Using the Hula Hoop for Indoor Activities
By Teri Roberts, DPT, PCS
AZOPT Kids Place Owner and Pediatric Physical Therapist
As a pediatric physical therapist, I am always looking for inexpensive and fun, yet safe activities to perform 
indoors. One that I would like to share is playing with a basic hula-hoop. Of course, your 2-5 year old is not ready to play hula hoop in the conventional manner, but there are many ideas that would be fun and safe for the indoors:
- Jump in and out of the hula hoop.
- Walk around the outside of the hula hoop to the left and right, facing inward and outward.
- Spin inside the hula hoop and try not to fall.
- Make the hula hoop into a basketball hoop, leaving it on the ground or placing it on 2 chairs.
Then, have your children throw balled up socks into the center. - Hold the hula hoop like a tunnel and your child can crawl through. You can raise it up and have them bear walk for more difficulty.
- Stand inside the hula hoop and play catch with a balloon or a scarf. Encourage them not to leave the hula hoop, reaching outside their base of support to catch or grab the object.
As your child plays with a new object, I am sure they will create another 10 ways to play. Toddlers can be extremely creative!
