Our new favorite summer activity is making a sidewalk chalk obstacle course. It’s a great low prep gross motor activity that toddlers and preschoolers love to do over and over.
Here’s how we set ours up and how you can continue to keep it fresh and fun every time you do it.
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My daughter really needed to work on her gross motor skills and get all of her energy out.
So this spring I decided to make an obstacle course for her. But I didn’t have much to use so I started drawing one with chalk.
It turned out great! She loves to play obstacle course and she’s getting better at jumping and following directions. She’ll go through the same course over and over for as long as I’d let her.
Watch the video
What do you need for this activity?
You only need a couple of things for this summer activity. I think that’s why I like it so much. It’s easy and quick.
You just need some sidewalk chalk and space. Oh and a kid.
You can do it yourself too. There aren’t age limits on it, but kids about 18 months to about 5 years old will get the most enjoyment out of it.
Of course, if you have older kids you can make it harder and they’ll still want to do it. They might have fun designing it!
How to set up your Chalk Obstacle Course
We set up rules around shapes and lines. You’ll need to establish your rules first.
Lines
We use one single line as the base of the course. It tells your child to follow it by walking along it.
Make it zig zag or swirl for a little fun.
Circles
Circles are for standing on or jumping to. Toot likes to jump from circle to circle.
Spread the circles out to make it harder. Just don’t make them too far apart to the point your toddler ore preschooler can’t reach them.
We use smaller circles as stepping stones. She steps on them with her tippy toes.
I also use a big circle for the starting point and sometimes for the end of the course.
Rectangles
Rectangles are for jumping OVER. They’re like hurdles.
I place one every once in a while on the course line. Sometimes a sequence of two or three can make your child hop like a bunny.
Toot will sometimes just step over them, but that’s okay. The important part is that she isn’t stepping on them and ignoring the rules altogether.
Swirls
If you come to a circle with a swirl in it, you have to spin around!
Sometimes I put them at the end of the obstacle course so she has to come back and do it all backwards too.
In the middle of the course, they just mean spin all the way around and keep going.
Triangles
Triangles mean you have to jump on two spots at the same time. I draw two triangles next to each other and you have to jump to both with one foot on each triangle.
Variations to Keep it Fresh Every Time
You don’t want to draw the same path every time you do this activity. That’d be boring. So here are ways to add to it to make it more interesting.
Do it backwards
If your kid is able to jump backwards, have them try doing everything in reverse. It’s a great way to increase their coordination skills.
Rescue a Toy
Put one of their toys at the end of the obstacle course for them to rescue.
Kids love to be the hero. Especially if that means they can rescue their favorite Paw Patrol pup or their favorite Disney Princess.
You can also have them bring the toy back to safety by coming back through the course.
Add a Hopscotch in the middle
Our exception to the rectangle rule is when it’s a hopscotch board. I like to add one at the beginning or in the middle somewhere.
Write the Alphabet or Numbers Along the Course
If your toddler or preschooler is learning their letters or numbers, write them in order along your course.
You can have them say the letter or number aloud when they get to them.
You can incorporate academic learning with your gross motor play!
Have You Made A Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course?
Let me know in the comments below! And let me know if you have any other ideas for obstacles or how to vary up the game!
Melody says
This looks like such a fun sidewalk chalk game. And it’s a good way to teach shapes. My son is working on shapes right now. We’re going to try this later today!
Niki at Toot's Mom is Tired says
It’s a great way to teach shapes! I hope you guys have fun playing!
Julie says
Ooh this is a fun idea. My kiddo loves to ask me to draw with chalk for him, now having an obstacle course to get the wiggles out is brilliant.
Niki at Toot's Mom is Tired says
Yes and they can do it over and over so you can just sit and read a book on your phone for at least 10 minutes. I did yesterday!