K,1,2 What do I do – Teaching
Long Rope Jumping
Amy Kaiser
MN-Shape Jump for Heart Coordinator
Teaching K,1,2 is not as difficult at some might think. If you can break down the skill then students can
easily learn difficult skills and tasks.
Remember Jumping Rope is a Rhythm – Practice the jumping rhythm without a rope.
Rebounders
1. Safely getting on and off equipment
 Step to the middle
 Stay in the middle/black part
 Bend knees when finished
 Step off onto floor
2. What to do on a rebounder
 Practice getting on/jumping/getting off
 Learn and READ jump rope rhymes- ALWAYS get through the entire poem, so lower skilled
jumpers have adequate practice time
 Practice MATH skills with dice, READING Skills with poems, and creative PHONICS
 Use as an independent station after first lesson
 Options for a rebounder in a Jump Rope for Heart Event
Long Ropes on the Ground
1. Safety with long ropes
 One student at a time – one direction only
 Go to the end of the rope, turn and say “your turn” to the waiting student.
 That student starts as you return to the end of the line.
 If you make a mistake, fix it and move on.
 Hands off ropes at this time, unless you are fixing a mistake.
2. What to do with Long Ropes on the ground
Don’t Wake the Giant Snake!!!
 Teach how to take turns
 Walk around Rope forwards and backwards
 Locomotor skills around the rope
 Jump down the rope
 Hop down one side/other using each foot
 Skier jump over and back over the rope
Let’s Swing The Rope – Part Way
1. Safety with Swinging
 Jumper faces one of the turners – Toes and nose looking at turner
 Jump a specified number and switch
 Jumper becomes turner, turner goes to end of line
(This works the best!)
2. Practice routine with 10 jumps and turners just holding the rope.
3. Swing the rope back and forth – little smiles/blue bells
This produces two different jumpers!!! “Run and leapers” and “Stay in one place” Jumpers.
Give plenty of practice so the leapers become jumpers
THE TRANSITION:
Countdown with ½ swings on Zero give a full turn around the jumpers and then start your count UP!
Helping with turning:
1. Parents, volunteers, older student leaders
2. 2nd graders can do this, but it is a painful transition 
3. K &1 Benefit from one helper per rope.
4. No helpers? Work with students in stations
5. Next step, READY, SET, JUMP
6. Re-introduce - Jump Rope Rhymes (use cards or have students create or find in Library)
Remember!!! Unskilled jumpers need more practice!!! Require a specified number of jumps, or go through the
complete rhyme before turn is competed!!!
Jumping In
1. Front Door vs Back Door
2. Adding in for more fun and more practice time*1st jumper becomes a turner, 2nd jumper becomes
the 1st jumper for added practice, 3rd jumper becomes 2nd
3. Long Rope Games
 Figure 8
 HELP
 School
 Championship Jumping Individual or Team totals(counters are great!)
 Conga-line Jump Through
 Egg Beater
Adding interest for Jump Rope for Heart Event
1. Celebrity Long Rope Turners
2. Counter to record jumps without a miss – Sheet on the wall to record numbers
3. Pair classrooms so older students help younger students
Thanks for attending this session. Remember the AHA and Jump Rope for Heart Websites, Facebook
and Youth Market Directors are great resources when teaching Jumping and running a Jump or Hoop
for Heart Event!