101 Ways To Use a
Hula Hoop
Ann Boe, M.S.
Assistant Professor of Physical
Education
Rockford University
Hula Hoop History
• Ranges from 500 B.C. to 21st Century
• 14th Century popular in Great Britain
• Use in Native American Hoop Dance’s for
story telling
• Hula Hoop Craze began in the 1950’s
• Named for the Native Hawaiian dance
• Popularized in the U.S.
Hula Hoop Adaptations
•
•
•
•
•
Fitness
Spatial Awareness
Math
Large and Fine Motor Skill Development
Equipment Adaptations
Spatial Awareness
Over
Around
Down
Beside
Through
up
Under
Hula Hoop Road Trip
Create Games
• In groups of 2 or 3 choose a hoop and 2
other piece of equipment. With these
pieces of equipment, devise a game. It
can be for teaching exercise, math,
spelling or whatever concept you wish to
teach.
• Be creative
• Have Fun
Fun Facts
• The term “Hula Hoop” came from British
sailors who had seen hula dancing in the
Hawaiian Islands and thought the two
looked rather similar
• Japan and Indonesia banned the public
use of hoops because it was not culturally
acceptable to shake one’s hips in public –
it was indecent!
• The original price of the hoop in 1958 was
$1.98
• At the height of their popularity, Wham-O
More Fun Facts
• Native American hoop Dancer Tony White
Cloud has a cameo appearance in Valley of
the Sun, staring Lucille Ball in 1942. He
toured the U.S. and Europe with Gene Autry
during WWII promoting war bonds and in
1952 dance in Apache Country, staring Gene
Autry.
• Billy Joel referenced the sale of the 100
millionth hula hoop by Wham-O as one of the
most significant events of1959 in his song
“We didn’t Start the Fire.”
• Rusia denounced the hoop as an example of
More Fun Facts
• Way-out Toys sold an Alvin Hula Hoop
Doll, that twirls his hula hoop and sings
“Christmas Don’t Be Late.”
• Hula Hoops are a British potato-based
snack, in the shape of short, hollow
cylinders first introduced in 1973.
• Michael Turvey of the University of
Connecticut won the 2004 IgNoble Prize in
Physics along with Ramesh
Balasurbramaniam of the University of
Citations
http://natalieplatonk12.wordpress.com/2013/06
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLessons.asp?ID
=947#.VEEvACJSETO
http://www.hulahooping.com/history.html
http://www.teacher-vision.com/physical-education/lessonplan/5870.html