Playground Monkey Bars Challenges

Hanging challenges on the playground monkey bars: hang, travel bar to bar, change grips, and hold positions. Students build arm and grip strength, a rhythmic swing, and confidence on equipment they already use at recess.

How to play

1. Groups of 4 or 5 line up behind a cone 6 feet from the monkey bars; only one student on each half of the bars at a time.
2. Challenge 1 (3 min): hang for 10 seconds with straight arms and engaged shoulders, without swinging, and drop down under control.
3. Challenge 2 (4 min): travel bar to bar with both hands meeting on each bar (bear steps) to the end.
4. Challenge 3 (4 min): travel with alternating hands and a hip swing (monkey steps), counting how many bars you cross.
5. Challenge 4 (4 min): each student picks a challenge card: there and back, skip a bar, travel sideways along the side rail, or hold knees to chest for 5 seconds.
6. Before their last try, each student sets a goal (for example, "reach bar 6") and checks it (4 min). Wrap-up (1 min): who beat their mark?

Rules

• One student per half of the bars; the next goes when the previous one is down.
• Safety: no hanging upside down, no hanging by the legs, and no sitting on top.
• To get down, let go with bent knees and land on both feet.
• If your hands slip, get down: no climbing with sweaty or wet hands.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a partial hang from a low bar from the wheelchair, counting seconds, or pulls with a resistance band.
• Shy students: they choose their turn partner and pick their challenge card privately.
• Lower strength: a partner gently supports the waist on challenges 2 and 3.

Learning goals

• Hold a hang with engaged shoulders and a firm grip.
• Travel while hanging, coordinating arms and swing.
• Set a personal goal and check progress.

Equipment for a class of 25

• playground monkey bars: 1
• cones: 6
• challenge cards: 25

Teacher tip

Make sure the surface under the monkey bars is soft or rubber and not wet. Most kids already use them at recess, so take the chance to teach safe dismounts and no hanging by the legs.

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