Here’s a fun DIY backyard obstacle course for kids that they can even make themselves (awesome for playdates and parties!) plus an easy DIY slip ‘n slide.
The kids have been taking the Fort Magic kit outside this summer, especially during playdates, to make their own obstacle courses and games. They build forts and houses and such with it inside, too, but with the warm weather and the need to send kids out of our small house for my own sanity (“ahem”) and their healthful active play, they’ve been building more outside.
By the way, with the Summer Olympics around the corner, we’re gearing up for our own backyard Olympics (using Fort Magic, of course) and have created artful award medals and a colorful Olympic Games sign. Click here to see how make your own Olympic medals for kids.
In the meantime, here are some backyard obstacle course ideas and inspiration, from my kids to yours!
How to Make Your Own Obstacle Course for Kids
While we have created quite a few backyard forts and structures with Fort Magic in the past, including a fort over the sandbox, an airplane, a maze, and a teepee. I *think* that this summer is the first time we’ve used the kit to make our own obstacle courses.
Why didn’t we do this before?!
Good question.
Because of the variety of individual poles and connectors in the kit, it is quite easy to make any number of obstacle course games and components. Here are some that my kids and their friends have made over the past month or so…
During one playdate, my kids and their two friends built a largish obstacle course circuit around the backyard then set up a covered viewing area for me (very throne-like) and invited me to watch them take turns running the course.
The kids wove in and out of Fort Magic poles (stuck directly in the ground) as fast as they could. If we do this again, we might make colorful flags to stick in the tops of the poles.
Then they tossed a ball through a Fort Magic hoop…
Some of the other obstacle course games and ideas they used
(clockwise from top left)
- They created something out of the Fort Magic kit that they had to alternately jump over and crawl under. As fast as they could, of course.
- The kids spread out the picnic blanket as a place for somersaults.
- They lay Fort Magic poles across the kiddie pool to jump over one at a time.
- And they created an Olympic Games sign for the finish line.
They had fun!
On another playdate, the kids brought out the Fort Magic kit and made some sort of water play contraption that they hooked the hose up to. It also involved a boat (gardening trug) that they actually took turns sailing in for much of two days straight. Kids do the darndest things.
And on yet another one, we made a DIY slip N slide and created a Fort Magic canopy entrance. Which was seriously awesome.
Did you know that you can make your own slip n slide using a tarp?!
I went to our neighborhood hardware store looking for either
A.) a Slip N Slide
or B.) some plastic sheeting to make our own.
And since they did not carry A, I asked about B, and the helpful employee told me that tarps worked surprisingly well, were slippery (especially with the addition of dish soap), and held up better.
We folded over our new tarp and the kids (mostly Maia) created a canopy entrance for the slip n slide using the Fort Magic kit and some colorful pool noodles.
We covered the side with sheer fabrics, for fun, and weighted down the edges of the tarp slide with a few sandwich bags filled with sand from the sand box.
Finally, Maia squirted some dish soap onto the new DIY slip n slide and turned on the hose.
The kids took turns running and sliding. Over and over and over!
All in all, we’ve been having lots of backyard fun with the Fort Magic kit lately.
How to Buy a Fort Magic Kit
You can buy a Fort Magic kit on Amazon or you can buy one from the Fort Magic Store .
I’ve turned a lot of friends and neighbors onto Fort Magic over the years, as well as many of you lovely folks who read The Artful Parent. I’m going to tell you how to buy one and then I’m going to tell you that if you are at all interested in getting one for your kids anytime soon (think ahead to the holidays, perhaps) that you should probably do so now. These construction kits have been so popular that they have sold out every single time they’ve been offered. Just sayin’.
Want More Fun Ideas for What to Build with a Fort Magic Kit?
- 50 Awesome Kids Fort Ideas Using a Fort Magic Kit
- Building a DIY Backyard Playhouse with Fort Magic
- The Magic of Fort Magic for Kids
This post was sponsored by Fort Magic; all opinions expressed are my own.
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88 Comments
Jennifer Vecoli
August 5, 2016 at 8:43 amMy daughters would love this! So would I ;)
Evelyn Hazzard
August 5, 2016 at 8:56 amFabulous post – full of great ideas to allow kids to be kids, with activity, creativity, & collaboration! Many thanks for your helpful ideas!
Alicia
August 5, 2016 at 9:15 amThat looks like a lot of fun! My kids would love it too.
Danielle
August 5, 2016 at 9:59 amOh my goodness! So much fun!
Tara H
August 5, 2016 at 10:02 amVery cool! Would love to build the castle ?
DeNae vanWestrienen
August 5, 2016 at 10:26 amI would love to build the arches over a slip and slide. What a fun idea!
Miriam Prantner
August 5, 2016 at 10:31 amThis is such a fun kit! I think we would do the submarine first.
Jill Ciechna
August 5, 2016 at 10:35 amGreat ideas! My boys love creating obstacle courses and having me “time” them for speed! I also love the “sand bag” ideas for the slip and slide tarp. We need to replace ours and I have seen so many tarp slip and slides using big rocks to hold it down! Never seemed very safe!
Amanda
August 5, 2016 at 10:40 amMy daughter would love to build the castle and villa! What a great opportunity
Rebecca S.
August 5, 2016 at 11:07 amWe’ve wanted a set for years! How fun!
Shelly
August 5, 2016 at 11:10 amThis is grand! Thank you for the constant stream of inspiration and creativity. You have helped me more than I can say in our homeschooling journey. Every post sparks days and weeks of play and creation! I have been telling anyone willing to listen that they absolutely must follow your blog. This fort building kit is yet another one of those “Wow!! Hmmmmmm….” moments. :)
Emily Ducatte
August 5, 2016 at 11:13 amMy son would love to build a car fort
addie
August 5, 2016 at 11:14 amwhat a fun idea! my daughter just found out about the ninja warrior show, and i think she’d be huge fan of making her own obstacle course.
Morgan
August 5, 2016 at 11:16 amWow! Looks like a ton of fun!
Amy Heffernan
August 5, 2016 at 11:17 amI would build an obstacle course!
Brooke Tokanang
August 5, 2016 at 11:18 amA ? would probably be first as my one son is a big fan, a boat, my boys love building forts, this has been on my list….it’s just not in the budget, but fingers crossed. Thanks for the great ideas and the giveaway!
Gina
August 5, 2016 at 11:55 amWe would build a maze and a house.
Silvia D
August 5, 2016 at 12:52 pmall designs are so fun and kids sure could use their imaginations!..I would like to build the castle or playhouse.
kendall mauricio
August 5, 2016 at 1:01 pmMy kids would love this ?? how fun and creative!
DBFranzen
August 5, 2016 at 1:09 pmWould love to make an obstacle course for the kids and the dog!
charla
August 5, 2016 at 1:19 pmMy kids would build rockets, castles, boats and absolutely anything their imagination leads them to.
jeremy mclaughlin
August 5, 2016 at 1:30 pmMy sons would want to build an obstacle course.
Bailey Dexter
August 5, 2016 at 1:42 pmNot sure but I know every one of my grand-kids would want to build a different one! Perfect for creative minds!!!
Karen
August 5, 2016 at 1:46 pmI [we] have been wanting one of these for ages! My kids would love it, their imaginative play would be greatly enhanced with a Fort Magic kit!
Emily d
August 5, 2016 at 2:03 pmMy boys would love this!!!
Mhaugen
August 5, 2016 at 2:18 pmThis is so cool! Great idea.
Sarah Hill
August 5, 2016 at 2:20 pmWhat wouldn’t my kids build? They love to build forts of all kinds. Currently they are on into building ‘tents’ to pretend to go camping.
Regina
August 5, 2016 at 2:39 pmI second set would be a wonderful addition to the one we already have
Ameirah taha
August 5, 2016 at 4:03 pmI would do an obstacle course! She would love it!
Myron
August 5, 2016 at 4:58 pmLooks like lots of creative ideas!
Shannan
August 5, 2016 at 7:05 pmMy boys would love to build forts with tunnels!
LeAnn Taylor
August 5, 2016 at 7:52 pmWhat a neat set! That looks like a lot of fun. We recently tried making a fort out of tulle, and while it was was beautiful, it got torn up in a summer storm!
Shannon Norland
August 5, 2016 at 8:20 pmWhat a fun creative adventure for kids and parents!
Laura
August 5, 2016 at 8:22 pmMy boys would love to build the rocket ship!
Mary n
August 5, 2016 at 8:36 pmWhat a great idea! I know what we’re doing this weekend!
Jen
August 5, 2016 at 10:13 pmLooks really fun! Kids would love this!
Jessica
August 5, 2016 at 10:33 pmWe would be creative and build our own obstacle course.
Cassandra Wilson Mathney
August 5, 2016 at 10:39 pmMy daughter would love to build the Fort Magic Villa!!
Michelle Smith
August 6, 2016 at 8:34 amI’d build a rocket ship and alien buddy!
Rebekah
August 6, 2016 at 9:04 amWe’d love to build all of it! :) Tunnels would be a simple project for my boys, since they’re fairly young (3 and 4), but I know they’d also really love the ship – they’re currently interested in all things pirates.
Rachel Swartley
August 6, 2016 at 9:29 amMy kids make forts almost every day, so I’m sure they would love this!
Crystal
August 6, 2016 at 9:31 amI’m snuggled up on my couch with a sick little boy, but as soon as he’s feeling better I’m heading out to the hardware store for a tarp – we are so going to slip-n-slide! And adding dish soap? Brilliant!
My boys would have so much fun with a Fort Magic kit! I can only begin to imagine what they’d create with it – and I know my imaginings can’t even begin to match up with what they’d come up with! Thank you for offering such a generous giveaway!
Dana Justice
August 6, 2016 at 12:42 pmMy two year old would be most excited about the Race Car, but let’s be honest, any special hide out would be his favorite spot in the house!
Lihinggummybearmama
August 6, 2016 at 12:42 pmThis looks like so much fun!! Love the different set ups!
Spring
August 6, 2016 at 1:00 pmMy boys would love these outdoor activities so much, especially the water obstacle courses!
Heather Sponholz
August 6, 2016 at 2:05 pmWhat fun and creative ideas, I’m so afraid to lose any pieces so we don’t bring it outside lol
Chris
August 6, 2016 at 3:03 pmThat’s fantastic! I love seeing kids & families having fun together. Thanks for sharing the great idea!
maegan
August 6, 2016 at 3:28 pmI’d have a slip in slide to start, going through a big course with water balloons and sponges hanging from the top along with water dripping down, you MUST find the hidden toy inside the course before you can exit. Then jump through two pools with colored foam so you cant see the bottom and find the next hidden object. After that, you go the next course, it will have strings on it with plastic cups and you have to shoot water guns into the cups to make them move to the end, then move to a small course with water that you have to crawl under onto the next course where you have circles drawn on the ground like darts but with water balloons. You must score a certain amount of points before you move, then onto the next course which could be some sort of sport, like basketball or soccer etc and score so many points and so on. First one to complete wins!!!
Patricia cardenas
August 6, 2016 at 5:21 pmHow awesome!!.. This is a great idea…
Andrea Allmon
August 6, 2016 at 5:23 pmGreat idea using the pool noodles with the kit.
Patricia cardenas
August 6, 2016 at 5:44 pmThis is awesome!!
Parveen Kundu
August 6, 2016 at 7:13 pmAll the ideas are so cool! We would try them all…thanks for ur blog post!!!
Larisa
August 6, 2016 at 7:58 pmAs always, you are full of great ideas! My family would love this!
Reba
August 6, 2016 at 8:24 pmFort Magic looks like an amazing addition to your Olympics summer. Thanks for sharing your adventures!
Cortney
August 6, 2016 at 8:33 pmA fort magic kit has been on my wish list for my two little ones for quite some time!!! in sure it would be a huge hit in our new neighborhood as well!
Christy MB
August 6, 2016 at 8:59 pmWe’d build a rocket!
Stacy
August 6, 2016 at 10:11 pmBrilliant idea to use it outside!
Katy
August 6, 2016 at 11:10 pmThe fort making kit looks amazing! Thanks for the giveaway and review!
Amy Bleigh
August 6, 2016 at 11:12 pmI’ve been wanting one of these!
Sassy Powell
August 7, 2016 at 2:56 amThis would be so much fun!
Melanie
August 7, 2016 at 8:30 amWe love creating our own Olympic Games! Wonderful ideas for outside fun- thank you’ I love how easy the Fort Magic looks for the kids to build their own forts!
Jen
August 7, 2016 at 8:50 amLooks like a lot of fun!
Diana Katz
August 7, 2016 at 9:29 amWhat a fantastic and creative fun area for kids! My daughter has dyspraxia and son has hypotonia and their OT said we should build obstacle courses! What fabulous ideas – especially to make it Olympic themed! would love to win this!
Val chumley
August 7, 2016 at 9:42 pmThis kit looks like so much fun! My kids would love it. Thanks for the ideas.
Tracie Cooper
August 7, 2016 at 11:30 pmMy niece and nephew would love to build a pirate ship!
Kimberly Kihega
August 8, 2016 at 12:11 pmWe would build a Playhouse together!
katie
August 8, 2016 at 3:33 pmWith the olympics on now, this would be a great idea. Or fun for the block party this weekend.
katherine
August 8, 2016 at 4:48 pmI would so love to win one of these sets!
Doris
August 8, 2016 at 9:29 pmIt was sold out right before xmas last year!!! Hope to get one this year! Thanks for sharing these amazing ideas!
Michelle J.
August 9, 2016 at 12:47 amI’d make a rocket!
Ruth
August 10, 2016 at 3:49 pmI love obstacle courses! This would be so much fun! Oh, and I’d be sure to share them with my kids, too. ;-)
Janet Van Note
August 10, 2016 at 8:10 pmMy creative 4.5 year old would love this. Would be fun to invite friends over to play.
Amy
August 10, 2016 at 9:20 pmMy kids love to build all kinds of forts, and their daddy helps them. This would be awesome for them to have!
Nicole Gillette
August 10, 2016 at 9:24 pmI would love to invite friends over, hand the supplies to the kids, and watch what sort of obstacle course they come up with. :)
Kate
August 10, 2016 at 9:48 pmLove your creative ideas! I can see my boys and their friends doing this when we have a family friendly BB/ My guess is some of the dads wouldn’t be able to resist joining in either.
Laura H
August 11, 2016 at 2:29 pmIf I won I’d love to make the teepee in the backyard for my daughter. This kit looks amazing!
Christina Spencer
August 11, 2016 at 4:28 pmMy girls and daycare kids would love this!!!
Jamie King
August 11, 2016 at 7:07 pmMy kids would love this! I could add on to the obstacle course we currently have. Things like this keep kids active. We like to do time trials with ours. My kids say that it’s fun.
Ellen
August 11, 2016 at 11:39 pmLove how the possibilities are endless and how this is such a great toy for kids on so many levels! We’d build some kind of flying contraption for sure!
Lena wang
August 12, 2016 at 1:59 amThat looks like a blast! So creative!
Rose
August 12, 2016 at 8:55 amWhat great ideas! Thanks for sharing.
Michael
August 12, 2016 at 9:29 amThat is such a great use for pool noodles. Those things are so useful!!
Samantha
August 12, 2016 at 9:47 amThis looks amazing! My kids would have such a blast!
Steph
August 12, 2016 at 1:26 pmGreat ideas for some fort-building fun!
Diane Bare
August 12, 2016 at 4:16 pmEither the castle or obstacle course!
Ahyoung wang
August 12, 2016 at 9:04 pmI love your blog! My kids would love this!
Kristy
August 13, 2016 at 2:50 amHow inspiring! So many uses, and so much creativity potential. This would be a dream for any child. My kids would do this all day!
Marion Larson
October 16, 2016 at 12:41 amWhat a great way to get creative!