Using a Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Man in Adapted PE

Sometimes the best adapted PE equipment is not traditional PE equipment at all. A wacky waving inflatable arm waving tube man can become a flexible, engaging, and hilarious tool for adapted physical education.

With a simple fan and a little creativity, this setup can support adapted basketball, catching, striking, soccer, volleyball, sensory-based movement stations, and even assistive technology celebrations.

The movement of the inflatable tube man creates instant engagement. It adds visual attention, excitement, unpredictability, and a clear target for students to interact with. For students who benefit from highly motivating equipment, visual tracking opportunities, or playful station design, this can be a powerful addition to your adapted PE toolbox.

The exact one we use

MOUNTO 8FT Fly Puppet Dancer with 1/3hp Blower (Yellow)

Complete set — inflatable tube man + blower. Perfect for the stations in this post.

View in ALLPLAY Store →

1. Adapted Catching

The fan from the wacky waving inflatable arm waving tube man can be used to support adapted catching activities by slowing the movement of lightweight balls, balloons, scarves, or other floating objects.

Instead of expecting students to react quickly to a fast-moving object, the airflow creates more hang time. This gives students extra time to visually track the object, reach toward it, prepare their hands, and experience success with catching.

This is especially useful for students who are working on visual tracking, bilateral hand use, reaction time, hand-eye coordination, or simply building confidence with catching in a more accessible way.

2. Basketball Dribbling

The fan from the wacky waving inflatable arm waving tube man can also be used to create an adapted basketball dribbling station. Instead of dribbling a basketball on the floor, the ball floats on top of the airflow from the fan.

Students push down on the ball, and the airflow brings it back up to around waist height. This creates a supported dribbling motion that lets students practice the rhythm and action of dribbling without needing the ball to bounce off the floor.

This can be especially helpful for students working on upper-body movement, hand control, timing, cause and effect, visual attention, and repeated movement practice. It turns dribbling into a more accessible, playful, and motivating experience.

3. Sensory Hover Hit: Floating Balls to Strike

This station uses the fan to float a lightweight ball, creating a sensory-rich striking activity. Instead of placing the ball on a traditional tee, the ball hovers in the airflow, giving students a visually engaging target to track and hit.

This can be especially helpful for students who need extra time to process, visually locate the object, and prepare their movement. Students can strike with a hand, paddle, racquet, bat, or other implement depending on their ability level and the goal of the station.

4. Switch-Adapted Basketball Dribble

The wacky waving inflatable arm waving tube man can also be paired with switch access to create an adapted basketball dribbling activity. Students can activate the fan or movement using a switch, creating a cause-and-effect connection between their action and the equipment response.

This setup can support students working on switch activation, timing, visual attention, upper-body movement, and participation in a basketball-themed activity. It also makes the station feel more like a game than a drill.

5. Assistive Technology Celebration

One of my favorite uses is turning the wacky waving inflatable arm waving tube man into an assistive technology celebration. When a student scores a basket, makes a goal, or completes a movement task, the fan can turn on as a big, visual celebration.

This creates immediate feedback and reinforces success in a fun, motivating way. The celebration can be connected to a switch, sensor, button, or adapted setup depending on the student’s access method.

For some students, the celebration becomes the most motivating part of the activity. It gives them a reason to repeat the skill and helps create a clear connection between movement, success, and feedback.

6. Inflatable Goalkeeper for Soccer

The wacky waving inflatable arm waving tube man can also become a goalkeeper. Place it in front of a goal and students now have a moving, dancing defender to shoot around.

This adds excitement to soccer shooting practice and creates a more game-like challenge. Students can work on aiming, kicking, visual tracking, timing, and decision-making as they try to get the ball past the inflatable goalkeeper.

Other Ways to Use It

• Volleyball: Float a balloon or light ball for striking, volleying, or tracking practice.
• Basketball Defender: Use the tube man as a moving defender during dribbling, passing, or shooting stations.
• Target Games: Students can throw, kick, roll, or strike objects toward the inflatable tube man.
• Baseball and Racquet Stations: Use the airflow to suspend a ball and create an accessible striking target.
• Visual Tracking: The movement naturally encourages students to look, follow, and respond.
• Motivation and Engagement: The silliness of the equipment makes students want to participate.

Connecting It to the STEP Framework

This is a great example of the STEP framework in action: modifying the Space, Task, Equipment, and People to make activities more accessible.

• Space: Place the inflatable near a goal, basket, target, or station area to create a clear movement zone.
• Task: Change the skill from a traditional drill into a visually engaging challenge.
• Equipment: Use the fan, floating balls, balloons, switches, or lightweight implements to increase access.
• People: Teachers, peers, or support staff can control the setup, adjust timing, or help students activate the fan.

Final Thought

The wacky waving inflatable arm waving tube man is funny, chaotic, and a little ridiculous — but that is exactly why it works.

It turns simple skills into memorable experiences. It creates opportunities for students to track, reach, strike, kick, dribble, activate, celebrate, and participate in a way that feels fun and meaningful.

Sometimes inclusion starts with asking a simple question:

How can I use what I already have in a different way so every student can play?

And sometimes the answer is a giant inflatable dancing man.