GM.E.131 BROAD JUMPS 30 CM

This jumping skill requires a still stronger spring-off, and therefore stronger calf muscles, and better co-ordination of shoulder girdle, trunk and leg muscles.

How to Assess

Materials: A 20 cm wide mat or 2 marks 30 cm apart on a flat surface.

Method: Ask your child to jump over the mat, demonstrating if necessary. Score plus if your child jumps the mat with 2 feet together.

How to Teach

By now your child is jumping with her feet in unison off a block on the spot. She also has sufficient direction in her jumping to jump over a rope. This skill extends the direction in her jumping.

Increase the distance through which your child must jump gradually, from jumping over a rope to the 30 cm distance. Each time you increase the distance, give her some support until she can do it on her own. Work in bare feet to start with and then let her try in sneakers. Progress to school shoes (or other firm, leather shoes, which she will probably find hardest).

There are lots of opportunities during the day to practise this skill – jumping over the join between tiles and carpet, jumping off a mat onto the carpet, jumping over puddles in the footpath, jumping from the path onto the grass and so on.

Jumping is fun and after you have been practising for a few weeks you will find it impossible to walk straight anywhere– jumping over any change in the surface becomes a habit.