Teaching your children to jump rope is a great way to encourage them to exercise each day. Jumping rope can keep children busy on a day off from school or on a warm summer’s day when their friends are away. If your child seems confused or unable to jump rope at first, don’t worry. It’s a simple enough skill that takes some getting used to in the beginning. Be patient with your child and demonstrate the technique until he gets it.
Step 1
Jump rope a few times in front of your child so that she sees how it is done. Don’t try to impress her with your speed. Go slowly so that she can observe the motions of your wrists and legs.
Step 2
Practice jumping or hopping with your child. Tell him to stand with his feet a few inches apart. Have him hop up and down in one place several times.
Step 3
Stretch a jump rope straight across the floor. Instruct your child to hop over it, without touching it, a few times.
Step 4
Show your child how to hold her arms while jumping. Place your arms at your sides and bend your elbows. Press your elbows gently into your sides, just under your rib cage. Arrange your child’s arms yourself if she is having difficulty.
Step 5
Place the rope’s handles in her hands. The jump rope should fall onto the floor just behind her heels. Have her flick her wrists so that the jump rope leaps into the air, over her head. Let her practice flicking her wrists to maneuver the rope without raising her arms into the air a few times before moving on to jumping over the falling rope.
Step 6
Tell her to jump as the rope falls toward her feet. Repeat this a few times, until she seems to get the hang of it, then let her jump on her own as she swings the rope.
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