Obstacle courses offer fantastic benefits for children. From backyard DIY courses to large-scale challenge courses at parks and schools, obstacle course playgrounds are the hottest trend in outdoor recreation for kids. Let’s look at why everyone is talking about obstacle courses and how you can bring that experience to any playground.
(Playground) Life Imitates Art
Many children have grown up watching ninja warrior-style television shows and dream of performing the feats they see on screen. Up to six million people watch these shows every week, and some reports estimate that as many as 40% of the viewers are children. After watching people transcend the bounds of the human fitness experience, kids crave something new and exciting in their local park.
Benefits of Obstacle Courses
Obstacle courses for kids bring many benefits, making them a great addition to a traditional playground. The following list describes some of the mental and physical benefits children experience when playing on an obstacle course:
- Memory development
- Motor planning
- Gross motor skill development
- Sensory development
- Strength development
- Bilateral coordination
- Problem-solving ability
- Teamwork
- Communication
When you install an obstacle course, you are helping children develop skills that lay the groundwork for learning. It’s also an excellent way for a diverse group of children to come together and accomplish a single goal–completing the obstacle course.
Where To Buy Obstacle Courses for Kids
If you have a wide-open space, Challenge Course® is the way to go.
Challenge Course is an outdoor obstacle course and fitness destination that connects people of all ages and backgrounds to socialize with their family and friends while getting more fit. Designed to engage children and families–together–our obstacle course is a great way to encourage multi-generational fitness and recreation.
The Carolina Panthers added a GameTime Challenge Course in Raleigh, North Carolina
The Challenge Course can be purchased in a preconfigured design, or you can pick your favorite play experiences to create a custom course for your community.
If you need a more compact obstacle course, The Stadium® is the best option.
The Stadium offers a complete obstacle course experience in a compact design. It features ten unique challenges in less than 1,200 square feet. That makes it a great solution for communities or schools who want to give kids an obstaclec course but don't have the space for a traditional, full-scale design.
The Stadium provides 10 obstacle course challenges in a compact design
Designed for ASTM compliance with playground equipment for ages 5 to 12, The Stadium is a great option for schools, parks, YMCAs, and other youth organizations. It keeps older children active and having fun!
Adding the Obstacle Course Experience to a Traditional Playground
Want to combine the world of obstacle courses with a traditional play system? GameTime’s FitKid® play systems are the perfect fit. FitKid is a collection of obstacle course components from Challenge Course and Stadium that can be attached to any PowerScape play system.
FitKid makes it easy to add obstacle course-style challenges to your playground in a cost-effective and space-saving way. You can mix and match various challenges in your design or choose from one of our pre-configured FitKid system designs.
Bring the Obstacle Course Experience to Your Community
Obstacle courses for kids are not only trendy, but provide physical, mental, and social development for children and adults. These systems bring out leadership and teamwork in children, help enhance strength, balance, and agility, and strengthen problem-solving and other cognitive skills.
Bring your community together by installing an obstacle course today. Contact a GameTime representative in your area to build the perfect solution for your fitness needs.
