Recycled Obstacle Course: Each Team Designs a Section

Each team designs a section of an obstacle course with recycled boxes, bottles, tubes and bag ropes, then the whole class runs the full course. It works on agility, jumping, turning and task design.

How to play

1. Hand out materials and conditions: each section needs a jump, a zigzag and an under or over (3 min).
2. Design and build the section in its chalk-marked area (7 min).
3. Team test: run your own section and fix anything unsafe or too easy (4 min).
4. Full course: starts every 10 seconds; three laps at your own pace (12 min).
5. Vote for the cleverest section and take it down in order (4 min).

Rules

• No obstacle higher than 40 cm.
• Don't jump upright boxes: go around them or through them if they're open.
• Pass only on the left and call it out.
• If you knock something over, put it back.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: every section includes a wheelchair-friendly lane.
• Low vision: runs with a guide and obstacles marked with bright tape.
• Knee injury: timekeeper and in charge of resetting fallen obstacles.

Learning goals

• Move with agility over varied obstacles.
• Design safe movement tasks.
• Reuse containers as sports equipment.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cardboard boxes: 12
• plastic bottles: 30
• cardboard tubes: 20
• braided bag jump ropes: 6
• chalk: 4

Teacher tip

Empty bottles blow away in the wind, so add a little water. Check every section before opening the course. Common mistake: jumping over upright boxes; don't allow it.

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