Equipment Market: Budgeting on the Run

Each organizing team has a pretend budget of 150 euros to set up its station for the sports day. They race to a market with real prices to buy equipment, must balance the books and then set up and test the station using only what they bought.

How to play

1. Present the task: design a station for 20 participants with 150 euros; the market, 25 m away, holds equipment cards with prices (cones, hoops, pinnies, balls, ropes, sound system rental) (3 min).
2. Teams of five plan at their base what they need and work out a first budget (5 min).
3. Relay shopping: each member runs to the market, takes one equipment card and runs back; the treasurer keeps the books and the budget may not be exceeded (6 min).
4. Each team collects the real equipment matching its cards and sets up its station (5 min).
5. Cross-test: another team plays at the station for 3 minutes and rates whether the equipment was enough and well chosen (8 min).
6. Wrap-up: each treasurer reports spending, money left over and what they would buy differently (3 min).

Rules

• Only one card may be taken per trip to the market.
• Returned cards get their money back, but the trip still counts.
• Run in separate out-and-back lanes marked with cones to avoid collisions.
• If the budget is exceeded, the team must return equipment before setting up.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: acts as treasurer or as a shopper with a 10-meter distance.
• Dyscalculia: the team uses a table with ready-made sums and the student checks the equipment.
• Visual impairment: cards show prices in large raised print, and the student runs with a guide.

Learning goals

• Manage a budget matched to the needs of a sports event.
• Make team decisions under time pressure.
• Understand the link between resources, activity design and quality of experience.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cards: 60
• cones: 30
• hoops: 15
• pinnies: 20
• foam balls: 10
• stopwatch: 1

Teacher tip

Use prices from real sports equipment catalogs so the exercise feels believable. You can link it to the project's real budget if the school or parents' association contributes money.

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