Toddler activities with a hula hoop
5 activities in the library use a hula hoop, for toddlers aged 18 to 36 months: 4 starting 18–23 months and 1 starting from 24 months. A hoop laid flat makes a target to throw into, an island to jump in and out of and a ring for circle games. Standing up, it becomes a tunnel to crawl through.
Updated
Hula hoop: 5 activities to try
Safety: Use it flat on even ground and hold it still if your child crawls through.
5 activities
- Hoop Bus Walk 18–28 months · 5–12 min · Indoors or out · Active Adult and child walk together inside a large hoop like a bus, stopping, starting and turning on spoken cues, practicing steady walking and listening for directions.
- Hoop Island In and Out 18–28 months · 5–12 min · Indoors or out · Active A hula hoop on the floor or grass becomes an island your toddler steps or jumps into and out of, linking 'in', 'out' and 'around' to whole-body moves.
- Throw into the Hoop 18–36 months · 5–12 min · Indoors or out · Active A hula hoop lies flat on the floor or grass and your child throws rolled socks and soft balls into it from a tape line, moving back as they succeed.
- Two-Hoop Nature Sort 20–32 months · 8–15 min · Outdoors · Active Outdoors, your toddler gathers big pinecones and leaves into a bucket, then sorts them into two hula hoops on the grass, one for each kind.
- Hoop Island Jump 24–34 months · 5–12 min · Indoors or out · Active The child stands beside a hoop laid flat and tries to jump in and out of it with both feet, building toward a two-footed jump.
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Hula Hoop at a glance
| Activities | 5 |
|---|---|
| Ages covered (corrected) | 18–36 months |
| Focus time | 5–15 minutes |
| Main domains | 3 gross motor and 2 early concepts |
| Where they happen | 4 indoors or outdoors and 1 outdoors |
| Quickest start | Hoop Bus Walk, 5–12 minutes |
Every activity with a hula hoop
Sorted by the first month each one fits (corrected age for children born early). Quick picks: to burn energy, Hoop Bus Walk; with no prep at all, Hoop Island In and Out.
| Activity | Ages | Minutes | Domain | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoop Bus Walk | 18–28 months | 5–12 | Gross motor | None |
| Hoop Island In and Out | 18–28 months | 5–12 | Early concepts | None |
| Throw into the Hoop | 18–36 months | 5–12 | Gross motor | 2 min |
| Two-Hoop Nature Sort | 20–32 months | 8–15 | Early concepts | None |
| Hoop Island Jump | 24–34 months | 5–12 | Gross motor | None |
How each activity uses a hula hoop
- Hoop Bus Walk (walking on their own, 5–12 minutes): Step inside the hoop behind the child; both of you hold it at their waist height.
- Hoop Island In and Out (spatial words, 5–12 minutes): Lay the hoop flat on grass or a rug with clear space all around it.
- Throw into the Hoop (throwing a ball, 5–12 minutes): Lay the hoop flat and put a tape line one big step away from it.
- Two-Hoop Nature Sort (sorting, 8–15 minutes): Lay two hoops on the grass, then walk together collecting leaves and big pinecones into the bucket.
- Hoop Island Jump (jumping, 5–12 minutes): Lay the hoop flat and stand beside it with the child.
By age
18–23 months: 4 activities, 5–15 minutes. From 24 months: 1 activity, 5–12 minutes.
Starting 18–23 months
Starting from 24 months
Words that come up
Across these activities you will model “go”, “stop”, “turn”, “all aboard”, “in”, “out”, “around”, “jump”, “throw”, “again”, “pinecone” and “leaf”. Say one at the moment it happens, then pause for your child's turn.
Safety with a hula hoop
- Use it flat on even ground and hold it still if your child crawls through.
- Remove any small beads or noisemakers inside some hoops if they could come out.
Prep tips
- Lay it flat as a clear target for throwing or jumping.
- Use two hoops for "in this one, now that one" games.
No hula hoop? Use instead
- A circle of painter's tape on the floor.
- A rope laid in a circle and put away afterward.
- A chalk circle outside.
Combine it with
A hula hoop is most often paired with bucket (1 activity), nature finds (1 activity) and painter's tape (1 activity). The skills practised most: spatial words (3), jumping (2) and balancing (1).
Often combined with
Skills practised
Frequently asked questions
What can a toddler do with a hula hoop?
5 activities here use it, for example Hoop Bus Walk (18–28 months), Hoop Island In and Out (18–28 months) and Throw into the Hoop (18–36 months).
Is a hula hoop safe for toddlers?
Use it only with an adult close by. Use it flat on even ground and hold it still if your child crawls through. Remove any small beads or noisemakers inside some hoops if they could come out.
What can I use instead of a hula hoop?
A circle of painter's tape on the floor, a rope laid in a circle and put away afterward or a chalk circle outside can stand in for most of these activities.
What ages are activities with a hula hoop for?
They cover 18–36 months of corrected age: 4 starting 18–23 months and 1 starting from 24 months.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.