Hopping and jumping are 2 of the important basic rhythmic motor skills that help develop right-left brain connections, a prerequisite for learning to read amongst other skills. I found it interesting that even when my kids were tested for kindergarten readiness they were asked to skip. If they could, they were assigned to the reading readiness group.

The whole series beginning with the easiest to most complex includes: walking, running, marching, galloping, sliding, hopping, jumping, leaping, pedaling, prancing, toe pointing, skipping, waltzing, minuet, schottische, polka.

We can see from the list that it is easier to learn to hop on one foot than use two feet to jump at the same time. For kids that have learning disabilities, assist by holding one or both their hands while they practice.

To clarify the definitions of hopping and jumping:

Hopping is done on one foot. The other knee is bent with the foot raised above ground. Arms can be stretched to the sides for balance.

Jumping is done with both feet touching ground and pushing off together at the same time. To jump the knees are bent, the soles of the feet are pressed into the ground and with a burst of energy from the knee bent position, the soles of the feet in unison propel the body into the air. Arms can be stretched to the sides for balance.

Lessons:

Preparation: enough space for the kids to move without bumping into furniture. Some ideas are the front of the classroom with furniture scooted back; the center of the room; the wooden stage in a multi-purpose room; outdoors on the grass or on blacktop. My opinion is that concrete is too hard a surface to hop or jump on; it doesn't give with the impact.

Hopping lessons:

Have the students stand in a group with or without a partner to assist with balance.

On the right foot, hop in place 4 times and rest. Again 4 hops in place on the right foot and rest.

Now change feet and repeat with the left foot 4 hops and rest. Again 4 hops on the left foot and rest.

More advanced practice is for students to go to one corner of room and move in a diagonal direction to opposite corner with 4 walking steps and 4 hops in place; again, 4 walking steps and 4 hops in place. Continue the sequence across the room.

Jumping lessons:

Using the idea from the hopping lesson ask the students to jump in place 4 times and rest and repeat the 4 jumps and rest.

Next, go to one corner of the room and move across the room diagonally to the opposite corner with 4 walking steps and 4 jumps in place, then repeat while moving across the room with 4 walking steps and 4 jumps in place.

All 16 basic rhythmic motor skills and dances for practice are in my book:
Rhythms and Dances for School Age Kids


Article by Susan Kramer