We make unusual games from scrap materials. Street maze as a fast-payback business Unusual games for children: master class

What is the difference between outdoor labyrinths and indoor labyrinths?

There are no fundamental differences in the design. And you can choose a street labyrinth for yourself from the general catalog of labyrinths on the OtADoYa website:. But it is worth remembering that street labyrinths must be protected from the effects of weather conditions. Therefore, street labyrinths are often placed under a canopy, awning, or their design implies a roof and walls that protect the attraction from the vagaries of nature.

Rain and direct sunlight can visually degrade your labyrinth, and moisture creates an additional risk of injury as obstacles are wet and slippery. Also, street labyrinths are more demanding in terms of compliance with hygiene standards - you need to monitor the cleanliness of the complex more carefully.

What are street mazes like?

Street mazes are divided into:

1. dismantled street labyrinths with a canopy.Such labyrinths are disassembled when cold weather sets in and then can be assembled at any suitable site;
2. not dismantled capital labyrinths.A metal frame, a reliable roof and walls are created for them. Often, such labyrinths are made thematic, with a unique bright design. An example of such a labyrinth is presented below, not a photograph, this is our project in Berdsk:

What are the advantages of street labyrinths?

This kind of business pays off quickly. In just a season, you will get your investment back.
The main condition is to establish a labyrinth on a high traffic area, where many parents walk with their children. Family parks, places near children's institutions, playgrounds near shopping centers, beaches, sleeping areas where many families with children live will be an excellent place for such an attraction.

There is no need to spend large sums to promote the street maze - it literally sells itself. Children, having seen a beautiful labyrinth, themselves will ask their parents to take them there, and the parents will gladly agree. Very often, parents, seeing a street maze, themselves invite children to play in it, since the children will throw out their energy in the fresh air, and the parents themselves will be able to relax at this time.

Are there any disadvantages to street labyrinths and how to make a plus out of it?

The most significant disadvantage of street labyrinths is seasonality. Such an attraction can work fully only in the warm season. But you can make a big plus from this minus if you install a dismantled labyrinth for the summer, and with the onset of cold weather you select a room for it and install a labyrinth there. Then this wonderful attraction will generate income all year round.

When should you order a maze to open for the season?

Now! Yes, now is the time! The season begins in May, when nature begins to delight with warm weather. To open such an attraction in May, it is necessary to choose the type of maze right now and launch it into production. It should be borne in mind that the production of such labyrinths on average takes about 30 days; it will also take time for delivery (from Novosibirsk) and installation.

How much is it?

The cost depends on many parameters: on the configuration of the labyrinth you have chosen (height, area and content), its passability, as well as on the availability and type of decor. A more accurate cost can be calculated by our managers, since for each labyrinth the figure is calculated individually.

We also have discounts, interest-free installments and a loan offer. You can find out the details from our managers.

Do you want to diversify the rest of your children by turning improvised means into a field for creativity? Then, when arranging a playground and making play equipment, use household equipment that has served its time and natural materials that have not been used in the household. Be sure that the playground created by your hands will always be filled with laughter and sonorous voices of children playing on it.

Playing with water is one of the favorite activities of children of all ages. They are able not only to entertain an inquisitive kid, but also serve as a means of learning about the world around them.

You can enjoy communicating with the water element by arranging an impromptu water labyrinth on the grass in the play area of the playground

You can assemble a water maze from containers of any size. For this purpose, feel free to use:

plastic bottles;
old teapot with a spout;
flowerpots and pots;
metal bowls and bowls.

But still, it is most preferable to use plastic bottles when arranging the labyrinth. It is convenient to cut them both lengthwise and across, giving the desired shape. Some of the bottles can be completely screwed with plastic caps, after having drilled small holes in them.

The containers only need to be placed on a vertical plane so that the water flows smoothly from one to the other, going down to the foot of the structure. To create grooves and tunnels, it is convenient to use rigid or corrugated polypropylene pipes of different diameters.

As a reliable, but lightweight support for the placement of the structure, it is easiest to use a fence, a firmly fixed trellis or one of the walls of the house.

There is no strict technology for creating a water supply labyrinth: containers can be placed on a vertical plane in any order. The easiest way to fix bottles and bowls to the shield is with clamps and screws. Elements can be made both stationary and removable. The second option is preferable in that it provides the children with the opportunity to change the location of the bowls during the game, each time paving new paths for the flowing streams.

The bowls suspended at different heights, it remains only to connect with pipe segments, laying them at different angles so that when the water flows down, it creates interesting turns and unexpected turns.

To make the process of water flowing more spectacular, first tint the liquid with watercolors or gouache paints in the desired shade.

Such a labyrinth created from improvised means will certainly cause a sea of delight in children, giving an excellent opportunity to have fun with an interesting activity.

Playing with water will contribute to the development of the child's coordination of movements in the "eye-hand" system and tactile-kinesthetic sensitivity, while simultaneously relieving stress and providing a psychotherapeutic effect.

Option # 2 - Natural Constructor

Small stumps, round cuts and branches left after pruning the orchard can also be used in the playground. They will serve as an excellent basis for creating a natural building kit.

It will be pleasant for the child to take neatly cleaned blocks in his hands, using them for the construction of multi-tiered towers and high castles

Young designers will be happy to erect forest houses for dolls and reliable fortresses for soldiers guarding them from stumps, and children will lay out pyramids and multi-level structures from round cuts.

Thinner twigs and spruce cones can be adapted to material for laying out puzzles on the grass or for creating geometric patterns

To protect babies from scratches and splinters when playing with natural material, each workpiece must be carefully cleaned with emery paper from chipping and sharp edges.

The material on crafts for the playground will also be useful:

Option # 3 - twister on the grass

Young fidgets will appreciate the offer to play an active twister game. The main task of the game is to maintain balance, resting your feet and palms in circles drawn on the playing field at a certain distance from each other. The rules of the game are so simple that children can master them in just a few minutes.

It is difficult to refrain from laughing, trying to complete the presenter's task and reach with your foot or palm to the coveted circle, without burying your face in the grass

The beauty of the twister game is that it's not just fun to play. It is very exciting and funny to observe from the side how the participants are trying to twist, that they take the pose indicated by the arrow.

In order not to bother with unfolding a large canvas every time, the playing field for the twister can be built right on the grass. For work you will need:

lace and pegs for marking the site;
round cardboard stencil;
a set of thick cardboard strips;
2 tin cans of small diameter;
spray paint in 4 colors.

The circles of the playing field in the traditional twister set are painted in four colors: yellow, red, green and blue. In the absence of such shades, you can use any other color you like. The main thing is that it should look contrasting against the background of green grass.

When choosing paint for applying circles, give preference to compositions based on latex, vinyl-acrylic or water-based. They have bright saturated colors and do not pose a danger to the health of children.

To arrange the playing field, choose a flat area 4x2.5 meters in size. Using pegs and a string, mark the boundaries of the future field and outline 4 lines for placing the rows of colored circles. Then, dividing each line into 6 equal sections, mark points for placing the colored circles. You should have a field consisting of 4 rows, each of which contains 6 circles of the same color.

To make the colored circles with smooth edges, and the playing field to have a neat appearance, use a stencil when painting the "islands"

Spray the paint through the stencil, forming row by row of the playing field. While the paint dries up, they start making a tape measure. It will indicate which position a player needs to take. It can be made from the same cardboard. But you can do it much easier. This will require 2 cans. They will contain strips:

in the first jar - strips of the corresponding four colors;
in the second - white stripes with the image of the right and left feet and, respectively, the right and left palms.

In the course of the game, the presenter will simply take one strip out of the cans and form a "paired" task in turn for each of the players.

An exciting outdoor game will become a bright attribute of the recreation area and will easily turn an ordinary day off into a fun holiday

Option # 4 - musical wall with a xylophone

Noise instruments contribute to the development of the musical and creative abilities of kids, not to mention the joy that the children bring to the home orchestra organized by their efforts. By combining all kinds of "noisemakers", "rattles", "bells" into a single structure, you can build a musical wall.

Do-it-yourself noise instruments will make your child hear the wonderful world of sounds in a new way.

To create a music wall you will need:

empty cans;
metal covers;
plastic bottles;
old cutlery.

In principle, you can use any kitchen utensil from which you can extract sounds. Plastic bottles can be easily adapted for rattles by filling them with old buttons or seeds of persimmon and apricots, and then hanging them on a strong thread to the shield.

Several metal corners and old discs suspended on an old hanger will make a sound like bells each time they touch each other.

To turn the shells from nuts into "rattles", and plastic bottle caps into "rattles" will require a minimum of effort and skills

By varying the ways of playing, the kid will explore sounds, creating musical images that are close to him and taking the first steps in playing music.

To create more muted, but not inferior in melodic sounds, you can even build a xylophone. The instrument looks like a small shield, including up to twenty wooden plates, connected to each other in a sequential scale.

A xylophone is assembled from 10-15 wooden blocks. The longest plate can reach 50-60 cm, and each subsequent plate should be 3-4 cm shorter than the previous one

To protect young musicians from splinters and scratches, each block is cleaned with sandpaper. For each "note" with a marker, mark the middle. Having retreated from the center by 4-5 cm in each direction, points are marked for the holes for fixing the rope. A rope is attached along the outlined contour, fixing it with nails or paper clips so that the distance between the bars is at least 1.5 cm.

When hanging the xylophone, pay attention to the tilt angle: it largely determines the sound of the instrument.

Playing with sounds is the right way to start improvisation, thanks to which the child will successfully form figurative-associative thinking

Such outdoor games will help develop the imagery of the perception of music, opening up a wide scope for kids to manifest their "I".

Option # 5 - stone cave "elves"

All children, without exception, love to spend time building various shelters. They can spend hours digging in the garden, from branches, blankets and curtains, and then equipping their own home.

However, such buildings have one annoying drawback: if they move carelessly during active games, they can literally collapse before our eyes. Take the initiative and offer to build a stronger house for young fidgets.

Having built a fairy-tale house of "elves", you will provide the children with their own space and give young dreamers the opportunity to develop their imaginations

A fabulous house that looks like a stone cave is easy and fun to do. It is better to choose a place for its arrangement on an open and well-visible site from all sides. Its surface is leveled, cleaned of stones and plant roots.

To make an elven house you will need:

a piece of tarpaulin or thick plastic film measuring 2.5x2.5 m;
reinforcing wire mesh;
wire ties;
plastic pipe d20 mm;
concrete M300, sifted sand and water.

For work, you can use both a metal reinforcing mesh and made of polypropylene.

From the materials you need to prepare:

scissors for metal work;
container for mixing the solution;
plastering trowel;
spray;
insulating tape;
protective clothing, gloves and goggles.

The prepared base is lined with a layer of tarpaulin. This will facilitate the subsequent cleaning process of building residues and pieces of falling hardened cement mixture.

The material on how to create original figures for a garden from cement will also be useful:

The first step is to build a circle for the base of the frame. To do this, cut off a piece of pipe 5 meters long and connect its ends to each other.

The easiest way to form a circle is to close the ends of the pipe end-to-end with a connecting tube of a smaller diameter, fix the joined edges by wrapping electrical tape

Vertical arches of the frame are erected using the same PVC pipe d20 mm. To do this, take 4 equal segments of 3.5 m each. Arches are formed from the segments, setting them at right angles to each other. The edges of each segment are fixed to the base, evenly filling the gaps along the entire circumference.

Two horizontal crossbars are fixed on the vertical arches: the lower one is 4.7 meters long, the upper one is 3.4 meters. The crossbars are placed on the outside of the frame, fixing them to the arches with electrical tape.

To form the walls of the cave, the finished frame is wrapped with a reinforcing mesh. Wire ties will help to ensure reliable fastening, which must be performed over the entire plane every 250 mm. To create a more reliable structure, the mesh is applied in 2-3 layers.

Having outlined a place for arranging the doorway, using wire scissors, cut off the excess part of the mesh and bend the edges. By the same principle, a small window is made opposite the doorway.

The walls of the house are "erected" from cement mortar, diluted in a separate container, laying it out on a mesh grid and evenly distributing it over a vertical surface

Apply the cement mixture only in protective latex gloves, the dense structure of which will protect delicate skin from "corrosion".

When spreading the ready-made mixture on the grid, do not press hard, otherwise, when pressed, it will fall through the cells. To create strong walls, the solution is laid out in several layers, withstanding before applying each subsequent time interval of 5-8 hours. You shouldn't rush at this stage. The laborious process can take several days. If the plaster dries too quickly, wet the surface with water from a spray gun or a regular hose before applying each subsequent layer.

If the wire base begins to sag under the weight of the plaster mixture, support the walls with wooden blocks until the solution hardens.

Laying out each layer of plaster, and waiting until it acquires the necessary strength, you should use a plastering trowel to correct the unevenness of the surface.

After applying the last layer, it remains only to slightly level the walls of the cave, carefully cleaning out the defects, while trying to preserve its "natural" appearance

To protect the building from atmospheric precipitation and give it a more presentable appearance, coat the outer and inner walls with oil or water-based paint. Yes, you will have to work hard to create such a cave. But the result will fully justify this: there will be no limit to children's happiness. Little dreamers and young fans of elves will be happy to spend time in their new fabulous "home".

If you wish, you can even build several caves nearby, creating a small town for role-playing children with transformation into fairy-tale characters.

You will need

Plywood, woodworking tools, sheathing material, sound components, wires, lights, toys and accessories.

Instructions

First, you need to decide what kind of yours will be. In the city, it is quite difficult to do it, unless you have a bunk apartment. The best way to create a labyrinth is a country house or summer cottage. Think about where you want to place the future maze. This could be the basement of your home. This will give your labyrinth more mystery and mystery. You can also make a small labyrinth in which your children will play. Placing it under the second floor, you can watch from above as your child tries to find the only correct path.

Let's say that you have chosen the basement as a place for the future labyrinth. now is the time to think about the blueprint. This is one of the most important parts of building a maze. Labyrinths are of different types and complexity. It is best to have a rectangular or square maze in the house. Such a labyrinth is easy to build. Design a detailed maze on paper. You can take a ready-made scheme from any source, or you can use your own imagination. Remember that the maze must have only one correct exit. Also try not to do too complicated paths. After all, this is a little entertainment for your guests, not torture. After making the sketch, make an accurate dimensional drawing. The width should be sufficient for an adult to move quietly in it, but not very wide, so that it creates the impression of a closed space.

Now that the detailed drawing is ready, you can proceed directly to the preparation of the room. It is necessary to completely clean it of unnecessary items. Also examine the floor, walls and ceiling for unevenness. They need to be removed. Now you need to purchase the material from which you will make the corridors of the future labyrinth. It is best to use lightweight sheets and plywood. They are easy to process and do not take up much space. The material must be taken with a margin in case you spoil some of the blanks.

Make maze blanks from the purchased material. There will be a lot of them, so you should collect them as they are made, starting from the far wall. It is recommended to fasten the parts together with screws. Make sure that the bottom of the parts fit snugly against the floor and there are no small gaps through which light can penetrate. When all the blanks are installed, you need to think about the lighting. It all depends only on your imagination. It is best to place small lamps in different parts of the maze, but this must be done evenly so as not to highlight the correct exit path.

After installing the lighting, you need to take care of the external decoration. You can paint the walls of the labyrinth in some color or imitate the surface of oak boards. But it is best to sheathe the walls of the labyrinth with fabric, such as velvet-like material. Also consider accessories. Set up stylized toys with mysterious dim lighting. Bats with glowing eyes will look beautiful. You can also hang portraits of magicians or sorcerers, slightly highlighting them. It will be very realistic if you add soundtrack to everything else. To do this, install multiple speakers on the ceiling. To do this, use round speakers.

You can also equip your labyrinth with a video tracking system, then you will be able to follow all the movements of the guest. Don't forget about the correct exit route as well. It needs to be highlighted somehow. It is best to use light signals. For example, lay an LED strip in the middle of all corridors. On the right path, lay the tape in green, and on the wrong one, red. Bring out the connection of tapes to one button or remote control, now, when the button is pressed, a lost person will easily find a way out.

Today there is a "tape maze" in almost every large city. What is this attraction? If you believe the advertising promises, then this is a real source of positive for children and adults. We will try to figure out who will like this attraction.

Labyrinth of ribbons - a portal to another dimension

When we use the word "labyrinth", we usually imagine a narrow corridor with many turns, forks and dead ends. Finding a way out of such a space is not always easy. Especially sensitive people, while traveling through the classic labyrinths, often even experience bouts of claustrophobia. The tape maze looks quite different. In fact, this is an ordinary room, large or medium. The entire space in it from ceiling to floor is hung with multi-colored textile ribbons. It is enough to take the first step into such a maze, and you completely lose the sense of time and space.

There is a widespread legend according to which the world's first tape labyrinth was created in the image of the Mobius strip. The idea of this attraction is to immerse visitors in a space without beginning or end, creating a psychological effect of weightlessness.

"Tape labyrinth": photo and description

The labyrinth of ribbons is somewhat similar to a children's kaleidoscope. All textile elements are bright and positive. Even a short stay in such an environment cheers up and has a positive effect on a person. During the passage of such an attraction, visitors of all ages experience genuine surprise and delight.

Children love labyrinths made of ribbons. Textile elements can be touched with your hands, and the search for a way out is able to occupy and concentrate even the most restless child. Adults, having fallen into the tape labyrinth, get an amazing opportunity to return to childhood. Here you can laugh heartily and take bright and very unusual photos for memory. Try on ribbons as a wig, peek out from behind bright stripes - these pictures will be the highlight of your album. Some visitors to the attraction shoot a video during the passage of the maze and then proudly show it to their friends.

This wooden maze mockup is well suited to gain experience and the necessary woodworking skills for those who are just starting their carpentry journey. In terms of use: a homemade board game can turn out from a model if you have a couple of cubes and a desire to decorate the workpiece.

Materials:

Graph paper
Copy paper
MDF 0.9 cm thick, with sides 22 cm by 28 cm
Wooden strips 0.6 cm thick
Duct tape
Pencil and ruler
Small steel ball
Jigsaw
Sanding boards or 120 grit sandpaper

Step 1: design

Since we are just getting started, it is better to draw a labyrinth in a simple style, without complex turns and partitions. With experience and practice, you can complicate the task by adding complex paths with many forks in the layout design.

Making a sketch.

Step 2: details

We draw the walls of the labyrinth together with the holes for the ball.

Step 3: Transfer

Using graph paper, we transfer the drawing of the labyrinth to MDF. Instead of circles, mark the holes.

Step 4: the walls

We measure all the walls and use a table saw to cut out wooden strips with a margin (for the next step). Plywood works well for this.

Step 5: cutouts

We cut long strips into smaller pieces according to the size of the walls.

It is important to learn how to use different types of saws here. You can use a band saw or a hand saw. And for some, it's better to start with a jigsaw.