All the games require 1 or more hula hoops to play. If any other items are needed to play the game they are listed in italics under the title of the game.
5 Hoops
Bean bags
Players try to throw 5 bean bags into targets - one in each target.
Lay out the hoops on the ground in a straight line going away from the
pitching line. Players stand on the pitching line and throw the
bean bags to try and place one bean bag in each of the hoop targets.
For older players and more of a challenge place the targets 1 to 3 feet
apart.
Circle Run
Bean bags - 3 for each player
Set up hula hoops in a large circle - one hoop for each player.
The more players the more fun! Players place their bean bags on
the ground inside their hoop.
On "go" all players have to run on the outside of the circle of hoops to another players hoop and grab 1 bean bag. They then run back to their hoop. When a player is inside their hoop a bean bag can not be taken from them. Players continue each round taking bean bags from other players until there is only one player with bean bags inside their hoop. On each round a player must leave their hoop and bring back a bean bag or they are out. Fast paced and lots of laughs!
Colors
Different colored hula hoops
This is a fun tag game with a twist! Players try to avoid
being tagged by running to the color of hula hoop that is called.
Choose one player to be "it" and one player to be the "color caller".
The Color Caller calls out a color of one of the hula hoops and all the
players have to run and get inside a hoop of that color before they are
tagged. Then another color is called and the players have to
run to that color hula hoop. For large groups try to have at least
2 hoops of each color so that they can all fit inside. If tagged a
player is frozen until all players have been tagged. Last
player tagged becomes the new "it".
Hanging Targets
Twine, beach balls
Hang hula hoops from tree branches with twine in different levels and
distances from the throwing line. Assign a point value to
each target .. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 points. Each player has 5
turns to throw the beach ball through the targets and then add up the
points.
Variation: Use Frisbees instead of beach balls.
Obstacle Course
Set up hula hoops as an obstacle course and have players compete as
teams or individually against a stopwatch.
Some obstacles ideas are:
Set 5 or 6 on the ground one after the other - players have to hop
through them.
Hang from trees about 1 to 2 feet off the ground and players must crawl
through them. Having 6 or 7 of these is lots of fun!
Players must roll the hula hoop across an area - if it falls over they
have to start again!
Outrun Race
Mark a starting line and a finish line at least 50 feet apart.
Players roll their hula hoop hard enough so it will cross the finish
line and while it is rolling they try to outrun it and beat it to the
finish line. The hoop has to cross the finish line for the turn to
count.
Relay
5 hula hoops for each team
Lay the hula hoops on the ground in a straight line - farther apart from
each other for older children. Players line up and one at a time
the first person from each team jumps inside each hula hoop, turns
around and jumps back. Then the next person in line jumps through
each of them and so on until the last team member has completed the
cycle.
Then add a few twists to the relay by having the teams jump backwards,
sideways, crawling or crab walking!
Rolling Race
Individuals (or teams) compete to see who can roll their hula hoop the
farthest from the starting line. One by one players roll the
hoop across the play area and when it falls over and stops moving the
distance is marked with a piece of tape or a flag.
Snake
Divide players into teams and each team gets 1 hula hoop. Players
line up one after the other and hold hands. Players cannot let go
of each others hands during the game. The first person in line
takes the hula hoop and passes it over their arm, over their head and
legs and then over their other arm to the next player - without letting
go of their teammates hands. The hula hoop has to go down the team
line and then back again to the starting player. First team to
finish and not let the hoop touch the ground wins! If the hula
hoop touches the ground it has to be passed back to the front of the
line and the team starts over.
Variation: For a larger game area have the first player run to the
end of the line after they move the hula hoop over themselves so that
the line advances to a finish line. Have each player run to the
end of the line after their turn until the whole line finishes.
Just for fun and no teams: Have players stand in a circle and hold hands.
Targets
Orange cones and/or other targets
Set up orange cones (or use other household items as targets such as
milk jugs filled with sand or rocks, Frisbees, etc. ) as targets on the
ground and give each one a point value ... 5, 10, 15 pts. etc. Set
up a start line and have players try to throw hula hoops around the
targets. Give each player 5 turns and add up points.
Team Stash
1 bean bag for each player
Set out hoops an equal distance apart in a square pattern - one hoop at
each corner with at least 20 feet between hoops. Divide players
into 4 equal teams. Teams stand at their hoop and place
their bean bags on the ground inside their hula hoop.
Set a time limit - 5, 7, 10 minutes. On "go" all players run to another teams corner and try to grab a bean bag. They then bring it back and place it inside their teams hula hoop. Play continues until the time is up! The team with the most bean bags in their hoop at the end of the timer wins! Players can only carry one bean bag at a time.
Tic Tac Toe Race
Bean Bags in 2 colors
You will need 9 hula hoops set on the ground in rows of 3 x 3.
This is the tic tac toe board. Teams line up at least 25
feet from the board. On go the first players from each team run to
the tic tac toe board and place one of their team beanbags in a hoop.
Then they run back and the next players in line run and place their
beanbag in an attempt to get three bean bags either across, down or
diagonal for a tic tac toe. Fast paced and lots of fun!
Play lots of rounds.
Toss and Catch
To begin players stand in a line and each hold a hula hoop.
On "go" they throw the hula hoop in the air and try to catch it.
Let players try several times to get comfortable with throwing and
catching. Next have players stand in a circle about 5 feet
from each other.
Using one hh to start players toss the hoop
around the circle to the player to their right. After a few
rounds add another hoop to the circle and have them both going at the
same time. A few more rounds and add another and another
until everyone has a hoop that they are catching and throwing at the
same time.
With more and more hula hoops in the game have everyone step back one
step so there is more space in between players.
Play elimination (if a player drops it they are out of the circle) or non elimination and work as a team to keep the hoops off the ground.
We have more fun party games for kids of all ages!
Party games for girls - Girls birthday party games
Party games for - Boys birthday party games
Party Games for all ages - Birthday Party Games
Party games for tweens - Birthday games for 10, 11, 12
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