A few years ago, I had a student in a gait trainer who loved PE but couldn’t fully participate in tag games. She needed her hands to support herself, making it difficult for her to join in the fun like her peers. A simple fix — a pool noodle attached to the back of her gait trainer — changed everything. She lit up with joy, confidently tagging others, fully engaged in the game. When I asked if she felt included, her answer was a resounding “Yes!”
Creating an inclusive PE class doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, all it takes is a pool noodle, a yoga mat, or a piece of string to transform an activity and make it accessible for all students. Small tweaks to equipment can open new opportunities, allowing students to engage, build skills, and have fun. Whether you’re supporting students with disabilities or just looking for ways to make activities more interactive, these simple modifications can make a big difference.
Reasons to Use Adapted Equipment
Adapted equipment is essential for ensuring that all students can actively participate in physical education. Here are some reasons to use adapted equipment:
- Enhance Participation: Using adapted equipment ensures all students, regardless of ability, can engage in physical activities.
- Reduce Frustration: Adapted equipment removes barriers, keeping students engaged and motivated.
- Develop Skills: Helps students practice and refine motor skills in a controlled, progressive manner.
- Increase Confidence: Creates success-oriented opportunities that build self-efficacy and encourage continued participation.
- Encourage Independence: Provides structured assistance that allows students to progressively develop autonomy in physical activities.
PE Modifications Grouped by Function
Let’s dive into some super simple modifications that can make a huge impact in your PE class. These adaptations are grouped based on their function — whether it’s improving access, guiding movement, or breaking down skills into manageable steps.
Tethers & Tees
Tethered equipment and striking tees help students maintain better control over objects during activities, reducing frustration and increasing engagement by keeping equipment within reach. Tees provide stable support for striking, allowing students to focus on skill development without the challenge of tracking a moving ball.
1. Basketball Dribble Assist
How: Use elastic bands and straps to attach a basketball to two secure points, or place it in a milk crate on top of a scooter for a mobile option. This keeps the ball within reach and allows students to practice dribbling with controlled resistance. (View Video)
Why: This modification helps students build confidence by giving them more chances to develop dribbling control without losing the ball. It enhances participation by reducing frustration and helps refine motor skills through repeated, structured practice.
2. Bowling Pendulum
How: Attach a tetherball or soccer trainer to a higher point to create a pendulum-like motion. This setup allows students to roll or kick the ball repeatedly without needing to retrieve it, providing more opportunities for skill development. (View Video)
Why: This adaptation encourages independence by allowing students to practice their skills in a controlled and predictable manner. It reduces frustration by keeping the ball within reach, making it easier to refine technique and build confidence.
Expanded Interaction Tools
These modifications extend students’ ability to reach, strike or engage with objects, helping those with limited mobility or strength participate more effectively.
3. Pool Noodle Arm Tagger
How: Attach a pool noodle to a chair or gait trainer so students can tag their classmates while keeping their hands free for support. Expanding this with gloves or hand cutouts from yoga mats can further enhance reach and engagement. (View Video)
Why: This modification enhances participation by ensuring students using gait trainers or wheelchairs can fully engage in tagging games. It promotes social interaction, motor skill development, and independence while reducing barriers to movement.
4. Fly Swatter Striker
How: Attach a fly swatter to a student’s arm using a sweatband. Students can use it to strike balloons, hit balls off tees, or work on tethered ball drills, making striking activities more accessible. (View Video)
Why: This modification increases confidence by allowing students with limited grip strength to successfully engage in striking activities. It supports skill development by providing structured opportunities for hand-eye coordination and controlled movement.
Directed Motion
These modifications help students practice ball control and precision by providing structured pathways or supports that guide the movement of balls.
5. Tennis Clothesline Trainer
How: Thread a wiffle ball and tennis rackets through a rope secured at two sturdy points. This setup allows students to work on striking the ball while ensuring it stays within reach for continued practice, reducing frustration. (View Video)
Why: This modification helps students refine their motor skills by providing consistent and controlled striking practice. It enhances participation by allowing all students, regardless of mobility, to engage in striking drills without worrying about timing the hitting of a moving ball.
6. Broken Hula Hoop Ring Guide
How: Place a broken hula hoop between two cones to guide deck rings over the target. This setup helps students focus on aim and coordination while keeping the game structured and predictable. (View Video)
Why: This ensures a controlled and predictable path for successful ring toss practice. It supports skill development by helping students work on accuracy and hand-eye coordination in a structured and frustration-free way.
Controlled Movement Assistance
These modifications provide external support to help students develop controlled movements in a structured way. They assist with stability, coordination, and proprioceptive awareness, making exercises and motor skills easier to perform while promoting independence.
7. Resistance Bands for Fitness Exercises
How: Use resistance bands to assist students in push-ups and sit-ups, providing support and stability while helping them develop strength progressively. (View Video)
Why: This adaptation encourages independence by allowing students to gradually build muscle endurance with the right amount of assistance. It also enhances participation by making strength-based exercises more accessible to all students.
8. Sushi Roll
How: Roll a student up in a yoga mat and gently guide them down a wedge mat to teach log, pencil and egg rolls with support. This provides deep pressure input, which can help with body awareness and sensory processing. (View Video)
Why: This activity enhances proprioceptive awareness by giving students feedback on their body position as they roll. It supports motor skill development by breaking rolling movements into manageable steps and helps students build confidence in a safe, structured way.
Task-Based Skill Progression
These modifications use task analysis to break down skills into manageable steps, allowing students to focus on individual components before combining them into the full movement.
9. Nunchakus for Jump Rope Progression
How: Use toy nunchakus as a stepping stone for students learning to jump rope. First, students can practice the arm movements without worrying about jumping. Once comfortable, they can focus on coordinating the jump before combining both actions. (View Video)
Why: Breaking down the jump rope skill into smaller steps helps students develop coordination and confidence without feeling overwhelmed. This method supports skill development in a structured, frustration-free way, ensuring all students can progress at their own pace.
10. Fan-Based Ball Suspension
How: Use a fan to keep balls suspended in the air, allowing students to work on catching by tracking the ball’s movement, timing their hand placement, and completing the catch in steps. (View Video)
Why: This setup reduces frustration by slowing down the ball’s movement, giving students more time to react. It builds confidence and improves hand-eye coordination in a fun, engaging way.
Tips for Using Adapted Equipment
- Focus on Abilities — Start with what the student can do rather than their limitations. Build modifications that enhance their strengths and allow them to participate meaningfully.
- Keep It Simple — Adaptations should be straightforward and effective, providing the right level of support without unnecessary complexity.
- Avoid Over-Modifying — Too much assistance can take away the challenge and limit skill development. Provide just enough support to promote success while encouraging independence.
- Observe & Adjust — What works for one student may need tweaking for another. Be flexible and make changes based on student needs.
- Involve Students — Let students explore, adapt and take ownership of their movement experiences. Their input can lead to the most effective and engaging modifications.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, PE should be about movement, fun and giving every student a chance to shine. And sometimes, the best solutions aren’t fancy or expensive — and you probably have them in your equipment closet right now! These simple modifications don’t just make activities more accessible, they make PE more engaging, inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.
Whether you’re trying to boost participation, reduce frustration or help students build skills step by step, these easy adaptations can make a world of difference. Try them out, get creative and see how small changes can lead to big wins in your PE class. What are your favorite equipment adaptations? Share your ideas in the comments!
Additional Resources
- JustAdaptIt.com
- Adapted Physical Education National Standards
- National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities
Matt Barker
Matthew Barker, founder of JustAdaptIt.com, is an adapted physical education teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia. Honored as the 2025 SHAPE America Southern District Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year, he is known for his innovative teaching methods and dedication to inclusive physical education, ensuring all students have access to meaningful movement experiences.
