THE ULTIMATE JUMP ROPE HACK!

Jump rope might be one of the most challenging skills to teach. There are a lot of pieces that have to fall into place for students to be successful. I’ve used this jump rope hack for years, and you might find it helpful too.

“Grumpy Hands”: Holding the Handles

Have you ever watched a kid pick up a jump rope and wondered how their arms managed to get twisted like a pretzel in the process?

Two little eyeball stickers on students’ hands have completely changed jump rope handling in my gym.

A while back, another teacher was giving away eyeball stickers from a pumpkin-decorating activity. I grabbed them and started using them to make silly faces on students’ hands. At the beginning of our jump rope unit, as students enter the gym, I have them hold out their hands. I place two stickers on each hand. One on the pointer finger and one on the ring finger.

When it’s time to pick up the jump rope, I tell students to find the way the eyeballs can “look” at them. We call these “Grumpy Hands.” It’s an instant visual cue that helps them grab the handles correctly every time. (Here’s a link to similar stickers you can find on Amazon!)

Tap–Tap–Twirl–Pop!: Getting Over the Rope

The rest is the fun part:

• Start with the rope behind the body

• Have students tap the handles together—tap, tap (this helps prevent them from jumping and swinging at the same time)

• Twirl the rope out in front

• And POP! off the ground like popcorn

There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a kid’s face light up when they get over that rope for the very first time!

Keep on,

Katie