The document presents a plan for creating a wheelchair-accessible obstacle course aimed at providing recreational activities for individuals with orthopedic impairments. It details various course elements, safety considerations, and materials needed, encouraging community engagement to foster inclusive fun for disabled participants. The project also promotes awareness and education about accessible recreational opportunities.

1. Wheelchair Accessible Obstacle
Course
By: Chessa Birrell
Girl Scout Gold Award Project
Troop 22288
9-29-13

2. Project Inspiration
• There does not seem to be enough recreational activities for children and adults with orthopedic
impairments. Many people do not know how to facilitate activities for people who use wheelchairs and
walkers. When you look for activities to do and search for them on the internet, they are difficult to find.
When people get together with other disabled friends they need to have some fun activities to do that
could be constructed quickly.
• Through this plan I hope to spread awareness, educate people about this cause, and show them what they
can do to help disabled people have fun.
• This PowerPoint Plan shows how to construct a fun temporary obstacle course for disabled children and
adults that use wheelchairs or walkers. I have found that many non-disabled children enjoy the course and
some like to challenge themselves by going through the course using the crab walk or wheelbarrow.
• The plan includes many elements that you can choose from to set up a course. For each course element, a
list of materials and instructions on how to set it up is provided along with a discussion of any safety
concerns. I have tested each element before including it in this plan. The elements try to stimulate the
senses with physical movement, hearing, and touch.
• Courses can be set up around a theme such as beach party, luau, Halloween, and color coordinated with the
theme or season. Playing music, adding lights, and other features can make the course more visually
stimulating and fun.
• Signs can be made with the fun names for each element and be placed by the element. I made signs in
PowerPoint and put them in sheet protectors and placed the sheet protectors over water bottles.
• We hope you will share this plan with others so they can use it to create fun obstacle courses at their get-
togethers, parties and events. Organizations can set up courses at their events and fundraisers.
2

3. Safety
• Some elements require spotters to ensure participant’s safety.
• Materials need to be safe for the health of the participants. Allergies must be considered when choosing materials
that come in contract with the participants.
• Materials should not damage the wheelchairs or equipment used by the participants.
• All participants need to be made aware of the materials used.
• Adding music, lights, noises, fans, etc. may make it more fun, however, you need to consider that some children’s
disabilities are triggered by strobe lights, and other features. Always ask your participants if they have any concerns
before they start your course and remove any elements of concern.
• Be careful not to damage any floors, make sure any tape you use will not a residue or react with the floor finish.
3

4. List of Course Elements
1. Firecracker Fairway
2. Teeter Totter or The Fulcrum
3. Bubbles
4. Water Wars
5. Wheelchair Bowling
6. Beach Ball Maze
7. Rocky Road
8. Barrel Racing
9. Curtains
10. Brick Wall
11. Car Wash
12. Box Tunnel
13. Balloon blast
14. Swinging Monkeys (Pendulum)
15. Wind Machine
16. Snake Pit
17. S Curve
18. Hairpin Turn
19. Round About
20. Puddle Jumping
21. Straight Away – Full Speed Ahead
22. Backwards
23. Musical Mat
24. Limbo
25. Las Monos
26. Slalom
27. Sideways Slope
28. Speed Bumps
29. A-frame
4

5. Start
S-Curve
Rocky
Road Slalom Hairpin Turn
FulcrumSpeed BumpBubblesLimbo
Balloon Blast Sideways Incline Backwards Roundabout Tunnel
Beach Ball MazeWheelchair BowlingWater WarsCurtainsLos Manos
Straight Away Firecracker Fairway
End
Sample Course Layout

6. Firecracker Fairway
Instructions:
1. Roll out bubble wrap on to
ground/floor with bubbles up.
You also can tape together
smaller pieces keeping back
sides facing the same way and
taped edges together.
2. Tape bubble wrap to floor
3. Have kids/adults drive/walk
over it as fast as they can to
make a firework type of noise
*NOTE* - Works best if laid out on
hard surfaces such as
flooring, pavement or concrete.
Grass does not work well.
Materials:
• Roll of bubble wrap.
Large bubbles make
louder noise.
• Tape
• Hard surface
Safety concerns:
• Some young children may be
afraid of the loud noise this
element makes.
Therefore, this should be
demonstrated with a persons
foot before allowing the
participants to go on it.
6

7. Notes:
• The platform should be a minimum of 10” wider than the
widest chair/walker.
• For a smaller drop, use a 2”x4” instead of a 4”x4” for the
pivot.
Materials:
• Platform
- ¾ “ Plywood, L-60”, W-40”
• Pivot board
- 4”x4”x40”.
• Side rails
- 2”x2”x60”, 2 each.
• 18 wood screws, #6x2”
• Glue
Safety Concerns:
• The board may jar a person if they go over
it to quickly.
• Smaller wheels may not go over the front
lip of the platform easily. A metal threshold
may be attached to the leading edge of the
platform to alleviate this problem
Teeter Totter or The Fulcrum
7
Equipment:
• Tape measure
• Saw
• Screwdriver
• Drill with #6 bit
• Countersink
Pivot
End view
Cut
1”
1
”
1
”Center of
Platform
Instructions:
1. Find the center of the platform and draw a line across it.
2. Drill 6 holes evenly spaced across the platform approximately 1”
from the center. Countersink the holes on the top of the
platform. This will be the center of the pivot.
3. Drill 6 holes evenly spaced along the edge of the platform
approximately 1” from the edge. Countersink the holes on the
bottom of the platform.
4. Glue (optional) the side rails onto each top edge of the platform
and secure with wood screws from the bottom of the platform.
5. If possible, cut the corners lengthwise off the pivot
6. Place the center line of the pivot on the line of holes going
across the platform with the corner cuts away from the
platform, glue (optional) and secure with wood screws.

8. Bubbles
Instructions:
1. Have people line up facing each other
a) Leave enough room for the
participants to drive/walk through
2. As the participants drive/walk through
blow the bubbles
3. Have the participants pop as many
bubbles as they can
4. This element works best when there is
little to no wind
Materials:
• Bubble solution and wands or
electric bubble maker.
Safety Concerns:
• Keep bubble juice away from small
children so they don’t accidentally drink
it.
8

9. Water Wars
Instructions:
1. Have people line up facing each other
a) Leave enough room for the
participants to drive/walk through
2. As the participants drive/walk
through, spray them with water
*NOTE* - Some participants may not like
getting wet, if so do not spray them.
Materials:
• Spray bottles
• Water
Safety Concerns:
• Be carful not to get electronic
components wet. You can cover them
with a large plastic bag.
9

10. Wheelchair Bowling
Instructions:
1. Stack cups/cones in a pyramid and you
have to toss a ball into them and
knock some down before proceeding
2. Or have the participants run into them
and knock them down with their
chairs or walkers
Materials:
• Plastic cups or cones
Safety Concerns:
• None.
10

11. Beach Ball Maze
Instructions:
1. Beach ball maze, move the ball
between gates with no hands or
feet, use wheelchairs only.
Materials:
• 42” or very large beach balls
• Tape or sting or benches to outline the
path
Safety Concerns:
• The balls need to be large enough not
to get stuck under any of the
wheelchairs.
11

12. Rocky Road
Instructions:
1. Cut a flat surface on the balls
and glue to the cardboard.
2. Cut pool noodles crossways to
from circle of various lengths
form about 1” to 2.5” thick and
glue to cardboard
3. Have participants roll over the
cardboard and experience the
rocks!
4. Or place cut up foam on the
ground.
Materials:
• Foam, pool noodles, and/or
foam and rubber (super) balls
• Cardboard
Safety Concerns:
• The “rocks” should be small enough not
as not to get stuck under the wheelchair.
• Some wheelchairs have EZ Lock docking
system bolts hanging down under their
chairs that may catch the “rocks.”
12

13. Barrel Racing
Instructions:
1. Place 3 barrels in the pattern shown.
The distance between the barrels
depends on the space available.
2. The barrels should be large enough to
be seen from the start/finish line and
from each barrel.
3. Draw tape or chalk lines to show the
path to follow with arrows showing
the direction of travel.
Materials:
• 3 Barrels, tall
boxes, water
cooler bottles, etc.
• Chalk
Safety Concerns:
• None.
Start & Finish
13

14. Curtains
Instructions:
1. Fold tablecloth in half lengthwise
2. Fold tablecloth in half widthwise until
about 12” wide
3. Cut strips from bottom of tablecloth
toward the top stopping about 8”
from the top. This keeps tablecloth in
one piece and leaves a solid portion to
hang over the pole.
4. Hang tablecloth over pole or tape or
pin to beam
Materials:
• Plastic tablecloth
• Scissors
• A-frame or beam
• Tape or pins
Safety Concerns:
• Be sure the curtains do not hang down
so low that they will get caught in the
participant’s wheels.
14

15. Brick Wall
Instructions:
1. Glue boxes closed.
2. Number the boxes as shown.
3. Use a hole saw the same diameter as the
rolls to cut holes in the boxes as shown.
The holes are at 1/3 and 2/3 of length of
the box. For a 12” box they are at 3”and 9”
from the edge. Do not cut holes in the tops
of the green boxes or the bottoms of the
blue boxes if you want a solid looking top.
4. Cut 6 of the rolls so they are the same
length as 3 boxes are high. The other two
rolls should be a few inches longer than 3
boxes are high.
5. Push the boxes onto the rolls as shown to
align the boxes and stabilize the structure.
6. The interior rolls are hidden inside the
boxes. The outer rolls should protrude
above and below the outer boxes (1,5,8,12)
so they can be pushed over the poles from
the canopy.
7. Use hot glue to glue the boxes together
around the tubes.
8. Paint the boxes to look like bricks.
9. Slide outer tubes onto legs of a canopy
frame. They will swing apart as the
participants' push through them.
Materials/Resources:
• 16 boxes about 12” x 12” x 6”
• 8 plastic or cardboard rolls at lease 3’
long
• Hole saw, same diameter as the rolls
• Glue sticks
• Paint
• Canopy Frame
Safety Concerns:
• None.
5
3
6
4
1 2
11 12
10
87
9

16. Car Wash
Instructions:
1. Combine curtains element and brick
wall elements.
2. Place tarps on top of canopy frame so
that the sides hang down as far as
possible.
3. Put brick wall on one side of the
canopy frame.
4. Hang curtains on both ends of the
canopy frame.
Materials/Resources:
• Canopy frame and tarps
• Curtains Element
• Brick Wall Element
Safety Concerns:
• None.

17. Box Tunnel
Instructions:
1. Cut one side of each box down the center
and open flaps. The flaps from one box will
over lap the other box to join the two
boxes at the center of the tunnel.
2. Cut the other sides of the two boxes like
French doors as shown. Be sure not to cut
all the way up the center. This gives the
boxes some structure to stay together. Trim
the top and bottom of the doors about ¼”
to allow the doors to swing easily.
3. Do not cut the top or bottom of the boxes.
The participants will roll over the bottom.
The top will keep the tunnel dark.
4. Join the full open ends of the two boxes
together with tape to form the center of
the tunnel.
5. Participants push the first doors in to enter
the tunnel and push the other doors out to
exit the tunnel. Doors may need to be
closed manually for the next participant.
Materials:
• Two same sized large appliance
cardboard boxes at least 30” wide.
• Duct or packing tape
• Add a light stick or singing mat
inside the tunnel for added
effects.
Safety Concerns:
• None. 17
2
1

18. Balloon Blast
Instructions:
1. Blow up balloons
2. Decorate the pipe foam with colored duck
tape
3. Tie string to end of balloon and tie a large
paperclip to the other end of the ribbon
4. Drop the paperclip through the pipe foam and
remove paperclip
5. Tie the ribbon to the A-frame and tape it so it
will not move.
6. Tie crepe paper around A-frame if desired
Materials:
• A-frame (see separate instructions)
• Balloons
• ½” diameter pipe wrap insulation
foam or pool noodles with center hole
• Colored Ribbon or String
• Colored Duck Tape
• Crepe paper if desired
Safety Concerns:
• Allergies to latex, Mylar etc. need to be
considered before purchasing balloons and
allowing participants to do this activity
• Balloons must be secured to the A-frame so
participants do not become tangled in the string.
Cover string with pipe insulator foam or pool
noodles.
• String must be short enough as to not get caught
in wheels or around participant’s neck.
18

19. Swinging Monkeys (Pendulum)
Instructions:
1. Build A-frame
2. Tie one end of the string to the
stuffed monkey
3. Tie the other end of the string
to the A-frame
4. Course staff will set the
swinging monkey in motion and
reset when necessary
Materials:
• A-frame (see separate
instructions)
• Stuffed Monkey or other
animal
• String or ribbon
Safety Concerns:
• String should be short enough to
not get caught in the wheels.
• Spotter required to make sure the
monkey does not get tangled
around the participant or their
chair.
19

20. Wind Machine
Instructions:
1. Place the fan on a small table or
box so that it blows air at the
participants faces as they drive
by.
2. Use an extension cord if
necessary to reach an electrical
outlet.
Materials:
• Electric fan
• Extension cord
• Table or box
Safety Concerns:
• The fan should be stable on the
table and not easily tipped over.
• The extension cord must not be in
the course path.
20

21. Snake Pit
Instructions:
1. Place rubber snakes in the
course path for participants to
drive over.
Materials:
• Rubber snakes
Safety Concerns:
• Some children may be afraid of
the snakes, allow for a detour path
so they can go around them.
21

22. S-Curve
Instructions:
1. Draw both sides of an S-curve
path on concrete or asphalt or
use rope to outline the s-curve
Materials:
• Rope or chalk
Safety Concerns:
• None.
22

23. Hair Pin Turn
Instructions:
1. Draw both sides of an hair pin
turn on concrete or asphalt or
use rope to outline the turn
Materials:
• Rope or chalk
Safety Concerns:
• None.
23

24. Round About
Instructions:
1. Draw a round about path on
concrete or asphalt or use rope
to outline the path or use a kids
pool to form a circle.
2. For a more complicated
path, the round about path can
have one entrance and one
exit, either across from each
other or at 90 from each
other.
3. Participants have to go around
the circle or round about path
until they reach the exit path.
Materials:
• Rope, chalk, or small
kids pool
• Circle outlined with
colored cones
Safety Concerns:
• None.
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25. Puddle Jumping
Instructions:
1. If you have an outdoor course, you can
create a puddle of water about 1” to 3”
deep depending on your participants
mobility.
2. Participants drive though the puddle
and make a splash!
Materials:
• Puddle of water
Safety Concerns:
• Do not have puddles if you have
children using walkers.
• Puddles are safe for wheelchairs, but
do not make them too deep. They
should not be deep enough o get the
bearing in the wheels wet.
25

26. Straight Away Full Speed Ahead!
Instructions:
1. Chalk two parallel lines on the
ground or for the straight away
element. Or you can use rope or
cones to outline the path.
2. Have participants go as fast as
they can through the straight
away element.
Materials:
• Chalk, rope, cones,
or cups
Safety Concerns:
• Keep the track clear or people
and things during the course.
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27. Backwards
Instructions:
1. Create two lines in any
configuration on the ground for
the backwards element to
outline the path. Be sure lines
are wide enough apart to
ensure that participants have
enough room to maneuver.
2. Have participants go as fat as
they can through the path.
Materials:
• Chalk, rope, cups,
or cones
Safety Concerns:
• Keep the track clear or people
and things during the course.
27

28. Musical Mat
Instructions:
1. Place mat on floor and have
participants roll or walk over it.
2. Put in the box tunnel for a fun
or scary surprise.
Materials:
• Singing or screaming doormat
Safety Concerns:
• None.
28

29. Limbo
Instructions:
1. Tape pom-poms to ends of broom
handle to make it more interesting, if
desired.
2. Have one or two people hold the ends
of the pole just at the participant’s
head level so the participants has to
drive under it.
3. The holders can raise the pole to let
them by if needed.
Materials:
• Broom handle, pole or stick about 4’
long
• Pom-Poms
Safety Concerns:
• Make sure participants do not run into
the pole or get hit by it when crossing
under it.
29

30. Las Monos
Instructions:
1. Fill gloves with enough water to fill
fingers, blow up with air, and tie in a knot
2. Decorate the pipe foam with colored duck
tape
3. Tie string to end of glove and tie a large
paperclip to the other end of the ribbon
4. Drop the paperclip through the pipe foam
and remove paperclip
5. Tie the ribbon to the A-frame and tape it so
it will not move.
Materials:
• A-frame (see separate instructions)
• ½” diameter pipe wrap insulation foam or
pool noodles with center hole
• Colored Ribbon or String
• Colored Duck Tape
• Latex free medical gloves
• Water
30
Safety Concerns:
• Allergies to latex need to be considered before
purchasing gloves and allowing participants to do
this activity
• Gloves must be secured to the A-frame so
participants do not become tangled in the string.
Cover string with pipe insulator foam or pool
noodles.
• String must be short enough as to not get caught in
wheels or around participant’s neck.

31. Slalom
Instructions:
1. Set up cones in a straight line about
3’-5’ apart and have participants
weave in and out around the cones
down the path.
Materials:
• Colored cones or large plastic cups
Safety Concerns:
• Cones might get stuck under
the chairs – need spotter
31

32. Sideways Slope
Instructions:
1. One side of chair is driven up the
incline and the other is on the
flat ground.
Safety Concerns:
• If incline is too steep, chair could tip
over.
• Keep only two wheels from the same
side of the chair on the ramp. 32
Materials:
• Platform
- ¾ “ Plywood, L-40”, W-24”
• Base
- 4” x 4” x 42”
• Ramps
- ¾ “ Plywood, Right Triangles, Height-60”, Base-40”, 2 each
• Ramp Brace
- ¾ “ Plywood, 3” x 20”. 2 Each.
• Side rails
- Platform rail - 2”x2”x40”, 1 each.
- Ramp rails - 2”x2”x10”, 2 each.
• 6 wood screws, #6 x 3 ½ ”
• 12 wood screws, #6 x 1 ¼ ”
• 4 Heavy duty hinge, 2 ½ “ to 3” with screws
• Glue
Equipment:
• Tape measure
• Saw
• Screwdriver
• Drill with #6 bit
• Countersink

33. Sideways Incline Continued
40”10” 10”
24”
Top View
42”
1”, 200 Bevel
Base, End View
Instructions:
1. Cut an approximate 20o bevel off both ends of the top of the base 1” from the end.
2. If possible, cut an approximate 20o bevel lengthwise off the base.
3. Drill 6 #6 holes evenly spaced through the platform rail. Countersink.
4. Place the rail on one edge of the platform and drill 6 holes through the platform that align with the 6
holes in the platform rail.
5. Glue and screw the rail, platform, and base together using the #6 x 3 ½ ” screws, lining up the three
edges. The 1” bevel on the base should extend past the platform on each end.
6. Drill 2 holes in the 10” side of each triangle ramp 1” from the edge. Countersink.
7. Glue and screw the ramp rails to the ramp using #6 x 1 ¼ ” screws.
8. Bevel one of the long edges of each ramp brace approximate 20o.
9. Drill 4 holes evenly spaced in each ramp brace. Countersink.
10. Glue and screw the ramp braces to each end of the platform. Position the brace so the end is butted
up against the base and the beveled edge extends past the end of the platform approximately 1”.
11. Attach a ramp to the each end of the platform using the hinges. Screw one hinge to the end of the
base and the bottom of the ramp, and screw the other hinge to the bottom of the ramp brace and the
bottom of the ramp about two-thirds the way down from the base.
Platform, Side View
Ramp
BraceSide Platform Rail
Base

34. Speed Bumps
Instructions:
1. Cut pool noodles in half lengthwise
2. If desired, paint cardboard and allow to
dry
3. Glue pool noodles to cardboard with
space between them (one to two pool
noodles width apart using hot glue gun.
4. Tape cardboard to floor. Use floor or
painters tape if taping to basketball
court or wood flooring to avoid
damaging the floor. Duck tape works
well for concrete.
Materials:
• Cardboard
• Pool noodles
• Hot glue gun
• Glue sticks
• Tape
Safety Concerns:
• None
34

35. A-frame
Instructions:
1. The A-frame needs to be taller
than the tallest person using the
course.
2. For example if you have a
30 angle for the A-frame legs
and you need the height to be 5
feet, then the legs need to be
5.2 feet or 5’ 2.4”. For a 6’
height with a 30 angle the legs
need to be 6.2’ or 6 ‘ 2.4 “.A= 75
5’
a
b
c
C= 90
B= 15
Using the sine function in a right triangle:
Sin of an angle is the opposite over the hypotenuse
sin 75 = a/c
c = 5’/sin 75
c = 5.2’
D= 30
35