I run a little P.E program for our homeschool group. Over the two years I have done this there are a few pieces of equipment that have surprised me with their usefulness. One piece of equipment is the Hula Hoop. It has been around for a while, I remember playing with it when I was a kid. There are so many more uses for it than you realize. Let me list a few, then go out and get a couple or a dozen Hula Hoops and have some fun!
The Hula Hoop is a great place marker for large groups of kids. When playing Duck Duck Goose the hoop can mark the circle and end disputes about weather someone got back to their place or not. The hoop is also great as a place marker in "Steal the Bacon". The hoop can be used for any circle game.
The Hoop is also great for Obstacle Courses.
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| Use only one leg or hop through the hoops with both. |
Hoop Toss is another great game, you will need a large cone or T-ball stand for this one. The kids stand a distance away and fling the hoop onto the cone.
Hoop Tag might be one of my kids favorite uses for this humble Hula Hoop. To play hoop tag you need a large grass field/park to run around in. Stagger the hoops around in the grass and pick someone to be "it" they will run around trying to tag the other kids, those in the hoops are safe. You can only stay in the hoops for 5 seconds though. To make the game more entertaining start taking the hoops away one by one until there is only one left. When the kids are tagged they are frozen and can be unfrozen when another player crawls under their legs. When all the players are frozen the game is over.
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| Hoop Tag |
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| Hula with your arms! |
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| Jump through! |