Hula-Hoop Activities for Teaching Math, Science and Physical Development

Despite the high tech entertainment consoles of today, the fact remains that real time sports are an integral part of growing up.  So, to motivate children to breath some fresh air, here are a few ideas from simple hula-hoop games which are easy and encourage children to participate in indoor/outdoor activities.  The best part about hula-hoop games is that the equipment is cheap and you can find hula-hoops at dollar stores.  So, here are some interesting hula-hoop games for preschoolers and children.

HULA HOOP RELAY for Math
For this race, you’ll need teams with the same number of players with one hula-hoop for each team.  Start by establishing a course–a straight line to a goal (like a chair or trash can, for instance) and back, or create a slalom-type trail around obstacles.  When the race begins, the first player from each team rolls the team’s hoop (using his hand or a stick) along the entire course before returning to the starting line and passing the hoop to the next player.  The race continues until all of the players on one team complete the course.

With math, you can count the number of hand pushes it takes for each child to make the course and then add up the total team effort to see who has the least number of pushes to complete the relay.

SOCCER BOWL for Math and Physical Development
Set up 10 empty soda cans or plastic bottles in a triangle or circle.  Each child gets three tries to knock down as many “pins” as possible by kicking an inflated ball at them from 10 feet away.  If all the “pins” fall before the third turn, the child gets one more kick to add to the total score.

BALANCING ACT for Science
The goal of this game is to have pairs perform jointly by balancing the hoop using a specified part of the body.  For example, one set of partners may try to balance the hoop using only their knees or their shoulders.  If they succeed, the other pair must follow suit or be eliminated.