The Bunny Hop

The bunny hop  In the spirit of the coming or spring and out long-eared, bushy tailed friends, I thought we'd talk about bunny hops today. Hopping is a great activity to practice with kids of all ages. Not only does it build strength and coordination, but, when approached thoughtfully, can be huge confidence boost as well.  

For Beginners, it's best to start with assisted jumping. Layout 3-5 ropes/strings on the floor to help your little jumper gauge distance and keep track of his progress. Then demonstrate jumping over the ropes in a simple, yet exaggerated fashion (simply count your jumps, and exaggerate everything about your jump from the knee bending to the arm swinging to the actual lift off). Then ask your budding jumper to try. If they need more guidance cue them verbally, "bend your knees, swing your arms, jump!" and/or try jumping beside them. To assist even further you can rest your arms just under their arms and let them feel the support of you holding them steady as they attempt to jump. Sometimes a child's first attemp might simply be a squat (bending of the knees while swinging his arms) before each rope, and then a step forward. While he is not jumping, this is a great foundation for jumping both physically and mentally. No matter their progress, make sure to cheer your child on to keep them feeling successful. This will help them to help build confidence and make jumping an activity that they wish to practice with you often!

Comments

[howtoconfidence]

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