You need to know, “What materials give me the biggest bang for the buck? What materials do I absolutely need to run the most lessons I can from Montessori Physical Education (especially when cost is an issue)?” If you ever had these questions, this blog post is for you!
The recommended equipment list is meant specifically for my Montessori Physical Education lessons. There is a lot of great PE equipment that I have not used yet but will in the future.
This is what I would consider the Essential Equipment List. The total cost of purchasing all these materials would be around $600.
It consists of:
It comes in sets of 6, depending on the number of children per class
71 / 120 lessons use this item
Cones
One set of each should work well
58 / 120 lessons use this item
It comes in a pack of 24
48 / 120 lessons use this item
Each set comes with 6; three sets in total should be more than enough
48 / 120 lessons use this item
It comes in sets of 6, depends how many students you have per class
26 / 120 lessons use this item
This is what I would consider the Necessary but Potentially Pricey Equipment List. This list has some interchangeable pieces depending on whether your play space is inside or outside. For example, the 55-gallon containers can be used instead of the adjustable basketball hoops (especially if you only have an outside space). While the basketball hoops can be expensive (about $400 a piece), the adjustable capability is integral for your younger students’ success with some games. If you buy the Essential List and the Necessary but Potentially Pricey List, the total will vary between $2000 to $3000 (really, depending on the adjustable hoops).
It consists of:
Basketballs
A standard basketball set comes with 6
Having a set of mini basketballs is suitable for your younger students
The Wilson Evolution is the best basketball on the market, and I would recommend it if you run a basketball team. Otherwise, it's too pricey for PE class.
23 / 120 lessons use this item
If you have the budget for them, I would get at least two
22 / 120 lessons use this item
One bucket comes with 48 balls
21 / 120 lessons use this item
Soccer balls / Volleyballs / Kickballs
Each set comes with six
17 / 120 lessons use this item
55 Gallon Container (if basketball hoops are not an option)
I would suggest at least two, but four is best
14 / 120 lessons use this item
This is what I would consider the Money is No Object Equipment List. If you have a substantial budget, this is the rest of the equipment I use for my lessons. Truthfully, it took me years to accumulate all this equipment, so don’t feel like you need all of this immediately. As long as you ensure the equipment lasts, you can add new pieces each year to build the collection. For example, the scooters I get are from Cosom, and they are excellent but expensive. I bought a set of six each year, and after three years, I finally had the amount that worked for me. If you buy everything, the total will be somewhere around $6000.
It consists of:
Score Keeper
The electronic one is pricey but pretty nice
Flip scorekeeper more gentle on the budget
14 / 120 lessons use this item
I would get at least 4
12 / 120 lessons use this item
36 X 48 board
10 / 120 lessons use this item
A set of 12 depends on how many students you have
For your larger middle school students, longer sticks may be necessary
10 / 120 lessons use this item
A set of 40 pool noodles should be more than enough
10 / 120 lessons use this item
I would get at least four
8 / 120 lessons use this item
Don’t cheap out on scooters. The best are 16-inch premium boards. They roll so much better than anything else on the market. Buy one set a year until you have enough for your students.
8 / 120 lessons use this item
Tape Measure / Walking Measurer
Just need one of each
7 / 120 lessons use this item
Get some longer 16ft ropes and some individual 9ft ropes.
7 / 120 lessons use this item
10 / 120 lessons use this item
Basic Lego or building block set
One set of 500+ is more than enough
4 / 120 lessons use this item
A cricket set comes with a bat and wicket.
A baseball tee is a good investment for younger ages.
3 / 120 lessons use this item
One deck is more than enough, but they usually come in two packs
2 / 120 lessons use this item
I would get two sets if possible
2 / 120 lessons use this item
Spike ball nets (recommend Jogenmax)
Jogenmax is pricey but so much easier to set up and put away
1 / 120 lessons use this item
I would purchase individual footballs as opposed to a set
1 / 120 lessons use this item
Footballs can substitute for many throwing and catching games, so depending on preference, they could be used more.
These can be very expensive, so I would suggest going to a used sports equipment store and buying what you need. Good used tennis rackets are about $20 a piece.
1 / 120 lessons use this item
Besides the cell membrane lesson, you may end up doing a unit on tennis as you explore the culture of Europe.
You may want several of these depending on your play space and the number of students.
1 / 120 lessons use this item
While only one lesson may require the net, it can be used for all types of sports that might be studied when studying the culture of those people. It is handy for tennis, volleyball, and badminton.
Hand scoops (or junior lacrosse sticks)
A set comes with twelve, so you may need several sets.
1 / 120 lessons use this item
These were integral during the early days of COVID-19 when we thought there was potential for surface transmission. I used these for any throwing and catching dynamic instead of touching the ball with our hands. This is a versatile piece of equipment.
Buy either the 50ft or 100ft spool
2/120 lessons use this item (soon to be three)
These are very useful but a little pricey and can be made if you have the time
5ish/120 lessons use this item
So there’s the list. Again, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list that covers all your athletic school needs, especially if you run sports programs. This list is meant to point you toward the materials you need to run Montessori Physical Education lessons. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program, meaning when you click on a link directly from this site, it supports Montessori Physical Education.