Opening gifts on Christmas morning or your birthday is something special and thrilling. It is the culmination of the anticipation of knowing you will receive toys you’ve wanted for so long. You imagine yourself opening a gift, peeling open the paper, and tearing at the box filled with pure excitement and the rush of finally holding it in your hands. Then, you picture all your adventures and activities with it- it’s endless! Truth be told, that is our team here at Pivot to Play®. We have a passion for play, we love new equipment we can experiment with, and Play with a Purpose gives us all the toys we can dream of!

From their DuraHoops to Rainbow Spot Markers, we have boundless fun with our school-aged friends. Their equipment is durable, reliable, and guaranteed.  However, when Play with a Purpose creates all new equipment and asks us to play with it, we’re like big kids on Christmas morning. We genuinely cannot wait to receive the packages of goodies awaiting our eager faces and enthusiastic ideas. When the boxes arrive, our team will spend hours together, creative juices flowing through our veins, envisioning everything that can be done with such high-quality equipment. Even more- we get to share it with all of you! (Keep reading to get the scoop). 

Last year Play With a Purpose sent us Hop Along Bouncers, Kanga Sacks, and Mini Durahoops.  Read about the games we came up with for that equipment here and here.

This year they sent us the Rainbow Ring Race Set and the Little Movers Game Net. Read on to find out the amazing fun we got out of these treasures!

Carpet Curling (Ages 2-7)

This game is best played inside, on a low pile carpet. You will need lots of space! That way, every child has plenty of room to space out, move around, and have a terrific aerobic workout. This game also strengthens their eye-hand coordination, gross motor skills, and grip strength.

Equipment:

  • Rainbow Rings from the Rainbow Ring Race Set, 1 ring per child, plus extra
  • A pool noodle that has been cut in half, 1 per child
  • Upbeat music, especially a class favorite!

How To: 

  • Give each child one Rainbow Ring and one noodle.
  • Demonstrate how they will use the noodle to push the Rainbow Ring around the space, keeping it on the ground at all times.
  • Have children spread out and begin!

Change Up:

  • Add upbeat music, such as a class favorite. You can have them freeze when the music stops to practice their attention skills.
  • Put out extra rings and every few minutes, have children choose a new, different color until they’ve pushed every color.
  • For younger children still working on grip and upper body strength, start on hard wood or laminate floor.

“DONUT” Skip Stones (ages 2-10)

This game is incredibly versatile, and challenges can be added depending on the age and skills of children. Not only will children learn how to be patient and take turns, but they will also strengthen their balancing skills and core strength as well as visual motor integration with eye-foot coordination, and depth perception.

Equipment:

  • Rainbow Rings from the Rainbow Ring Race Set, 10-20

How To:

  • Create a line on the floor with the rings.  Rings should be lying on their side and touching for younger children, spread out a little less than a stride length apart for older children.  Have children walk, arms out, on each “stone.” Ensure they’re placing their whole foot down.

Change Up:

  • Practice colors by having children scream them out. (plus it’s fun!)
  • For older children, challenge them to walk sideways and backwards. 
  • For older children, turn random rings on their side so they have to step over them.

Team Net Ball (Elementary)

The best part about this game? It can be played both inside and outside! It’s incredibly simple and focuses on team-building skills. Students can practice working together and communicating with their peers effectively, which is vital throughout their development.

Equipment:

  • Little Mover Net
  • Playground balls, 2
  • Rainbow Spot Markers, 4

How To:

  • Place spot markers on either side of the net. About 3-4 feet away from the net and towards the outside of the net.
  • Divide the children into four evenly divided groups. 
  • Have the groups line up behind the spots, facing each other.  The groups facing each other make up a team.
  • Player 1 on each team has a playground ball, which they bounce in front of the net to their teammate on the other side. 
  • The teammate on the other side of the net must catch the ball before it bounces.
  • Player 1 goes to the back of the line on their side, and the catcher repeats. (Bouncing the ball to the next player on the other side)
  • Teams will gain 1 point for each success!

Change Up:

  • For younger children, have them practice throwing balls over the net. 

Noodle Wheel Jumping (Ages 3-7)

This game is the perfect rainy day activity! Children will get those heart rates up while also honing in on their gross motor and hand-foot coordination skills. Plus, who wouldn’t enjoy this?  This is a challenge they will surely want to take on. 

Equipment:

  • Half of a pool noodle, 2
  • Rainbow Rings, 4
  • Rainbow Spot Marker, 2
  • Mat, 2

How To:

  • Place the mats on the floor about 4-5 feet apart. Place a spot marker at one end of each mat, about 2 feet from the mat. 
  • Put a ring on each end of a pool noodle to create a noodle wheel and put the noodle wheel on the end of each mat furthest from the spot marker.
  • Divide the children into two even groups and have each group line up behind a spot facing the mats.
  • Children will do this relay style: Player 1 will go to the end of the mat with the noodle wheel.
  • The next player steps onto the mat.
  • The player with the noodle wheel rolls it towards the player standing on the mat, who will then jump over the noodle wheel as it rolls towards them.
  • The jumper then takes the place of the roller, and the roller goes to the end of the line.
  • Repeat for the next players.

Change Up:

  • For 3-year-olds, adults will roll the Noodle Wheel.
  • JK and PK can play on the mat or a soft surface.
  •  K-1 can play in the grass.

Rainbow Ring Power Tag (JK-Elementary)

Tag is a classic, and there’s so much you can do with it, it’s insane! This game in particular was a real winner, and it sure does focus on an array of developmental skills. Think gross motor, social, visual awareness, and once again- teamwork. 

Equipment:

  • Rainbow Ring Tag Set
  • Rainbow Spot Markers (one of each color)

Directions:

  • Place two rainbow poles and domes together on one side of the play space.  The poles and stands must be the same color.
  • Across from the two poles and stands, and as far away as possible, place two Rainbow Spot Markers that are the same color as the poles.
  • Repeat this for the 4 other markers and pole sets. 
  • Scatter the Rainbow Rings around the play space, closer to the spots than the poles. 
  • Divide children into three teams, each team at each pair of spots.
  • Choose two children to go into the middle of the play space. They are the “taggers.”
  • In this relay game, each team is attempting to get the Rainbow Rings that match their markers and poles, sorted and stacked on the poles without getting tagged.
  • Any child who is tagged on the way to placing a ring on the matching pole has to put their ring down and go to the end of their line so the next player can go.
  • Children can only be tagged on the way to completing the task, not after they have completed it.
  • Each child only gets one try per turn.
  • Note:  when you have fewer taggers than the target, you have made puppy guarding less possible.

Rainbow Ring Frisbee (Elementary)

Frisbee isn’t just fun, it’s also a great challenge! This game really checks all of the boxes, especially strengthening the hand and wrist muscles. (which can improve handwriting skills) As well, children learn the idea of perseverance, which is a vital life skill!

Equipment:

  • Rainbow Rings, all
  • Rainbow Spot Markers, 3
  • Rainbow Dome Cones, about 24

Directions:

  • Place Rainbow Spot Markers at one end of the play space. They should be at least 3 feet apart.
  • Using the Rainbow Dome Cones, create a line parallel to the Rainbow Spot Markers that is about 5 to 6 feet away.
  • Place the Rainbow Rings, divided by color, at each marker, 2 colors at each marker.
  • Divide the children into three teams, each team lines up behind the Rainbow Spot Markers, facing the Play Space.
  • Choose 2-4 children to go to the center of the play space. Here, they will stand between the Rainbow Dome Cones and Rainbow Spot Markers. 

Love this equipment?  Get yours at Play With a Purpose!

(we do not receive any commissions on your purchase, we just love their equipment and want to share!)