The Best Hula Hoops for Your Children

Hula hoops are large toy hoops meant to be twirled around the body, usually the waist or hips, though around the arms or legs is also fairly common. Though they’ve been around much longer, hula hoops first became a major fad in the 1950s, with a popularity that has continued to this day. They’ve become a staple childhood toy. Most households with children will feature at least one hula hoop in their garage or playroom. While hula hoops were originally made from materials like willow wood or grapevines, modern hula hoops are almost all made out of plastic tubing. This means that they’re available in many different colors and designs and may be decorated or textured. Some even are glittery or glow in the dark or light up.

For all their simplicity, hula hoops are surprisingly versatile items. Children and adults alike can use them for either play and exercise, or sometimes both at the same time. They can stretch and strengthen the waist and back. People also use them as part of dance routines, in arts and crafts, for party games, and much more. Kids, of course, will primarily use hula hoops as a toy, though when they’re hula hooping, they’ll be getting exercise without even realizing it. They may also help your children improve their balance, gross motor skills, and muscular coordination. In addition to standard hula hooping, kids also will use hula hoops in their own made-up games, whether indoors, outdoors, or even in the pool. If you want to buy a hula hoop for your child to play with, here are a few we recommend.

What to Consider in a Child’s Hula Hoop

Here are a few things to think about before buying a hula hoop for your children:

• Size: Hula hoops come in many different sizes, to the point where you may find it a somewhat difficult task to narrow down which is right for your child. To start, make sure that you’re buying a hula hoop designed specifically for kids. Adult sizes will be too big for children unless you’re buying for an older teenager. A hula hoop with a 30-inch diameter is a good standard size for kids of most ages. For children younger than 4, you can go down to 28- or 29-inch hula hoops, while 32 to 34 inches is a good choice for slightly older kids. 36 to 40 inches should work nicely for most elementary school-aged kids. The appropriate size may vary a bit if your child is unusually small or tall for their age. Also note that quite a few modern hula hoops are adjustable and can thus be made larger or smaller to fit your child as needed.
• Hollow vs. Weighted: The plastic tubing that makes up hula hoops tends to be naturally hollow. This means that hula hoops are generally quite lightweight. There are some models, however, that have a metal or otherwise weighted center. A weighted hula hoop will obviously be heavier and thus provide a greater challenge and more exercise for your child than a regular hula hoop. You may want to avoid weighted hula hoops for younger children, so they don’t accidentally strain or injure themselves during use. Alternatively, some hollowed-out hula hoops will open up so you can fill them with water or sand if desired. This allows you to create a more weighted hula hoop if needed, which you can then empty and return to its normal, lighter self. This gives you the best of both worlds.
• Quantity: Most hula hoops are sold individually. This will work fine if you only have one child or are only looking to buy a single replacement. However, don’t be discouraged if you have several children or you want to have extra lying around when your kids’ friends come to play. There are a decent number of hula hoops sold in pairs or even in larger sets, as many as six or eight at a time. Since buying hula hoops in, say, a set of six is generally more cost-efficient than buying six individual ones, be sure to have an idea of how many hula hoops you’ll need before you buy. This can help you save money or get a better bang for your buck.

Top Choice: Liberry Kids Exercise Hoop

This hula hoop has everything you could possibly want for your child’s playtime. Since it’s highly adjustable and incredibly sturdy, you and your child will be able to use it for a myriad of different games and tasks, to the point that you’ll feel as if you’ve received multiple hula hoops for the price of one.

Since this hula hoop was built in sections rather than one solid plastic ring, you can easily make it larger or smaller as needed. All you have to do is snap on or snap off a section when you want to change the size. This also gives you the option to take the hoop apart for easier and more compact storage. The hoop’s maximum diameter when all six sections are snapped into place is 28 inches. Each section is made out of firm, durable, high-quality plastic that will hold up to daily use and even being stepped on. They’re also hollow, giving you the option to fill them with sand, rice, beans, or other stuffing in order to make the hula hoop weighted. And the texture of the hoop makes it easier for your child to grip during play.

Best Pack: Liberty Imports Toy Hula Hoop Bundle Pack

Sometimes one single hula hoop isn’t enough for your needs. Maybe you have several kids at home, or you need to order them for your child’s dance troupe, or you’re throwing a birthday party for them and are expecting multiple friends. Or perhaps you’re looking for party favors or want to have extras on hand for playdates or just in case one breaks. Whatever your reasons, this set of six children’s hula hoops is perfect for those times when you need multiples on hand.

Each of the six hoops is made of detachable, brightly colored 12-inch segments, so you can easily snap them together or apart to make each hoop larger or smaller as needed. This is also ideal for storing or transporting them in a more space-efficient manner, as you can unsnap the entire hoop and tuck the segments away. Each hoop is made of a maximum of eight segments, and when all eight are snapped together, the hoop’s diameter is 32 inches. The sections easily snap together and apart, so you and your child should never have any trouble assembling or disassembling a hoop. And since the sections are hollow, you also have the option to add sand or other stuffing to make them heavier as needed. The ABS plastic is safe, nontoxic, sturdy, and not easily bent out of shape. They’re recommended for ages 3 and up.

Best Light-Up Hoop: The Hoop Shop LED Color Changing Hula Hoops

A modern twist on a classic toy, this hula hoop provides some extra flair and fun, thanks to the built-in LED strobe lights. Unlike most regular hula hoops, this one lights up and will glow in the dark, making it a great option for camping, slumber parties, and other similar nocturnal activities.

The LED lights project seven different rainbow colors in an eye-catching, flashing strobe light pattern. Your child will love having the lights flash and dance as they run, play, or hula hoop. If it’s daytime, simply flick the lights off to save power; you won’t have to remove the battery in order to do so. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery comes with the battery wall charger, so you don’t have to worry about constantly buying new batteries. Other features of this hula hoop include the high-strength HDPE tubing body filled with cross sanding for superior control, plus easy storage. Unlike most hula hoops, which remain at full size at all times, you can push a button to collapse this hula hoop down into a smaller, easy-to-transport size. It’s available in 32-, 34-, or 36-inch diameters.

Best Design: Flames N Games Kids Hoops Quality Weighted Children’s Hoops

Most kids love bright colors and patterns, and if their favorite toys come in their favorite color(s), all the better. Hula hoops are known for coming in vibrant colors, thanks to their plastic make, and these striped models are even more eye-catching and colorful than most. No matter what your child’s favorite color is, the odds are good that one of these patterned hula hoops will perfectly suit their tastes. There are eight possible color combinations to choose from; since the hoops are adorned with horizontal stripes, each hula hoop comes in not one but two colors. Every other stripe is also decorated with glitter as a bonus decorative touch that will look especially exciting when it catches the light on bright, sunny days.

Each colorful hula hoop is 35 inches in diameter, making this an ideal choice for older children (meant for ages 5 and up) and may even be used by adults. Every model is made from tough PVC that gives the hula hoop some solidity and momentum during spinning without weighing it down too much or causing strain on your child as they play. As a bonus, each hoop also comes with a simple pin-lock system that makes them much easier to stash away when not in use or stick in your car trunk for a drive to the park. This system allows you to fold down the hoop to half of its full size, around 18 inches, to make it more compact without damaging it.

Also Great: SIERLIKY Fitness Exercise Hoops for Kids

Whether you’re looking for a hula hoop for your child’s gymnastics or dance routine, for fitness or for play, this premium-quality model is a perfect choice for any of these activities and more. If you have a pet that can jump, you and your child can even use this hoop as a training toy for them, ensuring fun times and enjoyable memories for the whole family.

The high-quality plastic body is 100% safe and nontoxic for children and pets alike, as well as firm, sturdy, and environmentally friendly. It’s also hollow, so you can fill it up with stuffing such as rice or sand in order to give it some more heft or counterweight if desired. This hula hoop is made up of eight separate pieces that connect together to make the hoop, so you can easily pop on or off one or more sections as needed to better fit your child’s size. With all eight pieces connected, this hula hoop is 27 inches in diameter. The segments are bright and multicolored for a more vibrant look, enhanced by the unique butterfly and rose patterns along the tube. Not only do these touches make the hula hoop look more unique, but they add texture and increase friction. This makes the hula hoop much easier for your child to grip than many similar models.