Jumping | Tākai

Jumping uses large muscles and builds on their walking, running and climbing skills.

Why do it?

Growing children enjoy being physically active.
Using large muscles helps to strengthen them.
Children’s confidence increases as more motor skills are learned.
Physical activity relieves stress, especially if the activity involves large muscles and big movements.
It’s fun.

You can help your child by getting them to begin learning to jump from something low, such as the bottom step.
Try to understand what it’s like for a little person to push up and off the ground and to briefly be in the air before landing. It takes co-ordination and some courage.
Help them by holding their hands, and giving them a bit of a lift as they jump.
Use words to help with their timing, ‘One, two, three, JUMP!’
Find other places to jump, such as over cracks in the footpath, lines on a netball court, a little puddle or some seaweed on the sand at the beach.
Draw some chalk ‘lily pads’ on a path and play frog jumping from one ‘lily pad’ to another.
Follow your child’s lead as to how much they want to try and when it’s time to stop holding their hands.