how to host an obstacle course

The host pretends to set up an obstacle course. He takes five or six small objects from around the house- soda bottles, potted plants, water pitchers, telephone books, kitchen pots or whatever else is convenient- and places them in a line across the floor of the room. He spaces each object approximately three feet apart.

Full Answer

How can I make an obstacle course for my event?

Look over some of the following ideas to get you started: Hula hoops can make great markers for jumping or agility obstacles. A simple board can make a quick balancing beam. Hay bales or couch cushions can make a fun jumping obstacle. Small sport cones can outline the obstacle course or be obstacles themselves.

What are the different types of obstacle course obstacles?

Another section can be a jumping obstacle, like hurdles, hula hoops you have to jump between, or a high jump. You can also have a balancing obstacle like a straight board or an acrobatic beam.

Are there any legal requirements to build an obstacle course?

If your obstacle course is being planned for any kind of fund-raising, public, or any other community event you will need to plan and secure certain legal requirements. Building a simple obstacle course for your friends and family on the other hand will not require such steps.

Where can I conduct a prevention obstacle course?

National Night Out, Public Safety Nights, festivals and even school events are great places to conduct a prevention obstacle course and share the importance of being drug free!

How do I set up an obstacle course?

0:372:28How to Set Up an Obstacle Course in Your Backyard - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipStep 1 pick start and end points for the course and mark them with traffic cones map out a trailMoreStep 1 pick start and end points for the course and mark them with traffic cones map out a trail that includes 10 or 15 feet of space between events and avoids hazards like sinkholes stumps.

How do I host a mud run?

How to Start Your Own Mud Run Fundraiser for CharitySelect Qualified Staff for Your Mud Run. Choose an experienced team to organize and lead the mud run. ... Select the Right Venue. ... Make Sure There Is Enough Parking. ... Get Insurance for Your Mud Run. ... Always Keep Safety in Mind. ... Order Obstacles for Your Mud Run from i2k.

What does an obstacle course consist of?

An obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles an individual, team or animal must navigate, usually while being timed. Obstacle courses can include running, climbing, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements with the aim of testing speed, endurance and agility.

How do you prepare for an obstacle run?

0:2010:18How To Train for Your First Obstacle Course Race? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you need a refresher spartan race is a brand of obstacle course racing. In these races you haveMoreIf you need a refresher spartan race is a brand of obstacle course racing. In these races you have things like heavy carries wall climbs rope climbs you're down on the ground climbing under barbed

How do you train for an obstacle mud run?

Build your upper body strength Monkey bars and other hanging obstacles can be common in OCRs, so building your upper body strength is essential. Pull-ups, bicep curls, chest flys, tricep dips and shoulder presses are all great exercises at boosting your strength in this area.

What is in a mud run?

A mud run is an obstacle race centered around mud themed hazards. They often include mud pits, mud crawls, mud slides, mud covered inflatables, balance beams and mud fights. A Mud run is a great fundraising activity for schools, churches and other non profits.

How do I build a backyard obstacle course?

0:292:13DIY Dollar Store Backyard Obstacle Course - HGTV Handmade - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCourse you're going to need a few solar garden lights a couple of pole noodles. And duct tape thisMoreCourse you're going to need a few solar garden lights a couple of pole noodles. And duct tape this way we'll be able to make a tunnel for your little one to army crawl through.

What is the objectives of obstacle course?

Outdoor obstacle courses help children solve problems as they learn how to maneuver up, over, or through obstacles. They also learn how to adjust to changing conditions and memorize the fastest way to progress through the course. These skills will help them throughout their life.

What are obstacles examples?

An example of an obstacle is not having the tuition money to go to college. An example of an obstacle is when a road block is set up in your way that prevents you from passing by. Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress.

How do you build strength for an obstacle course?

Strength Workout for Obstacle RacesHop and Hold on BOSU Balance Trainer.Kettlebell Squat to Overhead Press.Pull-Ups.Spiderman Push-ups.Elevated Step-downs.Band Muscle-Up.Clock Lunges.Army Crawl.More items...

What is the easiest obstacle race?

The easiest obstacle course race is the 5k Foam Fest. This course is great for families and is filled with foam and inflatables. Some other easy obstacle course races are the Terrain Race and Epic series. These races are great for beginners or anyone wanting to try out an obstacle course race for the first time.

Is an obstacle course a good workout?

When you train for an obstacle race, you not only build full body fitness that allows you to hoist heavy sandbags over your head, but you also build the mobility to crawl under barbwire, the resilience to dive into cold mud pits, and an overall uncanny ability to conquer the unknown and withstand just about anything ...

Setting Up the Obstacles

On your mark, get set, go! These obstacle course challenges are pure fun and energy, and they can be set up easily on your lawn or at a local park, using items found around the house. A week or two before the party, closely examine your backyard. Make note of slopes and sinkholes (trouble for ankles) and useful features like trees.

Balloon Table

Kids shimmy under a table hidden inside a ground-hugging cloud of balloons. Dangling from yarn taped to all sides of the table, the balloons wobble and bump as kids pass through. To make this obstacle, use a hand pump to fill enough balloons to completely mask a table -- it took about 100 balloons to cover our 3-by-6-foot table.

Rope Swing

Everybody likes to hang around this guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If kids get a good running jump and keep knees high, they are likely to clear the inflatable wading pool. Several big knots tied in the rope's end make it easy to grab.

Balance Beam

Kids set a good pace and, using all the swagger they can muster, get across the two-by-four balance beam in no time. You can simply lay an 8-foot-long two-by-four on the grass. Or you can raise it on 6-by-6-by-12-inch blocks: Drill a hole through each block using a paddle or forstner bit and attach to the underside of the beam with long lag screws.

How To Make a Hand Drawn Stuffed Animal Craft

From Martha Stewart’s Favorite Crafts for Kids book, Jodi and Phoebe will show you how easy it is to make your very own, one-of-a-kind stuffed animal.

Newspaper Walk

Kids are handed three sheets of newspaper and must place one beneath every step they take. This is the perfect event to place at a tricky turn in the course.

Red Wagon Slalom

Stand colorful foam pool noodles in gallon buckets weighted with sand (or soil or stones) and set up in a zigzag pattern. Fill a wagon with small water balloons. Kids must pull the wagon around the outside of each bucket without spilling any balloons.

Why is it important to plan an obstacle course fundraiser?

One of the most important things when doing an obstacle course fundraiser is everyone’s safety. Planning ahead can assure that when something goes wrong, your team will be proactively ready to resolve it head-on.

Why do you need a waiver for a fun run?

Waivers: Every Fun Run or obstacle course fundraiser should include an event waiver to avoid liability, making sure that all attendees and the parents of minor attendees understand that accidents are possible.

Can you break up an obstacle course into sections?

The course can be broken-up into sections with teams, where attendees can tag or pass a baton to team members to begin the next part of the course, or they can be completed per person in an obstacle course fundraiser. Easy to create obstacles are courses that involve tires, mud pits or crawling obstacles.

Can you do obstacle courses in your backyard?

With the help of the school Physical Education teacher, older students, fitness instructors or any willing parents (especially with a military/veteran background), an obstacle course fundraiser can be created right in your school’ s backyard. Ask for volunteers that can offer skills, such as a contractor (i.e. a carpenter, a handyman, etc.) and sponsors that can donate materials, such as wood, ropes, nails and more.

What is an obstacle course?

An obstacle course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high and or low elements. Low elements take place on the ground or only a few feet above the ground. And yes, you guessed it high elements can be constructed in trees and require a belay for safety.

What are some obstacles you can create on the ground?

For the most part, you can create some great obstacles on the ground. Tyres spread on the ground to hop from one to the next, tunnels, poles to jump over or crawl under. Planks can be used to walk along.

What is the Tough Mudder?

Obstacle course races such as the Tough Mudder have events organised all over the world. Every obstacle course race has a new type of obstacle created that will encourage obstacle course race teams to enter. Fire, water, mud, crawling under barbed wire, swimming and lots of thoroughly exhausting challenges await you.

Is an obstacle course physical or emotional?

Challenges are usually physical and or emotional – although not too emotional I hope! If you don’t have the resources or time to create your own obstacle course and want to try one, then why not pay a visit to one of the many outdoor obstacle courses around the world.

Is an assault course good?

Assault Courses and Obstacle Courses are good physical challenges that foster teamwork, but only if the obstacle course is designed well. These ideas show how to make your own obstacle course, as well as giving information on organised team obstacle course races such as the popular Tough Mudder or Spartan Run.

How to maintain safety in obstacle course?

Maintain Course Safety: Make sure to explain each step of the obstacle course before the participant begins—they should be comfortable during all phases of the course. Give clear directions while conducting the obstacle course. This helps participants stay focused and feel safe, and it helps to prevent injury.

What to do if you don't have materials for obstacle course?

You still need to gather materials that will be used on or in the course. If you do not have materials, look to invest in materials or collaborate with someone who does. Make sure to inspect all materials prior to conducting the obstacle course; this may help to prevent injuries.

What is prevention obstacle course?

A prevention obstacle course is your typical obstacle course (challenging tasks or hurdles to complete) modified to demonstrate different scenarios of risk related to alcohol and other drug use. A prevention obstacle course also explains preventative measures that can be taken to avoid risky behaviors and their negative consequences.

What is a debrief in a driving class?

Debrief: Participants should understand why they are participating – to examine the impact alcohol may have on their abilities. When they finish, make sure to thank them for participating, answer any questions and share materials with them about the effects of alcohol and other substances, including the dangers of impaired driving.

Can you assign volunteers in time slots?

If it is a day-long event, you can assign volunteers in time slots . Gather Materials: By now, events should be chosen, calendars should be marked and volunteers secured, but there is still much to be done. You still need to gather materials that will be used on or in the course.

Hire A Professional

We first posted this page back in June of 2013, and since then have received hundreds of requests per year for individuals, groups, or charities hoping to put on their own event.

Create Your Own Event

Let's say you really, really, really want to create an event of your own – it will be extremely challenging but can possibly be incredibly rewarding. Here are some of the things you'll need to be willing to work through or consider:

Don't Worry, There's Help Available

If this seems like a lot of work, responsibility, risk, and expense, it is.

About the Author: Brett Stewart

Brett Stewart is the co-founder of MudRunGuide, creator of OCR Warrior, and author of several popular fitness books in the 7 Weeks to Fitness series.