Curator’s Note: This equipment checklist is updated regularly to help ensure all links point to active, high-quality, and budget-friendly supplies for preschool educators, school directors, and chess coaches. However, no warranty for accuracy is implied, and please use your own judgement when selecting the best products for your specific needs.
Last updated: October 22, 2026.
Important Sourcing, Pricing & Substitution Guidelines:
- We are not the suppliers: Smart Moves does not manufacture, sell, or ship these supplies directly. These are curated recommendations and practical options for you to consider.
- Pricing may change: Product prices on Amazon are set by third-party sellers and can fluctuate. The cart estimates reflect current market averages.
- Safe to use similar items from any supplier: It is generally completely fine to substitute a similar item from a different supplier, your preferred educational vendor, or gear your school gym already owns.
- Questions about replacement products? If you have any questions about whether a specific alternative or brand will work with our movement games, please contact us directly at info@smartmoveschess.com and Coach Bryan will gladly help you verify it.
Children between the ages of 3 and 6 do not learn complex abstract systems by sitting behind a desk for an hour. Young minds understand spatial reasoning, rules, and strategy through full-body gross motor movement.
When we created the Smart Moves Preschool Chess Curriculum, we structured our lessons around an active, play-first philosophy. Rather than lecturing young children about rank, file, and diagonals on a miniature 20-inch vinyl board, we get them on their feet: tossing bean bags to target coordinates, running agility relays, and jumping across full-sized lawn squares.
To make setting up your program easy and cost-effective, we have compiled our complete list of teaching tools sometimes used in Smart Moves’ lessons below. You can order these directly on Amazon or from any retailer you prefer. Using similar items from your school’s existing PE equipment is also perfectly acceptable
The Essential Movement Props Checklist
Here are the six physical movement props used across our preschool curriculum activities:
1. Tossing Bean Bags (Set of 32 in 4 Primary Colors)
- Curriculum Purpose: Used for target throwing drills like Column & Row Toss, pawn promotion relays, and coordinate identification challenges.
- Why We Love Them: Bean bags stay exactly where they land (no rolling across gym floors or scuffing walls), making them perfect for three- and four-year-olds practicing hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning.
- Recommended Spec: 4x4 inch double-stitched nylon bean bags in red, blue, yellow, and green.
- Direct Amazon Search: Search 32-Pack Nylon Tossing Bean Bags on Amazon
2. Lightweight Agility Hula Hoops (Set of 4, 24” to 30”)
- Curriculum Purpose: Center-board spatial awareness games such as Chess Basketball, Ring the Piece, and King castle defense stations.
- Why We Love Them: Hula hoops create unmistakable physical boundaries on the floor that make the concept of “controlling the center four squares” instantly intuitive.
- Recommended Spec: 24” to 28” snap-together or solid plastic lightweight agility hoops.
- Direct Amazon Search: Search Agility Hula Hoops 4-Pack on Amazon
3. Low-Profile Multi-Colored Agility Cones (Set of 12 with Carry Strap)
- Curriculum Purpose: Station boundary markers for Run the Bases, obstacle navigation for knight jump drills, and pawn starting rank gates.
- Why We Love Them: Unlike tall traffic cones that tip over during indoor gym relays, low-profile saucer cones can be stepped on without injury or tripping hazards.
- Recommended Spec: Flexible soft plastic saucer cones (approx. 7.5” diameter) with metal carry caddy.
- Direct Amazon Search: Search Low-Profile Agility Cones 12-Pack on Amazon
4. Soft Foam / Rubber Playground Balls (Set of 6, 8.5” Diameter)
- Curriculum Purpose: Dynamic defense activities like Protect the King and Chess Bowling, where students physically defend the royal family.
- Why We Love Them: Textured easy-grip playground dodgeballs are soft enough for indoor classrooms and lively enough for blacktop play.
- Recommended Spec: 8.5-inch playground balls with textured non-slip grip (mesh storage bag and hand pump included).
- Direct Amazon Search: Search 8.5 Inch Playground Balls 6-Pack on Amazon
5. Self-Inking Classroom Reward Hand Stamps Set
- Curriculum Purpose: The concluding wrap-up ritual at the end of every 30-minute Smart Moves session.
- Why We Love Them: A simple chess-themed hand stamp is the highlight of the week for preschoolers. It provides positive reinforcement for good sportsmanship, listening, and teamwork.
- Recommended Spec: Washable, non-toxic, pre-inked stamps with smiles, stars, and chess motifs.
- Direct Amazon Search: Search Teacher Reward Hand Stamps Set on Amazon
6. Heavy-Duty Latching Storage Bins (Set of 2 Clear Totes, 30–45 Qt)
- Curriculum Purpose: Used during Piece Sorting Relays (where paired teams race to sort pawns, minor pieces, and royalty), as well as organizing teaching tools between classes.
- Why We Love Them: Clear walls allow children to immediately see what piece they are looking for during high-energy games, and durable latching handles ensure props stay protected during transit.
- Recommended Spec: 30 to 45-quart clear storage containers with ergonomic latch handles.
- Direct Amazon Search: Search Clear Latching Storage Bins 2-Pack on Amazon
Teacher Tip: Everyday Classroom Alternatives (Zero-Cost DIY)
If your school or club is on a tight budget, you can easily substitute these movement props with everyday classroom items:
- Floor Grid Lines: Use 2-inch blue painter’s tape directly on gym wood or commercial carpet to create a 4x4 or 8x8 giant grid.
- Agility Bases: Standard heavy-weight paper plates or carpet markers work wonderfully as bases for running drills.
- Toss Targets: Plastic cups or cardboard storage boxes make effective catching buckets for pawn tossing practice.
How to Pair These Movement Props with Chess Hardware
While these PE props provide the kinetic energy for our lessons, they work best when paired with high-visibility tactical hardware:
- 16-Inch Giant Lawn Chess Set: The physical centerpiece that students run around during games.
- 28-Inch Magnetic Demonstration Board: For quick 3-minute whole-class coordinate explanations before each movement drill.
- Smart Moves Teaching Equipment Guide: Full breakdown of the entire physical learning system.
Disclosure: Product links in this guide are curated by Smart Moves Chess. As an Amazon Associate, Smart Moves earns from qualifying purchases at zero additional cost to your school or organization, however we do not receive compensation in return for including them on this list.
