Why All Physical Education Teachers Need an Adapted PE Bucket

When a plumber shows up at your home, you expect them to have all the tools needed for the task — and any tools or materials that might be needed if the plumbing job grows in complexity.

The same is true for physical education teachers.

As educators, we need to have the equipment ready to address the foreseeable needs of our students. Think of how sideways a class could go when a student, perhaps with adapted PE services, is struggling to engage in a station activity.

You are then faced with two choices: rummaging in your equipment closet to find something that could support the student — which means having no eyes on the class — or letting the student struggle and struggle and struggle until it’s time to rotate stations.

Neither choice is likely to contribute to anyone’s individual physical literacy journey.

What if instead you were prepared, like a superhero, with a utility belt of gadgets for all likely outcomes? That’s the idea behind the “Adapted PE Bucket.”

Wide Array of Student Abilities

In this era of teaching physical education, it often feels like students present with an uncommonly high array of abilities.

You may have a few students come to class with abilities that exceed your own, some with a skill set that is considered on grade level, a group who have absolutely no previous experience with the equipment being used that day — and others who are somewhere in between.

This means if you set up activities with one size and type of equipment — or have everyone work from the same distance toward the same target for the same amount of time — there is a significant chance some students will lose interest (and lose it quickly) because the task is too challenging.

If this is the case, what happens to your students’ learning and growth, not to mention your class environment?

Create an Adapted PE ‘Bucket’

Your collection of go-to adapted PE equipment does not literally have to be stored in a bucket, though I’m a huge fan of a 5-gallon bucket with a pocket tool organizer! You could use a gym bag, box, shelf, or any designated place where you can collect equipment and easily access it.

The idea is to have your items “at the ready” so when a student needs support, you can be there with equipment in seconds — ready to focus on aiding the student. There’s no perfect way to set up your adapted PE stash, so pick a method that aligns with your environment and personal preferences. 

The same concept of “no perfect match” extends to the equipment itself. It is extremely rare, we are talking unicorn rare, to have every piece of equipment for every possible situation and student.

Instead, think of how to use the gear or tools in your “bucket” in creative ways, adapting items as needed to address a student’s needs during various PE lessons.

Could that blue painter’s tape be used to indicate where the student should stand to start? What about identifying where the instep of their foot is? Can a few feet of the tape be strung between two chairs to create a low net?

Once you start thinking of the items in your Adapted PE Bucket as tools rather than static equipment, you’ll be amazed at the inventive uses you come up with to support students.

Collect Your Adapted PE Tools

I am often asked what equipment or tools should go in an Adapted PE Bucket. While there is no one-size-fits-all combination of tools, there are some that I use with great regularity.

So, if you’re looking for an idea of where to start, here are the 10 items I would begin with (in alphabetical order):

1. Balloons
2. Bean Bags
3. Floor Spots
4. Hand/Feet Cutouts
5. Painter’s Tape
6. Pool Noodle
7. Signal Cards (Stop, Go, Fast, Slow, etc.)   
8. Textured Ball
9. Timer
10. Velcro Mit

Adapted PE Bucket in Action

Perhaps you are doing a lesson with your fourth-grade class that focuses on the following progression: 1.5.10 “Demonstrates throwing in a variety of practice tasks.” The lesson might include setting up stations for the following activities:

• Students throw a foam ball to a partner;
• Students throw a tennis ball at cones;
• Students throw a plush ball to a bucket.

Among your students you might have one who needs a ball that provides extra grip. There might possibly be two students who struggle with remembering which foot to step forward with in opposition. Another student is consistently off task with concerns about how much time they have left at the station.

Then there are three students who spend most of their time chasing their balls around the gymnasium.  One student omits the “reaching back” cue of the throw, and another student feels that others are always in their personal space.

Any of this sound familiar?

You could spend the whole class period searching for equipment to support all these different students’ needs. Or, if your Adapted PE Bucket is at the ready, you could quickly offer multiple solutions to each scenario without a moment wasted.

How many of the suggested items listed previously could you use to help with each of these student scenarios? Is there only one tool that could aid with the challenge that is presenting? How many ways could you use just the 10 tools suggested to address these situations?

The Adapted PE Bucket Works!

I’ve been traveling to over a dozen schools a week for years with little more than what I can fit in a 5-gallon bucket with a pocket tool organizer and a head full of ideas of how to use the items in a myriad of ways.

Using this system, I’ve delivered adapted PE services that have delighted students, amazed parents, and inspired peers. If you have your own dedicated gymnasium or other space, wow! Imagine the impact you could have! All your students could move closer to experiencing an appropriate level of challenge so they can learn and grow.

If you’d like to explore this topic more, in an interactive session with plenty of movement, then I hope you will join me at the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo in Baltimore for my session Why We All Need an Adapted PE Bucket.

During the session we will literally unpack my Adapted PE Bucket, problem solve for a variety of scenarios, and get you started on a plan for your own Adapted PE Bucket. You’re also welcome to attend my other #SHAPEBaltimore session, Adapted PE=High Quality PE.

I hope to connect with you at #SHAPEBaltimore!

Additional Resources

• 2025 SHAPE America National Convention & Expo
• 10 Super Simple Equipment Modifications to Support Your Students in PE
• Adapted PE Resources [SHAPE America Catalog]

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