Building ninja obstacle courses could be one of the best life choices your kids ever make. Ninja warrior training has become one of the most popular sports worldwide. It started as a sport for adults, but is now one of the fastest growing sports among kids as well. This is great news since only about 25 percent of kids between 6 – 17 get the minimal amount of 60 minutes of exercise each day.

Ninja obstacle courses can be created for all ages and abilities. They can be easy and fun or super challenging, requiring a tremendous amount of physical ability. But for beginners, creating obstacle courses and enjoying the experience is the place to start. It’s a sport that has no age limit which makes it a great lifetime pursuit.

What You Need to Build a Ninja Obstacle Course

Building beginning ninja obstacle courses requires little to no equipment. Courses can be created with items found at home combined with some creative thinking. There’s no limit to the number of simple or challenging courses kids can build. Courses can have one focus such as agility or upper body strength or include things for a full body workout. Add some friends and record each child’s time to see who completes the course the fastest. Or record times and see who improves the most after a few rounds.

Try these four ideas for obstacle courses to get your kids started. Adapt the courses as needed based on your child’s age and skill level. Substitute items in any of these courses with other things that work just as well.

Get your child started on this fun activity that builds both body and brain fitness. They’ll grow up with a positive view of exercise and enjoy a much more productive life!

Steps to Build 4 Beginner Ninja Obstacle Courses for Kids

Be sure to check courses for safety and teach your child to do the same! Even preschoolers should begin learning about safety. Take them down the course and talk to them as you perform the safety check.

Ninja Obstacle Course #1

You will need:

• 4-5 old tires
• 2 hula hoops
• A length of 2×8 inch plank
• Basketball or other similar sized ball

Build the course:

1. Make a starting line.
2. Course will be in a straight line.
3. Lay down 4 or 5 tires about 5 feet apart.
4. Place a plank on top of the sides of the last two, creating a balance beam between them.
5. Place 2 hula hoops side by side about a foot apart and a foot from the last tire.
6. Place the ball on the ground after the hoops.

Instructions:

1. From the starting line, run to the first tire.
2. Either jump over the side into the center or onto the side, then into the center of each tire.
3. When you get to the tire with the plank, walk, run, skip or jump across.
4. Jump off the plank into the tire center, then jump onto the tire edge.
5. Jump off land with your feet between the hula hoops. Do 5 jumping jacks, placing each foot inside a hula hoop. Jump out.
6. Pick up the ball and bounce it 3 times in either hoop then jump into the tire.
7. Step up to the plank and bounce the ball once after each step.
8. When you reach the end of the plank, stop and do an overhead throw, aiming for the inside of one of tires in front of you.
9. Jump in and out of each tire as before, back to the beginning.

Ninja Obstacle Course #2

You will need:

• Sidewalk chalk
• Bicycle or tricycle
• Cones or gallon jugs filled with water

Build the course:

1. Draw a hopscotch board on the driveway or sidewalk (spray painting the yard is also an option).
2. Set a bike or trike at the end of the hopscotch drawing.
3. Place the cones or jugs in a zig-zag pattern. Space them to suit your child’s age and type of bike.

Instructions:

1. From the starting line, hop on one foot down 1-3, two feet onto 4/5, etc. until you reach the end.
2. Get on your bike or trike and weave through the course and back toward the hopscotch board.
3. Jump back through the board toward the beginning.

Variations:

• Run the whole course rather than using the bike.
• Dribble a basketball through the whole course.
• Do the whole course backwards.
• Bear crawl, lame dog walk or frog jump through the cones.

Ninja Obstacle Course #3

You will need:

• A length of rope 1/2” – 3/4” diameter
• Hula hoop, cushion or other landing target
• Two lengths of 2×8 inch planks and/or wood ladders
• Cement blocks, old tires or other object for height
• Mini trampoline, cushion or other soft landing pad

Build the course:

1. Course will be in a straight line.
2. Tie a rope to a tree branch at an appropriate height so your child can reach up and grasp it. Or tie it slightly too high so they must jump to reach it.
3. Place a hula hoop on the ground at a reasonable distance to land in after the rope swing.
4. Create a ramp up to an appropriate height using a length of plank or a wooden ladder. Use blocks, tires or other suitable objects. (Be sure the ramp is secure. Add sandbags at the bottom and top if needed)
5. Add a second plank at the top, creating a beam that leads to another stack of blocks or tires. Plank can cover tire openings or go from edge to edge.
6. Place a mini trampoline below the tires or blocks.

Instructions:

1. From the starting line, grasp the rope and swing, landing inside the hula hoop.
2. Run or crawl up the ramp or ladder to the top.
3. Walk, run or skip across the plank.
4. Jump onto the mini tramp to the ground and race back to the starting line.

Variations:

• Add one or two more ropes to the beginning. Transfer from one rope to the next like a monkey before landing in the hoop.
• Add a few cones at the end to zig-zag through or jump over to lengthen the course.
• Stack 3 tires into a pyramid to climb up and down. Then use the other two tires to create a beam.

Ninja Obstacle Course #4

This indoor course builds jumping skills, an important part of ninja competitions. It’s also a fun way to incorporate full-body conditioning.

You will need:

• A long hallway or long open space in a room
• 6 couch or chair cushions or large pillows (Ones you don’t mind being used as landing mats!)
• Index cards with one conditioning exercise written on each of them. Adjust the number of exercises to be performed according to age and ability. Ideas:
  • pushups / donkey kicks / squat jumps / jumping jacks / sit-ups / leg lifts
• Masking tape

Build the course:

1. Space the 6 cushions in a line at an appropriate distance for your child. (Start with cushions reasonably close, then increase the space.)
2. Shuffle the index cards and place one down between each cushion.
3. Use masking tape to indicate the take off point, making allowance for a runway before the take off point.

Instructions:

1. Kids must leap from one cushion to the next without touching the ground from start to finish.
2. If they miss any along the way, they must return to that space, read the index card and do the exercise.
3. When they get to the end, run, hop, crab crawl, or push-up walk back to the finish line.

Variations:

• As kids improve, vary the distance between each cushion so they must determine how much power they need to reach the next one.
• Place the cushions close enough for kids to perform a standing two foot take-off jump from cushion to cushion OR over each cushion. In this case, if they land on the cushion, they must do the exercise on the index card.
• Spread the cushions all over the room. Decide the direction of the course. Kids must do a different action from one cushion to the next. Jump to the first cushion, hop to the second, etc. Once they reach the cushion, they must hold a balanced position on one foot for the count of 10. If their other foot touches the cushion, they must do the exercise on the card.

Benefits of Ninja Training

Ninja training goes beyond physical benefits. For those kids who stick with it, it builds mental toughness that prepares them for the struggles they will face as adults.

Check out this list of benefits:

• strength
• stamina
• speed
• flexibility

• agility
• coordination
• balance
• confidence

• focus
• quick-thinking
• problem solving
• creativity

• coping with challenging situations
• inward character to overcome future challenges

Ninja training is a holistic educational activity, offering both physical and mental challenges. And don’t forget the best part of all – it’s super fun for kids!

Ninja Obstacle Courses Encourage Healthy Risk -Taking

Once kids get involved in making their own obstacle courses, oftentimes they want to create challenge that involves a bit of risk. It’s how they test themselves to find out what they can and cannot yet do.

• Can I climb all the way up that rope?
• Am I able to jump that far?
• Can I ride my bike across that plank?

These self-imposed risks help them to view challenges as positive opportunities for growth rather than to shy away from them.

Ninja obstacle courses are one of the most educational, creative and fun activities for both girls and boys. From simple creations for preschoolers to lengthy courses that require impressive amounts of physical and mental strength, ninja obstacle courses offer fitness and fun for all ages.

Printable Ninja Obstacle Courses