TEACHING YOUR CHILD HOW TO JUMP ROPE

Learning how to jump rope is a HUGE rite of passage on the playground!

But in those days (sigh), we didn’t have jump ropes as cool or as beautiful as the ones from Jumpropeia.  Seriously, these are the most gorgeous jump ropes I have ever seen and they’re handmade by our friend Kathy and her husband Jim!

Jumpropeia can even make a custom jump rope for you in any color and in any size!  Do you have a 3-year-old that is a gross motor marvel and ready for a jump rope already?  Kathy and Jim can make her a rope that will fit her pint sized body.  Maybe you have a 10-year-old like mine who is interested in trying some double dutch with friends.  They can make a jump rope for that too!

I ordered one for my daughter for Christmas (purple and sparkly…perfect for her) and she hasn’t stopped jumping since!  She cannot wait to get outside and show off her skills AND her cool rope!

In my physical therapy practice, I often see children who have difficulty with coordination.  One of my favorite things to work on with them is jumping rope.  Why?  Because this activity targets so many of the developmental skills that children need to be successful in school – bilateral coordination, motor planning, hand eye coordination, jumping, strength, and endurance – and jumping rope is often a benchmark for physical education class.

Here are some tips for teaching a child to jump rope.  Remember, not every child learns to jump rope at the same time.  It’s like learning to ride a bike…the more you practice, the better you get!

Put the handles of the jump rope into each hand. Begin with the jump rope behind your body.

Next, swing the jump rope gently to the front of your body and then to the back. Practice this several times just swinging the rope from the front to the back.

Now swing the jump rope to the front and let it stay on the ground. Keep the rope still and jump over it. Practice this step several times.

The next step is to swing the jump rope to the front of your body and when it gets close to your feet, JUMP! It takes practice to get the timing just right.

Now that your child has the hang of this all-important gross motor skill, let’s try some fun jump rope games and rhymes to keep them practicing!  Here are a few of our favorite finds…

1 || This awesome video from ACE shows games like the SNAKE SHAKE and JUMP & SPLASH

2 || The JUMP ROPE INSTITUTE has a whole list of games that I had never even heard of as well as links to other sites for rhymes and videos.

3 || TEDDY BEAR GAME ||  This is a favorite of kids who have mastered jump roping and need a bit more of a challenge.  To do this game, you will need a longer rope and two children to swing it while a 3rd child jumps.

Teddy Bear, teddy bear, jump around (turn while jumping)

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground (bend low before jumping up)

Teddy bear, teddy bear, tie your shoes (touch shoes before jumping up)

Teddy bear, teddy bear, got the flu! (jump out of the rope)

4 || You have to see this video to believe what these kids can do with a jump rope! Check out USA Jump Rope for some super creative inspiration and motivation!

So what are you waiting for?  Head on over to Jumpropeia to order a beautiful, durable and affordable custom jump rope for your child.

When it comes in the mail, get to work practicing those skills and then come back to our Facebook page and share a picture or video with us!  Be sure to tag Jumpropeia too so that Kathy and Jim can see the joy that their jump ropes are creating!

Check out these fun, free printable jump rope games for kids!

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Lauren Drobnjak

Lauren Drobnjak is co-author of The Inspired Treehouse blog and a pediatric physical therapist who currently practices in the educational environment. She has been a physical therapist for 18 years, with 17 of those years specifically in pediatrics. Her drive to make a difference in the lives of kids has led her entrepreneurial spirit in the direction of creating opportunities for play-based wellness and child development. She is a busy mama of 3 who thrives on chaos. To come down from the stress, Lauren enjoys exercising like she’s still 20, yoga, chocolate, a great book, browsing Pinterest, and anything crafty!

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