• About
  • NEW Digital Handwriting Workshop
    • How to Teach Handwriting to Kids VIDEO
    • Printable Handwriting Handouts
    • Handwriting Letter Progression
  • SHOP
  • Want online therapy services?

Kids Play Smarter

Maximizing your child's play with purposeful activities

  • Fine Motor Activities
  • Gross Motor Activities
  • Handwriting Help
  • Sensory Regulation
  • Therapist’s Tips
You are here: Home / Gross Motor Activities / Jump and Learn

Jump and Learn

April 7, 2016 by Amy Smith

Want to learn a great way to spice up learning, especially with how to read and spelling practice? Try this jump and learn game! It’s simple to set up and it’s actually a much more effective way to learn academics than the traditional seated practice (and a lot more fun too!).

Add a multi-sensory approach to learning with this jump and learn game! Teach letters, numbers, shapes, colors, or spelling words with this whole body learning activity.

 

This activity is more effective because your child is not simply memorizing academic concepts, but rather learning through whole body movements which will help the child to better recall the content.  This activity also gives your child great proprioceptive input which is essential for:  improved body awareness, increased attention, improved posture and tone, improved coordination, decreased stress levels, AND all the health benefits associated with exercise.

Who Should Play This Game

This activity is wonderful for ALL kids, and especially perfect for kids who struggle with sitting down to do their work and are more active movers.   Kids of all ages can play this game too because the learning content can be so easily adapted to whatever concepts your child is working on such as shapes, colors, numbers, time, math facts, etc…

Materials You Need

Index card sized paper

Tape

Mini Trampoline (optional)

How you Play 

For Early Academics (pick a academic concept such as shapes, numbers, letters, colors, etc..)

The example below shows how you would play using reading as the academic concept 

1. Start small by using only 6-10  index cards and write one letter on each card (*Note, use letters that can be used in multiple words such as rhyming or word family words)

letters on wall

 

2. Tape the letters on the wall at a height that’s tall enough so your child has to jump up and touch them yet short enough so they can still see the letters easily.

3. Next, tell the child a word to spell and have him just up and touch one letter at a time to spell the word.

jump and learn

4. (Optional) The child can use a mini trampoline to jump up and touch the letters if desired.

For More Advanced Literacy:

1.Follow the same steps as above but use more index cards (15-26)

2. Practice spelling words in this manner to help homework time go faster and more efficiently!

 

Hopefully, you and your child will find more “hoppy-ness” in this game versus traditional seated learning! Leave me a comment and let me know how this worked for your child!


Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Gross Motor Activities, Sensory Regulation Tagged With: academic activities, gross motor activities, learning games, preschool

Disclaimer

Kids Play Smarter is a blog about general ideas, theories, and concepts related to the field of occupational therapy and the growth and development of all children. The information presented on this blog is not intended to serve as or replace occupational therapy services for your child. The information on this blog is for entertainment, informational, and educational purposes only. This blog is not meant to replace formal professional consultation or evaluation from a qualified clinician. All children need to have the approval of a physician to participate in physical activities, including those described on this blog. In addition, children need to be supervised by a responsible adult at ALL times when completing activities that are illustrated and described on this blog. The author of this blog is NOT responsible or liable for any damage, injury, accident, illness, death, or adverse reaction due to participation in the activities described on the website.

Comments

  1. Emily says

    May 31, 2017 at 8:20 am

    This is great I will today try with my kids. Thank you

    • Amy SmithAmy Smith says

      June 7, 2017 at 4:43 pm

      Great!! Thanks for reading!

      • Susan says

        August 7, 2017 at 1:02 am

        Can you show us how to do joint compressions on legs please?

        • Amy SmithAmy Smith says

          August 9, 2017 at 2:26 am

          I don’t have anything prepared for that currently, but I can add that to my to-do list!

Welcome to Kids Play Smarter

Amy Smith I am an occupational therapist with over 10 years of experience working with children. I created this website to offer parents, teachers, and therapists FREE ideas, strategies, and activities that they can do with their children to improve their fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, academic learning, and regulate their sensory system all while "playing" (just playing smarter)! Read More…

Top Posts

Joint Compressions for Calming
How to Keep Writing on the Lines
Calming "Cookie Dough"
Improve Word Spacing Issues

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...