116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Use a newspaper to build your own obstacle course
You can create a one-of-a-kind obstacle course in your living room or backyard! All you need is a newspaper and other household items to create fun challenges that inspire your creativity.
Start with a simple design for your obstacle course by creating a starting point and a finish line. Once you have the basics, start adding challenges and obstacles!
Make something tall that you have to crawl under, or something short that you have to jump over. Use your building materials to create a balance beam that you must cross. Build structures and obstacles that you have to navigate around.
As you build, think about the things you like to do. Do you want to run? Jump? Dance and clap? Incorporate your favorite moves and actions into the design.
Grown-ups: Work together with your child to select the location, create the layout, and build each obstacle. Involving kids in the process keeps them engaged, inspires their imagination and builds their confidence. Try to involve your child in the process as much as possible!
Let’s create a paper playground!
What you need:
- This newspaper
- Tape
- Scissors
- String
- Any other household items you want to incorporate!
What you do:
1. Roll up individual sheets of newspaper to create your building material.
Roll your newspaper like this. (Iowa Children’s Museum images)
2. Secure the paper tube with tape.
"Tubes" icon for Iowa Children’s Museum infographic for Kids Gazette page for 7-18-21
3. Use your sturdy paper tubes to make your very own obstacle course!
"Obstacle course" icon for Iowa Children’s Museum infographic for Kids Gazette page for 7-18-21
Things you could include in your obstacle course:
- A starting point and a finish line
- Something to crawl under
- Something to jump over
- Something to balance on
- A structure to navigate around
Complete the challenge!
Once you’ve created your paper playground, bring it to life with different challenges.
Can you jump over an obstacle with one foot? Both feet?
"Jumping" icon for Iowa Children’s Museum infographic for Kids Gazette page for 7-18-21
How quickly can you complete the obstacle course? How slowly?
Can you complete the obstacle course backward?
"Limbo" icon for Iowa Children’s Museum infographic for Kids Gazette page for 7-18-21
Can you take an object through your obstacle course, such as a ball or stuffed animal?
Once you know the route, can you complete it with your eyes closed?
Can you create a story to go with your obstacle course?
"Crawling" icon for Iowa Children’s Museum infographic for Kids Gazette page for 7-18-21
What’s happening in your brain?
As you create obstacles and design your course, you are also building your brain! This activity helps develop problem solving skills that you can use throughout your life.
Every time you complete your obstacle course, you are also improving skills like balance, strength, coordination and motor skills. That’s the power of play!
Summer Shorts: Short play dates in the park
Inspiring play all summer long!
The Iowa Children’s Museum is coming to a park near you this summer!
Join us Mondays in Coralville, Tuesdays in Iowa City, and Thursdays in Cedar Rapids for FREE hands-on fun in outdoor spaces. Throughout June and July, we will bring new activities to the park each week based on a certain theme.
Learn more at theicm.org/shorts
Use this drawing as a starting point and plan your own obstacle course (Iowa Children’s Museum images)
Roll your newspaper like this. (Iowa Children’s Museum images)
Secure your newspaper tubes with tape. (Iowa Children’s Museum images)
Jump challenge (Iowa Children’s Museum images)
Crawl challenge (Iowa Children’s Museum images)
Limbo challenge (Iowa Children’s Museum images)
Daily Newsletters