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Jumping and Landing

As we develop

Skill
Locomotor
Play to Learn

Instructions

Jumping and landing (Frog Hopping) involves taking off on one or two feet and landing on two, with feet, ankles, knees and hips absorbing the force. Vertical height is achieved by bending at the knees and swinging both arms forwards and upwards above the head.

  1. Feet shoulder-width apart
  2. Bend knees – ‘Frog Hopping’ position
  3. Take the arms back and swing them forward and upward
  4. Push off the balls of the feet and reach up as high as you can with the arms
  5. Keep your body straight and head up
  6. Land bending the hips, knees and ankles

Safety

Ensure…

  • children land on the balls of their feet
  • children bend their legs on landing
  • jumping on hard surfaces is kept to a minimum
  • repetitive jumping is avoided

Opportunity to develop

  • Co-ordination
  • Control
  • Spatial awareness
  • Leg strength

Physical Development Area of Learning

  • contributes to ‘Personal’ and ‘Adventurous and physical play’ skills sections

If you see

Observation Likely Cause Solution
Not much height in the jump Jumps from straight legs, with no evidence of bending of knees, or preparatory crouch. Looks down. Bend knees and explode or jump up, reaching upwards. Work on bending and stretching.
Feet do not leave the ground together Jumps off preferred foot, or feet are not together on take-off Place markers for child to stand on at take-off
Arms not used in the jump Arms are down by side and do not contribute to the jump Start with arms behind them and swing them up
Body not fully extended in the jump Brings their heels up under their bottom, legs tucked up Use their legs in the jump. Work on straight body shape.
Lands with straight legs Legs do not bend at the ankles, knees and hips on landing Curl back up on landing. Go from a straight shape to a small shape.
Lands noisily Lands flat footed Land as ‘quietly as a mouse’ on balls of feet

Can you see?

  • the child demonstrating a good ‘Frog Hopping’ position?
  • the child swinging their arms initially backwards and then forwards and upwards?
  • the child forcefully straightening the legs on take-off?
  • the child’s feet leaving the floor together?
  • the child’s head looking up and their eyes focused on a target?
  • the child showing a straight shape in the air?
  • the child showing a controlled landing, landing on the balls of the feet and bending the knees?
  • the child landing without taking further steps?

 

 

 

  • Mostly No

    • Bend knees and then straighten, allowing heels to come off floor
    • Bend knees and then straighten, encouraging child to take off from both feet and land in ‘Frog Hop’ position
    • Face child, holding hands to assist jumping action
    • Jumping spots, jump and land on the spot, jump around the spot, jump over the spot
    • Explore a range of jumps typical of different animals; ask them to demonstrate different ways that animals would jump, e.g. frog, rabbit, kangaroo

  • Yes and No

    • Make curved, straight and zigzag pathways and jump along these paths.
    • Place coloured markers around the hall. Jump on and off and between markers.
    • Jump over a cone, skipping rope/soft toy. Place a coloured spot on the other side for the child to land on.

  • Mostly Yes

    • Walk or run and jump without stopping.
    • Jump over various objects, such as lines, cones, small hurdles, go from front to back, side-to-side. Increase the heights of the objects.
    • Jump off low benches.
    • Jump off low objects and land within a circle, within a hoop, rope circle.
    • Jump onto low benches or boxes.

  • Challenge

    • Jump and land over a small obstacle
      – Speed bounce, trying to complete as many as possible in a set time
    • Jump quarter turn, half turn, full turn, turn in both directions
    • Jump and land on a on a spot, then on a line, turn in both directions and remain balanced on landing
    • Jump 2 to 2, 2 to 1, 1 to 2, left and right leg variations,
    • Jump and perform shapes in the air – straight, tuck, star, pike, straddle
    • Run and jump and land without overbalancing, using throw-down markers as landing targets
    • Perform ‘spotty dogs’ – jump into narrow lunge, jump, change lead leg
    • Travel forwards, backwards and sideways using different jumps, combination of jumps – hopscotch
    • Jump using a skipping rope
    • Jump and land two feet close together, shoulder-width apart, wider, one foot in front of the other, one foot directly behind the other
    • Jump as above but from a low obstacle
    • Jump and land in response to a range of cues

Video

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Jumping and Landing