Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Wonderful Welcome: A Program for Children Grades K-1

Activity 2: Thread-The-Needle Hula Hoop Game

Part of Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • One large hula hoop
  • Optional: Enough hula hoops for every pair of children in the group

Preparation for Activity

  • Clear a space in the room large enough for the children to form a circle.

Description of Activity

In this game, the children need to cooperate to succeed. Invite everyone to stand in a circle and hold hands. Ask two of the children to let go of one another's hands. Place the hula hoop between them. Have them reclasp their hands through the middle of the hula hoop.
Now tell the children that together they are a strand of thread, and the hula hoop is the eye of a needle. Invite the entire group to pass the hula hoop around the circle, without letting go of anyone else's hands. They will have to step through the hula hoop to "thread" it.

Including All Participants

If any participants have mobility limitations that would prevent them from being part of this activity, use a different cooperative game. If you have enough hula hoops, give one to each pair of children and choose one pair to lead this activity. Challenge them to balance the hula hoop between them in a creative way. Direct the rest of the group to try and imitate the leaders. Pairs that succeed continue; those that do not succeed are “out.” Then, choose another pair to lead. Point out that the cooperation of partners and the group’s ability to pay attention to the leading pair are two kinds of learning together.

If you skip this activity, you may wish to do Alternate Activity 1, Helping Hands Wreaths to Take Home in place of or in addition to Activity 4, Helping Hands Wreath.

If some children may be physically unable to do either version of this activity, skip it. You may wish to do Alternate Activity 1, Helping Hands Wreaths to Take Home in place of, or in addition to, Activity 4, Helping Hands Wreath.