| If you're concerned that your kids spend too much | | | | you can think of. Run the obstacle course like a road |
| time glued to a TV screen while playing video games, | | | | course with so and so many laps, or do time trials. |
| there are some fun alternatives that the whole family | | | | Make sure the RC cars used are able to handle the |
| can enjoy. I am talking about electric RC cars, those | | | | obstacles. |
| radio controlled toy cars that come in various sizes | | | | Stunt course: |
| and prices. My kids have a number of them and | | | | For some thrilling fun, build a stunt course! Mark the |
| probably get as much or more use out of them than | | | | course on a driveway or in a backyard and include |
| of their PlayStation. Here are some of the games we | | | | three or four stunts. Stunts can be ramps the cars |
| play with our radio control cars: | | | | must jump over, obstacles they must crash into or |
| Road course: | | | | punch out of the way, rollovers, drops, or any other |
| Here we are simulating a road-racing course for our | | | | daredevil challenge you can think of. Points are |
| remote control cars! Go to an empty parking lot or a | | | | awarded for successful stunts, and the driver with the |
| similar place where you have a slot of space to run | | | | most points wins! Warning: just like with real stunt |
| the cars. Outline a course using sidewalk chalk and | | | | driving, cars may get damaged. So pick sturdy, rugged |
| mark the curves with pylons, sneakers or anything else | | | | RC toy cars for this one. |
| that will stay put. Make the course interesting, but not | | | | RC Sumo: |
| overly complex (unless your kids are older and | | | | To RC Sumo, use sidewalk chalk to mark a circle with |
| appreciate a challenge). Make sure it includes a long | | | | a diameter of about six times the length of the cars |
| straight to let the cars run. Determine how many laps | | | | that will participate. Two cars play at a time, and the |
| the race will be. Then it's, "Gentlemen, start your | | | | challenge is to drive the opponent out of the ring. A |
| engines!" | | | | match is won as soon as two wheels of one of the |
| Obstacle course: | | | | cars are outside of the ring. Determine the winner in |
| This one is for older kids who have good hand/eye | | | | best-of-three or best-of-five challenges. For really wild |
| coordination. You don't need as much space for this | | | | action you can make the ring somewhat larger and |
| as you do for a road course; even a driveway will do. | | | | have four or more vehicles compete, with the last one |
| Again using sideway chalk, design a fairly challenging | | | | inside becoming the winner! |
| course with six to eight obstacles. Be creative with the | | | | There are, of course, many other games you can play |
| obstacles. They can be chicanes where the cars have | | | | with electric RC cars, but the above will get you going. |
| to slow down and negotiate several curves, they can | | | | My family loves the RC car challenges and I love |
| be gravel pits for the cars to go through, they can be | | | | thinking up new games and course for the kids to |
| bottlenecks that can only handle one car at a time, | | | | enjoy. |
| they can be ramps or steep inclines, or whatever else | | | | |