How Our 2-Person PTSO Raised $10,000 with an Obstacle Course Fun Run

Our PTSO at Sonnesyn Elementary, New Hope, Minnesota, is made up of just two moms supporting 300 students and 100 staff—and we do a lot on a tight budget!

We recently held our school’s fun run with the goal of raising $10,000 to support field trips, community events, classroom supplies, technology upgrades, enrichment activities, school assemblies, and staff meals throughout the year. This year, we knew we needed to do something different to get attention (and participation) from our school’s families, so we thought...why not turn our fun run into an obstacle course? 

Below are a few obstacle course fun run tips and tricks that worked for us. Pro-tip: always test your obstacle course first! I learned the hard way after slipping on a poly spot during my “test run.” Only my pride was hurt! :)

@ptotoday A behind-the-scenes look at being PTSO president: testing out the obstacle course fun run track aaaand discovering a few slippery spots 😅 (tip- make sure your PTO has insurance!!). Sonnesyn Elementary PTSO in New Hope, Minnesota, is comprised of only 2 (yes…TWO 😮) board members—and they raised $10,000 through their obstacle course fun run!💥 Read how they did it at PTOtoday.com/trending #fyp #ptolife #ptopresident #ptomomsoftiktok #funrun ♬ original sound - PTO Today ✨School Family Media

Obstacle Course Fun Run Tips 

An online fundraising platform is an absolute must! Platforms automatically track donations, pledges, and participant progress, and dashboards let you see in real-time how close you are to your goal. Students can also easily share their unique fundraising link with friends and family.

Borrow a race arch and bibs from local race organizations or running shoe stores. Reach out to nearby run organizers or local specialty running shops. Many are happy to lend inflatable race arches, start/finish banners, and leftover bibs to support school events—especially if you recognize them with a thank-you sign or social media post. These small touches instantly make your event feel official and exciting for the kids.

Partner with businesses for bounce houses or prize donations. Local rental companies or family-owned businesses often offer discounts or donations for school events in exchange for promotional recognition.

Collaborate with your gym teacher to borrow supplies for fun obstacle course stations. We worked with our PE teacher to create several creative and active stations using existing gym equipment:

• Agility ladders for students to run through quickly
• Tunnels to crawl through (tip: place gym mats underneath to make crawling on the track more comfortable)
• Hurdles for jumping challenges
• Tires to hop in and out of for balance and coordination
• "The Floor is Lava” station made from colorful poly spots for kids to jump across without “touching the lava”

Each station encouraged teamwork, laughter, and a variety of movement! 

Use old yard signs covered in bright paper for motivational signage. Recycle old yard signs by covering them with neon poster board and write fun, encouraging messages like “Run Fast!”, “Keep Going!”, or “Slow Motion Zone!” These colorful signs bring humor and energy to the course while helping younger kids know where to go next.

Add a dance break station halfway around the track. If your track is large, a mid-race “dance break” gives students a fun breather. We created a K-Pop Dance Station with a Bluetooth speaker, upbeat music, and our school mascot dancing along. The kids loved it and it turned into a highlight of the day! Consider rotating music genres or ask teachers to take turns DJing (students love this!).

Use chalk to create interactive mini-games on the track. Decorate sections with chalk drawings for mini-activities such as:

• “Pop the bubbles” (kids jump and clap above bubble drawings)
• Hopscotch sequences
• “Stomp like a dinosaur” footprints to follow

Use yard signs to mark each mini-station clearly. Running alongside the students with a megaphone added excitement and helped guide our younger grades through each activity.

Use washable Crayola markers to tally laps. Each time a student completes a lap, mark their hand with a washable marker in a different color. It’s simple, quick, and a huge hit with kids—plus it gives them a visual sense of accomplishment.

Add mascots for more energy and engagement. Mascots bring instant excitement! We’re in Minnesota, so we had a Minnesota Vikings mascot join the fun. The kids loved stopping mid-lap to do the SKOL chant before continuing their race. If available, invite local sports teams, police/fire mascots, or even high school mascots to participate.

Place bubble machines at the start and finish lines. Set up bubble machines (we used two from Amazon) so students begin and end their laps running through streams of bubbles. It adds a whimsical, celebratory touch that kids absolutely adore—especially for photos and videos! 

P.S. Planning an obstacle course or fun run this year? Just like testing the track can help you catch those slippery spots before the big day, having the right insurance gives your PTO/A a safety net when the unexpected pops up. PTO Today Insurance makes it easy—it’s the most affordable and comprehensive coverage for parent groups, with packages that fit whatever your group has planned and 25+ years of experience helping schools run great events. New customers get $50 off PTO Today Insurance from November 24 – December 8, 2025 with promo code THANKS25 🎉 Learn more