How to build Ninja Warrior Course for kids: Monkey Bars & Cargo Net 

Moira Jones Thank you so much for the wonderful note! I am a teacher by trade, so it’s always great to know that instruction I put out is helpful. I have a pegboard video for this as a follow up already on my channel. I also have a video about bars that I’m editing for posting soon. I hope your daughter enjoys it as much as my son has!

So glad it was helpful! Hope your little ninjas enjoy it as much as mine have.

Thanks for the comment. Good luck!

Mindy Jorgenson thank you for the kind comments. Be on the lookout, as soon as our weather clears up, we’ll be posting a pipe-based rings course for it.

Thanks! Glad it's helpful! I've got a couple others on my page and will be posting a metal pipe rings course soon, so check back and see what we come up with that may be helpful.

Thanks Joseph! Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for subscribing. As soon as our weather dries up, I'll be posting another video build on building a rings course.

I just use Sketchup. It's easy and free.

Thank you for the comment! I'm so happy this helped!! Best of luck in your build.

Glad you enjoyed it. Good luck!

Couple quick questions, what length did you make the horizontal ground supports? Secondly, what did you use for the ladder rungs?

@@kellyparikh2222 I think the horizontal supports are 8'. I used extra monkey bar rungs on one side for steps and I just used 2x4's cut to length on the other side.

So glad it helped! That's why I do this. It's so great to hear your feedback.

Excellent! Hope your little ones have as much fun on it as mine!

Do you guys have a material list by any chance?

I have mostly grey clay here, so no concrete needed. I would recommend concrete if you have a looser soil. I'd go with the Quickete quick dry.

Thanks buddy, I appreciate it!

It's been several years and the link isn't available on Amazon any more. There are several good options out there on Amazon if you just search "cargo net".

Thanks for the comment. The 18" worked really well. I was a little worried, but it's been there for 3 years now and is just as strong as the day it was built. If you're only going 6-8", I'd recommend a strong lateral anchor because if your kids are anything like mine, it will eventually be used for swinging/jumping from rung to rung. As for the through-bolt, I was going for strength. I know an eye-screw would work well, but I tend to overbuild. With the lateral stress on the bolts from time to time, I wanted something that wasn't just reliant on the screw threads biting into the wood fibers for strength. The through-bolt places the stress throughout the beam rather than just localized to the fibers. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the quick response. I plan to add some diagonal supports as well to help stabilize the vertical beams and keep them from rocking. Will probably end up with 8 ground anchors (2 in each corner) as well.

Thanks for the comment Barbara. I got the bars on Amazon. Their weight limit is 300#. www.amazon.com/Jungle-Gym-Kingdom-Playground-Accessories/dp/B01CZM2OAO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506271581&sr=8-3&keywords=Monkey+bars If you've got any suggestion on what else you'd like to see us work on, please let me know and I'll get some videos up. I've got another video on pegboards if you're interested. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5VgSCvw7FfI.html

I know a lot of people like the Fong brand because they are web-style. We got a rope-style like the Aonkey brand. My son likes it, but it stretches. I think the web-style stretches less.

@@TXSuburbanHomestead thanks. I was looking at those

I made each complete side (2 legs and top connecting them), measured the distance, and dug the holes. They're all 2 feet deep. I was worried at first, but with all 4, it's been sturdy and are still standing strong 4 years later. I thought about having the posts buried 1st then puttingthe horizontal post on, and that may be a good option if you don't have help .

I'd probably go with the 6x6 for adults on the vertical members. The 4-by would probably work on the horizontal components for adults. It really all depends on span. For most adults, the 4-by is plenty strong.

Good luck on the build. Hope this helps. If you have any issues, the best way to reach me is through RU-vid. I get the auto-notification when someone comments.

TXSuburbanHomestead Hi again, I actually haven’t a chance to do this, though I do have all the materials. Some new responsibilities and weather set me back a bit 😀 I wanted to ask though, what was the order in which you assembled? My concern is having everything aligning well enough to not be off once I get the posts in the ground.

@@richfyhr2279 I would strongly recommend working from the ground up. I'd start with laying out your holes/footings, setting your posts, and then measure and cut your horizontal members. If you make your frame first, there's more of a chance of mismeasuring your footings and having an issue of setting your posts. Good Luck!

Daniel Lugo sorry for the delay. It’s been awhile, so the exact one we got isn’t available, but the “Climbing Cargo Net” sold by Playkids seems like a good substitute. I’ work on getting the link up today.

TXSuburbanHomestead awesome! Thank you man, you rock!! I found it in amazon

I have a set of post hole diggers, but that isn't needed. You can just dig a hole with a shovel. I've got a lot of grey clay soil, so it holds itself. If you have loose or sandy soil, you may need to put it in deeper or you might need to set it in concrete.

@@TXSuburbanHomestead Thanks for quick response. I believe I have the same grey clay soil (North Texas / FWT).

Michelle Tittle The basic design, yes. If I were building this for adults, there are a few changes I would make. I would sink the posts at least 2 feet deep and put them in concrete. I would also get wider bars. This is pretty narrow for an adult the few times I’ve tried it with my son. Those times I’ve done it, it has held me with ease. I’d also recommend a bit longer vertical posts so it’s a bit higher off the ground. Good luck. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching.

Michelle Tittle shstauys s

This was with Sketchup.

In all, the lumber was about $75 at my local lumber yard. The monkey bars were about $25 and the net was about $25. The connections were about $10. In all, I'm in it about $135.

I don't think they sell this exact one anymore because I can't seem to find it, but this one is a pretty good substitute. amzn.to/3LdDbnV Mine is about this 8'x4' size and it works well. You could get one that's 10' or 12' x 4' if you want more slack.

I believe ther were on the "Swing and Slide" Amazin store. Just metal monkey bars

We got it for that about 4 years ago when we originally built it. With the rise in popularity of Ninja Warrior, I've seen the price rise on rungs and nets as well.

If anyone else has built, please let me know. I am thinking of getting these rungs....www.amazon.com/CREATIVE-CEDAR-DESIGNS-Monkey-Bars/dp/B01MSDQZ3I/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=monkey+bar+rings&qid=1572249751&sr=8-7

The ones I got were 21.5" or about 54.5cm.

@@davidseaton7339 smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028AED1M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks Chief. Have discovered a steel pipe fabrication place in my neighbourhood that sells them. Going to try and make it next week. You’re a legend!

Thank you! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NM_ekIl3MT8.html

Robert Abel Because a lap joint is the most basic joints in joinery. It makes a very strong joint when you secure through it. If you were to try something like you suggest, you would have to use lag bolts into the end grain of the vertical members. Anytime you secure into the end grain of wood, it isn’t very strong. It will have a tendency to either work its way out or have significant tear out.

You're right. The lesson learned there was that it used to be more stretched out when I first built it. Use and environment cause it to sag pretty severely.

o ,hmm maybe u can enforce it a lil more make a tunnel that leads up to a platform with monkey bars and put some rubber peices for saftey so he dont fall or anything

and maybe change the cargo net with like a more stronger rope and u should add the warped wall