HOPPING AND JUMPING INTO SPRING
Here are some fun beginning jumping and hoping activities to help your children develop these important coordination skills.
BUNNY HOPPING
Show your children how to pretend to be bunnies by squatting down and by putting their hands next to the top of their heads and then pointing their pointer fingers up to represent bunny ears.
Next, show them how to hop across the room.
JUMPING BEAN PARTNERS
Have your children choose partners and pretend they are jumping beans.
See if children can hop or jump going in the same direction with a partner.
JUMP ACROSS THE RIVER
Place a blue ribbon or scarf on the floor.
Have your children take turns jumping across the river without getting wet!
CHAIR JUMPS
Set out a low chair or stool outside on the grass or inside on a rug.
Have your children take turns standing on the stool and jumping off.
You may need to hold the child’s hand at first when attempting this feat.
Variation: You can use many other items for children to jump from. On a playground, you can use the bottom step of a slide or the bottom of the slide.
JUMP ON ONE FOOT
Show your children how to hold up one foot and jump with just one foot.
PUDDLE JUMPS
Create a water puddle outside, such as a low spot on the lawn.
Have your children put on boots if the weather is cold or go barefoot if the weather is hot.
Let your children take turns jumping into the water puddle.
OBJECT JUMP
Hang down various items from the top of a door way.
Let your children take turns jumping up to try to hit the objects.
