Make a Backyard Tight-Rope for Endless Summer Fun

Today we have one of our favorite backyard kids activities, DIY tight rope for kids! This homemade tightrope is great for preschool, Kindergarteners and even older kids and is a good outdoor activity full of exercise and fun for kids.

DIY TightRope for Your Backyard

Want a cheap and easy way to provide your kids with endless entertainment?  Grab a couple of ropes and string up a backyard tight-rope!

Making a tightrope was inexpensive and easy to set up. The backyard tight-rope activity provides the children with a ton of exercise and skill-building opportunities. I’m not kidding when I say this simple backyard tight-rope has provided hundreds of hours of fun and learning for my daycare kids over the years.  Of all of our backyard activities, our tight-rope is one of the most popular by far.  

Note: The popularity of slack rope activities in extreme sports has made this an even more popular activity in our backyard since we originally created it years ago. At the bottom of this article you can find slack line resources to make a similar line walking activity for your kids.

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How to Make a Tight Rope for Your YarD

Supplies Needed

• two lengths of soft rope
• two trees (or fence posts, deck rails etc.)
• adventurous kids

Setting up the tight-rope is so simple

Step 1 – Locate the Tightrope Ends

Find two trees or fence posts or deck rails that are fairly close together.  I’ve used a tree and a clothes-line pole to tie our ropes to.

Step 2 – Set up the Lower Rope

1. Position one rope about a foot to a foot-and-a-half off the ground, and secure it to one of your trees/poles.  
2. Wrap your rope around the tree or pole several times before tying a knot to secure it in place.
3. With the loose end, pull the rope as tight as you can – this will help to keep your rope as taut as possible when your child stands on it.
4. Secure the other end of the rope around the second tree or pole, using the same method as before.  

Step 3 – Set Up the Higher Rope

1. Position the second rope several feet off the ground based on your child’s height. 
2. To get a good idea of what height might be best for the upper rope, have your child raise his or her arms slightly above his or her head.  This is where you want to position the higher rope.  You want it high enough that they have to reach up for it when they’re standing on the ground.

Note: Ours is about 3 feet up.  

Safety Note: To ensure this activity does not pose a danger, do not leave any ends of the ropes dangling loosely.  Secure any extra length in place by wrapping and knotting it or by cutting it off.

That’s all there is to it!  

Walk the tightrope

Now it’s time to call over those adventurous children! Depending on the age of your child, it may take a few minutes for them to get the hang of it.  

That bottom rope will be quite wobbly as they work to figure out the mechanics of it all. But just you watch!  Before long, it will click, and they’ll be able to balance on the rope like pros.

My guys love to side-ways walk from one end of the rope to the other.  They also love sitting on the bottom rope, and swinging and hanging from the top rope.

Benefits of Tight Rope Activities for Kids

• sense of balance
• coordination
• gross-motor skills
• core strength
• muscles
• climbing skills

Best Age for Backyard Tight Rope Activities

If you’re wondering how old a child might have to be before they enjoy an outdoor activity like this, take a look at this little hooligan.  

• In the photo on the left, she’s 18 months old.  She was obsessed with the tight-rope from the moment she discovered it.  It didn’t take long at all before she could stand on it.  
• In the photo on the right, she’s 2 and a half, and clearly, a expert tight-rope walker.

Our tightrope is a perfect backyard activity for one child, or a great, little gathering place for a group of kids! What are you waiting for?  Head on out to the backyard, and rig up a tightrope for your kids today!

Tightrope and Slackline Kits You Can Buy for Your Backyard

• Slackline Slackline Kit includes slack line longer than 57 feet with training line and tree protectors that work for both kids and adults.
• Trailblaze 60 feet Slackline Kit comes with portable slackline kit for beginners both kids and adults.
• This Ninja Slackline line with 8 obstacle Course setting stations is a complete outdoor ninja warrior kit equipment set for kids with swing rings, monkey bars, ninja knot and climbing rope for tree and backyard.

More Outdoor BAckyard Activities and Fun for Kids of All ages

How did your kids love their own tightrope in their backyard?