Make Your Own Play Equipment

Children need a variety of experiences,activities,equipment,  practice and master motor skills. They need time to play, time alone, with friends and other activities. They need space to play in. It must be safe and challenging. Children need play equipment. There should be different play equipment to play with and they need to be allowed to make choices.

Here are some Do It Yourself or homemade materials  to supplement play equipment at your classroom and some activities along with it.

Bean Bags-  Cut 4 inches off the toe of an old pair of socks. With the top securely stitched, stuff the toe with beans. Fill it with styrofoam packing for younger kids so that it won't hurt them if they are hit with it. 

How to play with Bean Bags?

1. Throw it alone Toss it from left to right on your hand with a music.
2.  Play catch in a circle with a friend.
3.  Play relays.
4.  Throw it at a target, or toss it into a box.

Wands-  Attach a straw or a stick with a yard of ribbon or crepe paper.

 courtesy   cutefetti

How to play with Wands?:

1. With your right hand, throw your wand up into the air.
2. Catch it above your head, and spin around while dancing with it to the music.

Bowling Pins- Recycle your plastic soda bottle waste. You can wrap them with colored paper and decorate them. Place them in a triangle and allow the kids to take turns kicking a ball or bean bag at them to bring them down.

Balance Beam- Put a piece of masking tape on the floor or place a 2"X4" board directly on the floor.

How to play with a Balance Beam?:

1. Walk forwards,backwards,sideways
2. Create obstacle course activity with balance beam
3. Pretend games like its a bridge or boat.

Balls- Wad up some newspaper. You may make a secure and affordable ball by completely wrapping it in masking tape. (Older kids can make these themselves)

Frisbies- Styrofoam paper plates can be colored and then thrown as frisbies.

How to play with Frisbies:

1. Play catch or see who can throw theirs the farthest.

How to play with Balloons?

1. Who can keep their balloons in the air the longest? 
2. Kick it, toss it, play catch with it.
3. Play balloon relay
4. Play balloon volleyball.

How to play with Chalk?

1. Use chalk on pavement to make hop scotch, an obstacle course, roads for riding toys or a balance beam

Blanket Toss- An old sheet or blanket is almost as good as a parachute for tossing balls and playing games.

How to play with blanket toss?

1. Raise the blanket upwards within a group while holding the edge of it on the count of three. It ought to start to rise like a huge "mushroom" as it fills with air.

2. Together, each group throws the ball from its own Blanket into the other group's. The teams in turn toss the ball. To effectively use the blanket toss to capture the ball is the goal of the game. The other team wins if one team is unable to capture the ball.