Tools and Materials
Tools
Materials
Before You Begin
When a single rope swing just won’t due, head to Lowe’s for everything you need to transform your backyard into a place that’s fun for the whole family. From obstacle course kits to playhouses, playsets and more, the hottest place to hang out this summer is your own backyard. We’ve even got all the tools you need for installation.
For more inspiration, check out our other step-by-step articles for all the directions needed to build, grow and play your way to the best summer ever.
Customize this obstacle course to suit your child. Use the tips below to make it as hard or as easy as needed based on their age and ability level. Activities may carry risk of injury, and children should always be supervised.
Challenge 1: The-Ground-Is-Lava Stepping Stone Run
What You’ll Need:
- 10 Paver Stones
- Pink, Orange and Green pool noodles
- Rake
- Heavy-Duty Scissors
The Challenge: Let kids jump from stone to stone to reach the other side quickly without touching the lava. If they slip off a paver and touch the lava, they must return to the beginning.
How to Build It: Clear and smooth the ground for the pavers. Place the pavers at varying distances to help your kids work their way through the imaginary lava. Adjust the distance between pavers to suit your child’s age and capabilities. Use heavy-duty scissors to cut the pool noodles into chunks and sprinkle them around the pavers for a lava-like effect.
DIY Tip: Using an old pool noodle is ideal, but you can also use colorful scrap paper, fabric or spray-painted paper towel rolls. Just make sure to clean everything up before you head inside.
Challenge 2: Spiderweb Crawl
What You’ll Need:
- Rope
- Hammer
- Nail
- Plastic Spiders
- Garden Stakes (Optional)
The Challenge: Kids need to twist and weave their way from one side of the web to the other without touching the rope.
How to Build It: Find a cluster of trees in your outdoor space. Start by nailing the end of the rope into the first tree and then twist the rope around the trunk. Run the rope to the next tree and wrap it around the trunk. Continue using the same technique, twisting the rope around the trunks of the trees at varying heights, to weave a crisscross pattern of rope. Tie or nail the end of the rope to hold it in place. Once you’re done, hang last Halloween’s scary spiders for effect.
DIY Tip: If you don’t have trees in your yard, run two parallel rows of eight garden stakes and then weave the string around the stakes (tying it at varying heights from top to bottom as you go) to create the web. Using a lightweight twine or string works better with the garden stakes.
Challenge 3: Fear-of-Heights Balance Beam Walk
What You’ll Need:
- (1) 2 x 4 x 8 Piece of Treated Lumber
- (3) 4 x 4 x 8 Treated Lumber Posts
- 3-in Exterior Wood Screws
- 6-in Exterior Structural Wood Screws
- Impact Driver
- Safety Glasses
- Work Gloves
The Challenge: Kids need to keep their balance and look like they’re walking on air as they quickly make their way across these three balance beams.
How to Build It: Get help cutting the wood pieces down to size in store. Check at your local Lowe’s to see if there’s a charge for multiple custom cuts. It makes assembly so much easier. Here are the wood pieces you should have for each balance beam:
Small:
(1) 7-ft-long beam cut from a 4 x 4 x 8 post
(2) 10-in-long base pieces cut from the 2 x 4 x 8
Medium:
(1) 6-ft-long beam cut from a 4 x 4 x 8 post
(2) 5-in-tall legs cut from a 4 x 4 x 8 post
(2) 14-in-long base pieces cut from the 2 x 4 x 8
Large:
(1) 7-ft-long beam cut from a 4 x 4 x 8 post
(2) 8-in-tall legs cut from a 4 x 4 x 8 post
(2) 20-in-long base pieces cut from the 2 x 4 x 8
Wearing your safety glasses and work gloves, organize the wood pieces according to which balance beam they’ll be used for, as listed above. For each, attach the legs (the shorter pieces of the 4 x 4 x 8) to the bottom side of your longest 4 x 4 x 8 using an impact driver and four 6-inch wood screws. To add the base pieces (the pieces of the 2 x 4 x 8), use four 3-inch screws to attach them to the bottom of the legs.
DIY Tip: Use treated wood for this project to ensure it holds up to the elements. Also, once it’s time to build, an extra set of hands makes the project easier.
Kids should always wear shoes on the balance beam, but make sure that the hardware is completely screwed in to prevent it from poking or catching on shoes and clothing.
Challenge 4: Mystery Buckets
What You’ll Need:
- 3 Lowe’s Buckets
- Sand
- Dish Soap
- Water Balloons
- A Hose
- Small Toys
The Challenge: Kids race against the clock to find the hidden toys in each of the three mystery buckets. When all the toys are found, only then is the obstacle course complete.
How to Build It: Start by filling one bucket with water balloons and one or more toys. Make sure the toys are hidden. Fill the second bucket with sand and your toy(s). Fill the third bucket with suds and more toys. Time this close to when the obstacle course starts so the suds don’t disappear. Use a generous squirt of dish soap and the hose to get a bucket full of suds.
DIY Tip: The sky’s the limit with what you can fill these buckets with — tennis balls, slime, birdseed — so use whatever you have on hand. Varying the size and texture of the fill makes it more fun and harder to locate all the hidden toys. Up the level of difficulty by using smaller toys, like tiny plastic dinos, flags or small figurines, or have them dig for the toys with eyes closed.
Looking for More Summer Fun?
With a little ingenuity and some basic tools, this is just the beginning. All summer long we’ll help you keep your kids busy — check out Lowes.com for more clever ideas and supplies.