June

Hopping

Once your child can stand on one foot for at least 4 seconds and can jump down and forwards, they may be ready to try hopping. Usually children do not start to hop until they are between 4 and 4 ½

  • Start by modeling for your child what a hop is.
  • Stand in front of your child, show them how to stand on one foot and then hop one time. Have your child stand on one foot while you hold their hands and have them practice a hop. Remind him/her to keep their foot up in the air when they hop. You may have to hold their foot up so they can feel it. You also should make sure that he/she is holding their foot in line with his/her standing leg and not in front. For most children, holding their leg up in the air when they come down on the hopping foot is challenging. Your child may only be able to hop on one side, which is their stronger side. Practice on both sides making sure your child does not get frustrated but rather feels good about what he/she can do. Hopping takes a lot of time and practice.
  • Once you have held your child’s hands and they can hop, have them practice by holding the back of a chair with two hands or a wall with two hands. Then move to one hand holding onto you or a surface. Make sure they practice both sides. When this is routine and they can hop holding onto something, which may take many practice sessions, have them hop without holding on. As they get more comfortable have them hop two times in a row. You may want to go back to holding their hand or have them hold the wall or a chair as they practice multiple hops. Many times when kids are learning to hop, they wait too long between hops.
  • Encourage them to hop quickly and not wait and balance between hops.

Some fun games.

1. Trace your child's foot on colored paper. Cut it out, make a few copies. Use this, taped to the floor to hop on.

2. Practice hopping multiple times by hopping in place to get a puzzle piece. Each time they hop one time they get a puzzle piece to put in. As their hopping progresses, try to hop 2 times, then 3 to get the puzzle piece. A more advanced child might practice hopping forward two times or three times while holding a puzzle piece so they can get to the puzzle to put the piece in.

3.Hopscotch. You can make one out of chalk or buy one.