Jumping Activity
As tamariki jump, they not only have fun, they practice balance and coordination, strengthen leg muscles and develop confidence. When whānau jump with them, language, turn taking, negotiation, observation, and problem-solving skills are supported too.
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.
How to do it
- 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 coordination 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.
Using more te reo Māori
| Te reo Māori | English |
|---|---|
| Kei te reri koe? | Are you ready? |
| Māku koe e āwhina | I will help you |
| Homai tō ringaringa | Give me your hands |
| E peke, e te tau | Jump my darling |
| Hūpeke ki runga | Jump up |
| Hūpeke ki raro | Jump down |
| Tahi, rua, toru peke | One two three jump |
| Hūpeke ki tua o te tōhihi | Jump over the puddle |
| Hūpeke ki tua o te tāwha | Jump over the crack/line |
| Hūpekepeke | Jump up and down |
| Me pēnei ki te poraka | Like a frog |
| Me pēnei ki te kangarū | Like a kangaroo |
| Koinā | Yes that's it! |
| Whakapakari tinana | Workout/exercise |
| Tūpeketia | To jump or leap |
| Turi teitei | High knees |
| Kia tere tonu tō haere! | Go as fast as you can! |
| Hikituri | Knee lift |
| Tuoma | Running on the spot |
| Kia āta haere | Go slow |
| Titiro .... | Look at that! |
| Karawhiua | Give it heaps |
| Kei te ngenge au | I'm worn out/tired |
| Ka nui tēnā | That's enough |
| Kua pau tāku hau! | I've run out of oomph! |
