We were trying to teach our three-year-old how to hop, and it was obvious that he could use a little practice. We needed a toddler jumping activity to help move him along. So, we grabbed some painter’s tape (a personal favorite) and whipped up a fun game to improve gross motor strength! Years later, this is still one of my favorite easy toddler activities.
RELATED: Easy activities for kids help preschoolers play more at home and stimulate the brain to enhance learning potential.
What are jumping activities?
There are many ways to practice jumping:
- Hopscotch
- Jumping rope – older children
- Leapfrog
- Outdoor chalk games
- Outdoor obstacle courses
Jumping is a gross motor activity. This means it is using large muscles in the body. Here is a fun activity to improve arm strength!
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What are the different ways to jump?
This activity is a great way to enhance the skill of jumping. It will allow your preschooler to practice takeoff, flight, and landing.
Five different types of jumps
- Two-foot takeoff, two-foot landing
- Two-foot takeoff, one-foot landing
- Hop – one foot take off, same foot landing.
- Leap – one foot take off, another foot landing.
- One foot takes off, two feet land.
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How to play this toddler jumping activity
- Begin with one row of painter’s tape.
- Next, invite your toddler to jump over the tape.
- Add another piece of tape and invite your child to jump over it again.
- Continue adding tape until you reach a stopping point.
- As your toddler jumps, try different jumps and demonstrate bending your knees as you swing your arms forward.
Remember, toddler activities don’t need to be complicated for your three-year-old to enjoy them!
We only need one supply!
Let’s help our toddlers get jumping! You only need one supply to get this party started.
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Painter’s Tape
No one prepared me for how much painter’s tape we would go through! It is absolutely one of our favorite supplies for kid activities.
What else can my toddler play with tape?
Using tape with kid activities is an absolute favorite here:
FAQ
Examples of gross motor activities are balancing on a curb, jumping or hopping to different circles, hula hooping, or kicking a ball. Toddlers and preschoolers have plenty of time to develop the large muscles in their bodies as long as we give them opportunities to do so. Here are 25 gross motor activities for kids.
Hopping takes a lot of coordination and practice. Children can learn to hop anytime between the ages of two and three.
My kids love playing with painter’s tape. My favorite (and simple) idea for tape is called indoor roads. Use painter’s tape on your floor or tabletop to create paths for toy racecars.
