Obstacle course

An obstacle course is an extended form of physical activity that combines climbing, balancing and jumping elements into a single, coherent play sequence — ideal for large playgrounds and sports and recreation areas.

The modular design allows the length and difficulty of the course to be matched to the available space and the age group of users. Please also see the other products in the Playgrounds section — an obstacle course is an excellent complement to climbing frames and balance equipment.

Obstacle courses are particularly well suited to school grounds, where regular, organised physical activity by large groups of children calls for a durable structure — we recommend an annual technical inspection of all modules and fixing points.

The modular construction of the obstacle course allows its layout to be shaped flexibly — individual elements such as walkways, jumping obstacles and balance sections can be combined in a configuration suited to the available area and the desired difficulty level of the whole route.

Matching the difficulty of the course to the age group of its users is crucial for both safety and enjoyment — a course intended for children in the early years of primary school differs in element height and required motor coordination from one designed for teenagers or adults using it for sport and recreation.

The safety surfacing around the entire obstacle course, which usually covers a larger area than for a single item of play equipment, must take account of the fall zones of each module individually — planning this surface is one of the more complex aspects of designing a comprehensive course on a larger playground.

The material used for each module — steel, glued laminated timber or a combination of the two — affects the durability of the structure and how often technical inspections are required, with fixing points and connections between modules needing particular attention due to the cumulative dynamic loads generated by many users at the same time.

The annual technical inspection of all modules and fixing points recommended for such extensive structures makes it possible to detect signs of material wear and loosened connections early, before they pose a real risk to the safety of children using the course.

Beyond their aesthetic function, the colours of individual modules also serve an informative purpose — elements of different difficulty clearly distinguished by colour help children and carers quickly judge which part of the course matches their current skills and level of physical fitness.