Ask Ollie
Arctic Explorer Obstacle Course
Here's one to try together!
Hop across ice floes, crawl through a snow cave and sneak past a sleeping polar bear to plant your flag on the snowy peak!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- Pillows slip: put them on a rug, and keep the course on the floor with no climbing on furniture
- Chairs can tip: crawl under the blanket gently and never pull on the chairs
What you need
- Pillows and cushions, 6 to 10
- Blanket, 1
- Sturdy chairs, 2
- Painter's tape, 1 roll
- Stuffed animal, 1
- Paper, 1 sheet
- Crayons or markers (optional)
- Phone, as a timer (optional)
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Clear a floor space, move anything breakable away, and gather pillows, a blanket, two sturdy chairs, tape, paper and a stuffed animal.
- Lay pillows across the floor as icy stepping stones.
- Drape the blanket over two chairs to build a snow cave. Ask for help if you need it
- Stick a long tape line on the floor for the frozen river.
- Set the sleeping polar bear near the end, then pile cushions for the snowy peak.
- Make a paper flag for the top of the mountain. Ask: What picture or name will you put on your explorer flag?
- Walk through the course slowly once to learn the route. Ask: Which part do you think will be the trickiest to cross?
- Now go! Hop, crawl, balance, tiptoe and plant your flag on top!
- Time each explorer's run and try to beat your own record.
- Rearrange the stations and run your new arctic adventure! Ask: How would you change the course to make it even more of an arctic challenge?
Play it again
- Animal explorers: cross like a penguin waddle, a seal slide or a hopping arctic hare.
- Bear wakes up: a grown-up calls 'Bear!' at any moment and everyone must freeze like an icicle.
- Rescue mission: carry a second stuffed animal through the course to safety at the peak.
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