Gifts That Promote Physical Activity
As you buy gifts for your student(s) for Christmas, birthdays or other holidays,
consider getting them gifts that will encourage physical activity. Here are some
examples of P.E. equipment we use at ALA Mesa Elementary School. The list
does include some specific brands, and links, but they are only examples
meant to show size and material. I am not affiliated with or endorsing any
of these companies or products.
Cup Stacking - Taught 1st Quarter
These are a really fun way to build dexterity and eye-hand coordination. You can
buy a set for $15 to $20. You will need 12 cups per person. Here is one example. You can find a wider selection on the Speed Stacks website.
Scoop Ball - Taught 1st Quarter and available at recess all year. Younger grades
especially love this game. Here is one example.
Bean Bags - Taught 1st Quarter for younger students. Here is one example.
Playground balls - Kickball taught 2nd Quarter, Four Square 2nd Quarter,
and Recess
Great for playing four square and kickball. Here is one option.
Frisbees - Taught 2nd Quarter and available at recess
Foam Frisbees- 8”: Pre-K through 3rd grade. Here is one option.
Hard plastic frisbees: 2nd through 6th grade. Here is one option.
Spin Jammer frisbees: 1st through 6th grade. Here is one option.
Basketball - Taught 2nd Quarter and available at recess.
Basketballs are easy to find at many discount and sporting goods stores. You
can get a decent one for $15 or less. Younger students may prefer a size 5,
older students a Size 6. Here is one option.
If you don’t have a basketball hoop at home but have room for one, consider
buying a used portable hoop on one of the local resale websites. I had 6 hoops
donated to our school that I found on Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp.
All were listed under $75 originally. Add a $4 net from
Walmart or Target, repaint the pole black, and the hoop could look new.
Football - Taught 1st Quarter and available at recess
Foam (nerf) footballs are a great option for anyone, especially for those
up to 2nd grade. Even the younger students can handle a ball that is
7” or 8” long. I bought a few 5” footballs that were too small, even
for Pre-K. Here is one option.
Leather football: Students enjoyed kicking a ball too. Here is a set that includes a kicking tee and pump. Also available at retailers like
Walmart and Target.
Hula Hoops - Taught 2nd Quarter and available at recess
These are always a hit. Most students up to 4th grade use a 32” diameter hoop at school. The older or larger students use our 36” hoops. You can get these in most toy departments. Some light up or glow. lots of options.
Most of the hoops sold online seem to be snap-together hoops.
I have no experience with those. Here is an example of a 32” hoop.
Field Hockey - Taught 2nd Quarter
We have several different sizes of hockey sticks. For grades K through 3rd,
the sticks are about 42” tall if you hold the main part of the stick perpendicular
to the ground. Older students use a stick that is 48” tall. You can buy several
different sets that come with a goal or two. Many sets have much shorter sticks
designed for knee hockey. If you want to play outside, you might want to shop
for longer sticks. If the stick has a wooden handle like ours do, you can simply
cut it down to the size you prefer, as I did with about 20 of our sticks.
Here is one example:
Jump Ropes - Taught 3rd Quarter
Jump Ropes are an excellent cardio exercise. I like ropes that have a set of
ball bearings in each handle to make the rope spin easier. Ropes can
usually be adjusted in length. The rope should come to the student’s arm
pits, (not counting the handle) if they are stepping on it with one foot.
Here is a good example. If you wish, your students can bring their jump rope to me
and I’ll adjust it to their size.
Long Jump Ropes - Taught 3rd Quarter
Long ropes need three people, so they are a fun family activity. A 16’ rope
is pretty standard. Here is one option.
Baseball - Taught 3rd Quarter
In PE we use Wiffle balls for the youngest students and progress to
tennis balls as the students get older.We use a standard rubber batting
tee for the youngest students, and coach pitch for the older students.
Baseball equipment can get very expensive. If you have a
beginning player, consider starting with a Wiffle ball set or a batting
tee. Here is one option for Pre-K. Here is a Baseball Tee for Pre-K
through 2nd. Here is an option for an older student.
Ankle Skip Ball - Taught 3rd Quarter with Jump Ropes
You might have played with one of these in grade school too.
They help teach balance and rhythm needed to learn to jump rope.
Here is one option.
Volleyball - Taught 3rd Quarter
Volleyball takes a fair amount of space. You can get a ball and just
practice bumps and sets in the backyard. Most students prefer a softer
volleyball. Here is one option. These are also readily available at
Walmart and Target. At our house, we also use a glow in the dark volleyball for parties. You might also ask your students how to
play NitroBall.
If you have space to put up a net, you can get a starter set with a
net for about $35. Here is one option.
Soccer - Taught 3rd Quarter
We use size 4 soccer balls for most of PE. Older students might
prefer a size 5. Here is one option. I bought one for my daughter
recently at Walmart. Target has them too.
Scooter Games - Taught 4th Quarter
You will need a big open space for these games, but a park or
playground will do. We play Hungry Hungry Hippos and other games
with these scooters. This four pack sets you up to play some games
and relays as a family. Try scooter soccer, scooter basketball and more!
Track and Field - Taught 4th Quarter
Track equipment is expensive. There are some great DIY options out there.
Here are a few ideas:
Hurdles: Make them out of PVC pipe and fittings. Search online for
instructions or email me for the design I created and use at ALA.
Shot Put: Actual shot puts are expensive. We use a full size softball
to learn how to throw. Here is the smallest actual shot put I could find.
Will require parental supervision.
Sprints: For sprinting, a simple stop watch or stopwatch app helps
students improve their time.
Long Jump: In class we practice standing long jump. The floor tiles
in the gym are 12” wide. I have thestudents practice putting their toes
on a line and see how many squares they can jump. At home,
you can measure floor tiles to find out their size, or use chalk to
measure out some target lines.
Relay Races: Batons are really cool. Here is an inexpensive item some students would be proud to get their friends involved with.
Discus: You’ll need a large area and some supervision for this one.
Here is an example.
Summer and Spring Break Fun
Students loved the water balloon toss at Field Day. Here is a link to the
balloons we used.
Other gift ideas
Skateboards: I still love to ride a skateboard. Here is one option: If you want to ride with them, here is a board that is the same brand and size as the one I ride every day. Mine is a
36” board. An older student might like a nice 28” board like this one.
Bikes: I bought my daily-rider mountain bike on Marketplace for $75.
There are some great options out there every single day. Walmart and
Target both have bike sections.
Helmets: Please consider providing your students with a bike helmet
if they ride a bike or scooter. After one of my many skateboard crashes,
I started wearing a helmet every day to set an example.
Let’s see if we can increase the number of helmets worn by those who ride.
Please let me know if this list was helpful. For specific questions,
feel free to email me.
Coach Danny Kirkham
Physical Education Teacher
ALA Mesa Elementary School
ALA Radiance Elementary School
dkirkham@alaschools.org
