Kangaroo Hops
Two-foot bounces across the room with a "joey" (beanbag) held between the knees. Pure jumping practice dressed up as a game.
Overview
You need
No equipment neededOptional: Cones or markersOptional: Beanbags
Skills developed
- Locomotor: repeated two-foot jumps
- Strength: leg power
- Control: squeezing the joey
NEL Framework: Motor Skills Development.
Set up
1Step 1
Mark a start and finish line with cones, five or six metres apart.
2Step 2
Children on the start line, a beanbag (the joey) squeezed between their knees.
ChildTagger / team BCoachHoopSpotConeBallBeanbagRope or lineMarked areaWhere they move
How to play
- Bounce to the finish without dropping the joey.
- Drop it? Pick it up, put it back, carry on from there.
- Bounce back. Then try with the joey held between the feet (ankles).
Tips for explaining
"Squeeze your knees." The squeeze keeps the legs together for a true two-foot jump.
"Small bounces, lots of them." Better than three big lunges.
Make it easier / harder
EasierNo joey. Just two-foot bounces.
HarderJoey between the ankles. Race a partner.
Safety
Grass or a sprung floor is best. Keep the distance short: legs tire fast.
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Rather we ran it for you?
This is one of the games our coaches run in pre-schools every week, with our own equipment. Weekly enrichment, sports days, or a whole holiday programme for your centre, planned in one message.