Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. I love using toys that you already have in different ways. That’s how I thought of this simple LEGO challenge: LEGO CROQUET or LEGO golf! Or DUPLO, to be more accurate.

The concept is easy to explain to your kids and they’ll have a great time building the course. A little STEM sneaks in, as the bridges should be wide and stable enough to let the ball pass (and bump).

Build arches and bridges, make a parcours and roll a ball through the openings. Let the kids figure out the pitfalls.. Easy, educational and fun! And mom can enjoy a cup of tea..

Remember croquet? We used to play in the back yard, when I was a kid. You use a mallet to hit a ball through hoops. It has even been an Olympic sport, did you know? So this activity officially qualifies as a sport!

A few days ago we were playing around with heavy silicone balls from my juggling kit. When the ball hit the box of lego I thought we could construct obstacles, or – even better – make a lego croquet game! We started to build arches and bridges that were wide and stable enough to let the ball pass through. The kids had so much fun! The day ended with race-after-race..

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[Psst, if you’re looking for more unplugged games, take a look at these games. I can especially recommend the play dough monster game and the monster marble game]

LEGO CROQUET

What do you need?

• Pile of Duplo or Lego pieces
• Balls or marbles
• Wooden spoons that function as mallets

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1. The idea is really simple. Sit down with the kids and explain that you need to make a number of porches. These porches should contain holes wide and high enough to let the ball pass through. They should also be stable and solid enough to withstand hits from the ball.

2. Place the arches on the floor, making a game course. Designate a START and FINISH.

3. Advance the balls from ‘start’ to ‘finish’ through the course by rolling (small kids) or hitting them (using wooden spoons) them through the arches. For the big kids: every time you hit an arch you get a penalty point.

The person to finish the course with the least amount of penalty points wins the game.

Variations on the LEGO CROQUET game

There are plenty of variations to toy with for this lego croquet game. Here are a few ideas:

• Vary ball size and weight: excellent for motor skills! Glass/plastic marbles, ping pong balls, tennis balls, et cetera.

• Complete the course by blowing through a straw to move small pompoms or ping pong balls around.

The lego croquet game works really well for play dates and Lego birthday parties: have each child make an arch and make a course using all designs. All kids can then have a go to finish the course.

I am surprised just how versatile lego and duplo can be. Besides constructing cities, zoos and imaginary vehicles, we just keep inventing games and activities. I’ll keep you posted!

You’ll find more LEGO activities here.

Have fun!

Love LEGO croquet? Find more LEGO or DUPLO activities here! For example, stamp cookie dough with LEGO pieces: let the kids explore & taste!

If you’re looking for more crafts and activities for kids, have a look here. There’s fall crafts, monster games, marble games, outdoor activities, and more! And my little shoppe stocks pretty printables that you can download and print yourself.

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