One of our favorite outdoor activities is creating and running through chalk obstacle courses. Recently, we made a pirate-themed one—and it was a hit! The kids got super into it—one even dressed up like a pirate!
Here are some of the fun steps we included:
Twirl in a storm
We kicked off our pirate adventure by twirling in an ocean storm! The kids spun around with their arms out like they were caught in wild winds and crashing waves.
Walk the plank/Balance beam
Arms out, slow steps—it was all about staying steady and not falling into the shark-infested waters below!
Climb the rope
Time to climb the rope—but watch out – there’s a hungry shark waiting! The kids could either pretend to climb by walking along a chalk-drawn rope or actually get down and do climbing motions on the ground.
Row a boat
My kids sat inside the boat and pretended to paddle through the stormy seas.
Fight a sea monster
We left a toy sword nearby for brave little pirates to grab, but the kids also loved pretending to fight with their hands or imaginary swords.
Catch a fish
For this part of our pirate chalk obstacle course, we drew some fish on the ground and had a hula hoop nearby. The kids had to toss the hoop to “catch” a fish!
Jump over crocodiles
To escape the snapping crocodiles, the kids had to jump from lily pad to lily pad without falling in!
High-five a pirate
If you spot an old pirate along the course, run up, reach out, and give him a cheerful high five.
Swim in the ocean
Time to dive in! My kids stood up and did big swimming motions with their arms, moving through the ocean.
Walk the rope
We added some generic actions to keep the fun going. The kids had to balance on the rope line as they carefully tiptoed across. They loved pretending it was a rope high above the sea!
Walk backwards
You never know when a pirate might need to sneak away or retrace their steps!
Tiptoe Quietly
The treasure is close! For this part of the pirate course, we pretended there were guards sleeping nearby, protecting the treasure. The kids had to tiptoe ever so quietly so they wouldn’t wake them up.
Pick up diamonds
The kids finally spotted some sparkling diamonds along the pirate course! They had to lean forward and pretend to pick up the diamonds.
Walk to the treasure chest
At last, the kids spotted the treasure chest just ahead! I drew a wavy line leading up to it, and they had to walk along the line to reach the chest. The kids were so excited as if they had found real pirate treasure!
Overall, it was such a fun experience going through the chalk pirate course! My kids loved it so much, they did it a few times. The course stayed on the sidewalk for a few days, so they could go through it again whenever they wanted. I’m hoping the neighbors enjoyed it too! It was such a fun way to get outside, get creative, get moving, and have a little pirate adventure right in our own neighborhood
You can also watch a full walk-through video on my instagram page: Pirate-themed Chalk Challenge course.