Best Colour Fun Run Obstacle Ideas

A colour fun run is one of the easiest, most exciting ways to bring your school or community together — and the right obstacles can turn a simple course into a full-blown, unforgettable experience. Whether you’re organising a school colour fun run, a charity fundraiser, or a community celebration, choosing the right colour fun run obstacles can keep participants energised, engaged, and eager to come back next year.

Below, you’ll find the best obstacle ideas, including DIY options, inflatables, colour-powder zones, and new sustainability-friendly ideas using eco-friendly Holi powder, biodegradable colour powder, and tips for hosting a sustainable Holi celebration.

Use this guide to plan a fun, safe, and crowd-pleasing fun run course suitable for schools, P&Cs, sports clubs, and community groups across Australia.

 

What Makes a Great Colour Fun Run?

A great colour fun run blends:

• Visually exciting stations
• Safe but adventurous obstacles
• Smooth traffic flow
• Clear start and finish lines
• Easy-to-run setups for volunteers
• Options for all ages and fitness levels

Participants don’t need to be athletes. They just need a course packed with fun run obstacle ideas that encourage laughter, teamwork, and physical activity.

 

The Best Colour Fun Run Obstacles

Below is the updated list of the best obstacle ideas to include in your school colour fun run or community event. Each obstacle is easy to add, highly engaging, and designed to work with any course layout.

1. Slime Blaster Stations

Few things light up a fun run course like slime. Volunteers armed with water blasters spray colourful, non-toxic slime as participants run past. The effect is dramatic, messy, and always a crowd favourite.

Why it works

• High-energy visual impact
• Creates anticipation at every lap
• Pairs perfectly with colour powder zones

2. Cargo Net Crawl

A classic colour fun run obstacle that works for any age group. Use a large cargo net stretched low to the ground to encourage a challenging but achievable crawl. Add soft mats underneath for extra comfort and safety.

Keyword note: This obstacle fits perfectly within a “run obstacle” or “DIY obstacle course” setup.

3. Slime or Mud Crawl Pool

A shallow pool, filled with instant slime or safe instant mud, covered with rope or flagging tape, creates a thrilling crawl-under moment. Kids love the mess; parents love the photo opportunities.

To create a slime pit, place it before a colour powder station for maximum impact.

4. Foam Tunnels

Turn your course into a wonderland with a high-output foam machine and a simple tunnel structure. This creates a visually stunning moment where participants disappear into a cloud of bubbles and re-emerge laughing.

Foam tunnels are excellent for fun run traffic flow because they move participants through at a steady pace.

5. Bubble Machine Zone

A bubble machine transforms a straight run section into a playful, slow-motion moment. Participants move through a plume of floating bubbles — simple, cost-effective, and always memorable.

6. Car Tyres or Tire Obstacles

If you can source used car tyres, space them in straight lines or zig-zags to create a stepping challenge.

Suitable alternatives:

• Hula hoops
• Pool rings
• Agility stepping ladders

These colour fun run obstacles build balance and coordination — great for students’ gross motor skills during a school fun run.

7. Rainbow Noodle Tent

Create a colourful tunnel using a pop-up marquee and hanging pool noodles. For added excitement, install a spray hose along the top so participants run through a light splash before continuing the course.

Perfect for a rainbow-themed colour run or slime run.

8. Colour Powder Stations

No colour fun run is complete without colour powder. Volunteers throw powder as runners move through, creating a full-spectrum burst of colour.

For sustainability, choose:

• Eco-friendly Holi powder
• Biodegradable colour powder
  Both options reduce environmental impact while still producing vibrant colour effects.

Internal link opportunity: Link to your Colour Powder Shop here.

9. Barricades, Balance Beams & Solid Tunnels

DIY enthusiasts can build:

• Wooden barricades
• A-frame structures
• Crawl-under tunnels
• Simple balance beams

These give your fun run course a traditional obstacle-course feel and offer safe but exciting challenges for participants.

10. Agility Ladders and Hula Hoops

Scatter agility ladders and hoops to create stepping sequences, short sprints, and light footwork challenges. These are inexpensive and perfect for boosting physical activity on the day.

 

Inflatable Obstacle Course Ideas

Inflatables instantly elevate the energy of your colour fun run obstacles and are excellent for managing fun run traffic because they allow multiple lanes, quick movement, and exciting visuals.

11. Inflatable Start and Finish Arches

Mark your start and finish lines with large inflatable arches. They create a professional feel and provide photo opportunities that participants and parents love.

12. Inflatable Obstacle Courses

Consider adding:

• A 20m inflatable obstacle course
• A tall slide inflatable
• Inflatable beams
• Multi-lane racers

These create a perfect obstacle course moment and keep participants bouncing from one challenge to the next.

13. Big Balls Assault Obstacle Course

Inspired by classic game shows, this inflatable challenges participants to step, hop, or roll across big inflatable balls. It’s one of the best fun run obstacles for groups and encourages friendly competition.

14. Mega Slip and Slides

For warm-weather events, an inflatable flat slide or hill-slide offers a fast, splashy burst of fun.

Upgrade ideas:

• Add instant slime
• Use instant mud
• End in a shallow pool
• Run two lanes for epic races

15. Climbing Wall and Dry Slides

These are ideal early-course obstacles: simple, quick to complete, and confidence-building. They help maintain momentum while adding a sense of accomplishment.

16. 15m Assault Obstacle Course with Pools Attached

Perfect for schools or large community events, this inflatable features:

• Multiple lanes
• Pools are attached at the end
• Varied obstacle elements
• Space for two runners at once

Add instant mud or slime to maximise the fun.

 

Sustainable Colour Fun Run Obstacle Ideas

More schools and community groups are choosing environmentally conscious fun run setups. Adding sustainable materials, reusable props, and eco-safe powders helps reduce waste while keeping the event bright, fun, and memorable. The ideas below show how to build an eco-focused fun run that still delivers colour, excitement, and crowd-pleasing photos.

 

Eco-Friendly Colour Powder Options

Whether it's outdoor or indoor obstacle courses, using eco-friendly Holi powder or biodegradable colour powder minimises environmental impact. These powders break down naturally and are suitable for parks, ovals, and outdoor school grounds.

Great sustainability additions:

• Powder-free zones to reduce mess
• Refillable bottle stations instead of single-use items
• Reusing hula hoops, tunnels, and agility ladders across multiple years

 

How to Use Eco-Friendly Holi Powder Within Your Fun Run Course

Eco-friendly powder works perfectly in:

• Colour-throw tunnels
• Volunteer throw stations
• Finish-line colour bursts
• Slime-to-colour transitions
• Rainbow-themed zones

Place eco-friendly powder stations after high-energy obstacles such as foam tunnels or slime pits for maximum visual effect.

Colour Stations Featuring Biodegradable Colour Powder

If your school prioritises sustainability, choosing biodegradable colour powder for your colour stations is an excellent upgrade. This powder naturally breaks down with rain and can even be swept into garden beds after the event.

How to Set Up a Biodegradable Colour Powder Zone

1. Use refillable tubs instead of single-use packets
2. Space volunteers on both sides of the fun run course
3. Throw powder upwards for a safe, photogenic cloud
4. Add flags or arches to clearly mark the station

These stations pair beautifully with simple obstacles like agility ladders, stepping stones, or marquee tunnels to create a controlled, colourful moment with minimal cleanup.

How to Host a Sustainable Holi Celebration Within a Fun Run

Here are a few helpful tips for planning an event themed around colour and cultural celebration:

• Use only plant-based powders
• Avoid water-waste heavy obstacles unless necessary
• Reuse marquees, cones, and signage
• Keep obstacles simple and recyclable

This maintains the fun while supporting a sustainable Holi celebration.

 

Tips for Managing Traffic on Obstacle Courses

With many participants and challenging obstacles, smooth traffic flow is essential. Here’s how to keep everything moving.

Choose the Right Location

Use large, open outdoor spaces. Measure carefully to determine how many inflatables can fit safely.

Use Multi-Lane Inflatables

Adding multiple lanes reduces bottlenecks and speeds up the course.

Clearly Mark the Direction of the Course

Use ropes, signs, or barricades to create a clean, straight line from start to finish.

Station Marshals at Key Access Points

Volunteers help maintain safety, provide safety instructions, and guide groups through obstacles.

Use a Megaphone

Clear communication ensures safety and helps coordinate waves or groups arriving at each obstacle.

 

Plan Your School Colour Fun Run

From slime stations and foam tunnels to inflatables and DIY builds, the right obstacles can transform your fun run event into a vibrant, memorable experience.

To stock up on colour powder, accessories, foam machines, or DIY event supplies, explore Holi Colour Powder’s full range and start planning your best fun run yet.