Skipping rope

Our skipping ropes have brightly coloured plastic handles which clip together for easy storage when not in use.  There is a removable section on the tip of each handle – if the rope is too long, remove the tip and adjust the rope to the required length.  Tie a not at the end of the rope and replace the tip.

 

NOT just for skipping!  With a little imagination and creative thinking, you can use a skipping rope in different ways to develop skills such as body awareness, balance, timing, motor planning and co-ordination.

 

Curly wirly

Lie rope on the floor in a curved line.  Walk forwards, backwards, sideways, tiptoe or heel-toe along the curve.

 

Balance walk

Walk on the rope from one end to the other.  Repeat with a beanbag on your head / shoulder / foot etc.

 

Shape walk

Lie the rope on the ground in the shape of:  a circle, square, rectangle, triangle or oval – walk along the rope naming the shape as you walk.   Keep your hands on the ground and jump out of the shape using only your feet.

 

Hokey pokey

Place the rope on the ground.    Sing ‘Hokey Pokey’:

“Put your left foot in” – child puts their left foot in.

“You put your left foot out” – child take left foot back over the rope and places it in the original position.

Continue by acting out the words of the song.

 

Skipping songs

Half a pound of tuppenny rice,

half a pound of treacle.

That’s the way the money goes,

POP goes the weasel

 

Salt, mustard, vinegar, pepper

I’ll write my friend a long, long letter

Salt vinegar, mustard, pepper

 

Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man,

bake me a cake as fast as you can,

pat it and prick it and mark it with a ‘B’,

and put it in the oven for baby and me.

 

Yankee doodle went to town

Riding on a pony

He stuck a feather in his hat

And called it macaroni

 

2, 4, 6, 8

Mary at the garden gate.

Is she early, is she late?

Mary’s at the garden gate

 

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.

Teddy bear, teddy bear, climb the stairs,

Teddy bear, teddy bear, say your prayers.

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn off the lights.

Teddy bear, teddy bear say goodnight.