, but you can scale your course down to use less items with the same ratio of ingredients.
- pool noodles (40)
- duct tape (3 rolls)
- yard stakes (~20)
- sponge footballs
- soccer balls
Instructions
- Stage 1: Ground Crawling: Stick a yard stake in the ground and push 1 end of a pool noodle on it (pool noodles have a hollow middle with holes at both ends). Bend your pool noodle over to make a semi circle and push another yard stake in the ground where the pool noodle ends. Push the other end of the noodle on the stake. Repeat this process until you have the desired number of arcs, placing each pool noodle about 1 foot apart from the next.
- Stage 2: Agility Rings: Place 1 straight pool noodle horizontally on the ground. Going upwards, put 10 circular pool noodles on the ground, 2 at a time. At the end, place another straight pool noodle. The object of this part is to bounce from ring to ring without disturbing them!
- Stage 3: Football Toss: Place 1 yard stake in the ground. Push a straight pool noodle onto the yard stake. Grab 2 pool noodle rings and tape them to the top of the straight pool noodle with 1 underneath the other. Repeat with 4 more circular pool noodles. Where the circular pool noodles end, place another yard stake in the ground and push a straight pool noodle onto the yard stake. Tape the circular noodles onto the straight noodle. If you’re having difficulty keeping this obstacle straight, you can also push long sticks into the ground for reinforcement. Tape the sticks to the long and straight pool noodles.
- Stage 4: Soccer Skills: Stick some yard stakes in the ground in a straight row, each stake about 1 foot apart. Push a pool noodle onto each stake so they are sticking straight up in the air. Leave some soccer balls at this obstacle and watch the kids try to kick/dribble the ball around the noodles.
- Stage 5: Ring Toss: Push a yard stake into the ground and push a pool noodle onto the yard stake so the pool noodle is standing straight up in the air. Have your kids try and throw a pool noodle ring onto the pole.
Note: You will need both straight, unaltered pool noodles and pool noodles bent into a circle and taped together. The circular pool noodle is easy to make; just bend the pool noodle until both ends come together and secure them together with duct tape.
This is sure to make you the talk of the neighborhood kids! For an extra challenge, time yourselves!
SOURCE:http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/pool-noodle-obstacle-course/