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Last updated: February 27, 2023
Reviews of five of the best backyard obstacle course kits, based on accessories, safety, materials used, number of obstacles, and more.
As a kid, I often dreamed of becoming a real ninja, and I had this natural desire to constantly look for obstacles to conquer. With a purpose-built backyard obstacle course or kit, your child can train just like ninjas would do back in the day. Well, almost, of course.
A modern backyard obstacle course typically features a wide range of obstacles for your kids to conquer, which helps them to build strength, stamina, and coordination, while having tons of fun along the way.
In this article, I am going to share five of the best backyard obstacle courses you can buy today, tried and tested by my kids.
Top 5 Backyard Obstacle Course Kits:
Top 5 Backyard Obstacle Course Kits
Here we go, my personal top 5 backyard obstacle courses for kids.
1. Hyponix Obstacle Course Kit
This popular course kit by Hyponix includes no less than eight obstacles for your kids to challenge and conquer. If you’re looking for a real ninja-style obstacle course, this one may be your best choice.
Included in this set are a 50ft long slackline, three monkey bars, three monkey ring holds, and a wooden ladder to help your kids climb up to 6 feet high. It also includes two tree protectors to keep the slackline in place and stable.
Also worth mentioning is that the buckles are adjustable, so the obstacles can be as far apart as you see fit. Finished playing? Use the carrying bag to quickly pack up and store all the gear in one place, waiting for the next session to start.
2. Dripex Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course
Turn your backyard into a mini gym with the help of this Dripex Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course. The course is suitable for children aged four years and up. The kit allows your children to train like little ninjas as they get the opportunity to overcome obstacles of different difficulty levels.
It has a long slackline and comes with various challenging and fun obstacles for your kids to overcome, including a trapeze swing, an extra-long slackline (2 x 50ft), monkey fists, monkey bars, a climbing net, and more.
What’s also great is that it includes an arm trainer, which makes it easier to keep your balance while on the slackline.
3. NINJACTIVE Ninja Obstacle Course for Kids
One thing that makes this NINJACTIVE backyard obstacle course kit stand out is that it comes with two different slacklines. One 50 ft ninja line to attach the obstacles to, and a wider 50 ft slackline that can support up to 440 lbs so that adults can also use it.
Included in this versatile set are an arm trainer, a 360-degree spinning wheel, a ladder, three rings, two monkey bars, and two ninja fists. Also included are a waterproof storage bag and a couple of tree protectors. Also note that you can upgrade to a course kit with 56 feet slacklines instead of the 50 feet ones.
Setting up this course is super easy. Pick two trees between 10 and 40 feet apart, anchor the slacklines and ratchets, insert the buckles for the obstacles, connect ratchet lines to slacklines, attach the obstacles, and you’re good to go. The buckles are unbreakable one-piece objects with powder coating that don’t snap.
It’s important to note that the position of the obstacles on the slackline is adjustable with the clips. This allows you to make the course more challenging by creating a longer distance between the obstacles or vice versa. Plus, the obstacles are height adjustable for even more flexibility. Once set up, you can leave it installed if you wish because the materials are water and UV-resistant, and the galvanized steel is rustproof.
4. Rainbow Craft Obstacle Course Accessories Set
This obstacle course accessories set by Rainbow Craft does not include a slackline (sold separately) but does include a solid set of colorful obstacles. Each climbing obstacle comes with carabiners.
The obstacles included in this course kit are seven ninja rings, two trapeze ninja wheels, and two monkey bars. The bright colors will add more fun to the climbing experience and can also be used to create extra challenges.
5. American Ninja Warrior Deluxe Obstacle Kit
This course kit is the real American Ninja Warrior branded obstacle course that comes with nine hanging attachments. It strongly focuses on customization, so you can easily change things up and keep your kids challenged.
Hanging obstacles include two monkey bar holds, a nylon rope knot, a steel T-bar, three steel gym rings, one ninja ball, and one ninja cone. The ball and cone-shaped obstacles are perfect for strengthening forearms and upper body.
This backyard obstacle course is suitable for those who want to focus on training, getting stronger, and improving skills, rather than just having fun. It’s recommended for kids aged five years and up.
Buying Guide
Physical activity is super important for young children growing up. It keeps them healthy and energetic while also being social with other kids.
We’ve all seen the American Ninja Warrior shows on TV, which gets both kids and adults excited. That’s the beauty of ANW; it motivates all of us to go outside and be active.
Ninja-style obstacle courses and slackline kits are the perfect way to get kids to exercise from an early age, mimicking their ANW heroes. If you’re struggling to choose the right one for your child, here are some considerations to look into.
1. Age & Skill Level
You should pick an obstacle course with an age recommendation that is suitable for your kids. You should also consider the skill level of the given course to allow your child to train while having fun at the same time.
There are definitely obstacle courses out there that are more challenging than others, so make sure you pick one that isn’t too hard for your child but also not too easy.
2. Number of obstacles
The number, as well as variety, of obstacles in the ninja obstacle course kit, is something to consider also.
Although most kits contain similar obstacles, such as rings and monkey bars, some courses have more obstacles to offer than others.
3. Accessories
Most modern obstacle courses come packaged with multiple accessories, such as ratchet protectors, adjustable straps, tree protectors, storage bags, etc. Some of these accessories can also be purchased separately.
Make sure you pick an obstacle course that comes with accessories that are actually useful and add good value.
4. Ease of Installation
You will find that most obstacle courses are very easy to set up, so you can’t really go wrong there. But it’s worth checking if proper manuals or instructions are available, just in case.
A storage bag is also important, so you can easily and quickly unpack and pack up afterward.
5. Safety
Perhaps the most important consideration is safety. Make sure the obstacle course kit you’re keen to purchase for your kids meets the current safety standards and regulations. You should also consider the maximum weight capacity.
Above all, though, you know your kids best, so you are the best person to judge whether certain obstacles could cause issues for your kids.
Hopefully this guide to backyard obstacle course kits has motivated you to get one for your kids. They will love it, and it will keep them active and entertained during the entire spring and summer seasons.
