Locomotor and Jump Rope Skill Games

Equipment: 4 Cones or Markers

Type of Exercise: Game

Object: Practice and increase coodination with various locomotor skills.

Rules:

• Set-up four cones in a square. Choose the best distance that works for those participating.
• The player will stand at one corner.
• Decide what locomotor movements will be used.
• walking
• running
• galloping
• hopping
• skipping
• sliding
• On "GO!" players move from one cone to the next in a square pattern.

Variations:

• Use one locomotor movement around the entire square or change movements at each cone.
• Set up two squares and have a race between two players.
• Have a relay race between two groups.
• Time how fast players can complete the square and have them try to beat the previous time.

Equipment: Music

Group Size: 1+

Object: Perform locomotor movements to the beat of the music.

Rules:

• Start music and call out a locomotor movement.
• Encourage students to keep the beat of the music (i.e. fast, slow, loud, soft, etc.).
• Periodically stop music and complete non-locomotor stretches.

Variations:

• Change the locomotor skills used throughout the game.
• Keep the music on while doing non-locomotor movements. Make sure students are not jerking or bouncing for these movements.
• Create a routine by combining various locomotor and non-locomotor movements.

Equipment: Object to Pass, Music

Group Size: 5+

Object: Pass the object to the beat of the music. Try not to be the one holding the object when the music stops.

Rules:

• This activity is played like "Musical Chairs."
• Students stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle.
• When the music begins, an object is passed or tossed around the circle to the beat of the music.
• When the music stops, the person holding the object goes to the center of the circle and does a selected non-locomotor or locomotor movement skill until the next round is over.
• Encourage the player in the middle to do the movement to the beat of the music.
• After a new round, the person in the middle rejoins the group and is replaced by the player that ended up with the passed object.

Variations:

• More than one object can be passed around the circle. This will send multiple players into the center to complete the motor skills.
• Use a basketball and the different basketball passes.

Equipment: None

Group Size: 6+

Object: Try to avoid being tagged by the person that is "it."

Rules:

• One person is chosen to be "it."
• The person that is "it" tries to tag the other players.
• When a player is tagged, he/she must freeze in the place where they were tagged.

Variations:

• Use different locomotor skills to move around in the game.
• Players can do different non-locomotor skills once they are "frozen."
• Players can be "unfrozen" when another player crawls under their legs without being tagged by the "it" player.

Equipment: None

Group Size: 5+

Object: Try to avoid being tagged from the person that is "it."

Rules:

• This game needs to be played in a gymnasium court where lines are present.
• Players can only move along the lines of the court.
• One person is chosen to be "it."
• The person that is "it" tries to tag the other players.
• Once a player is tagged, he/she also become "it."
• The last player to be tagged wins.
• Players are trying to avoid all other players, as they may not know if other players have been tagged.

Variations:

• Use different locomotor skills to move around in the game.
• Instead of adding more "it" players, the role of being "it" can just change to the one person who was tagged.

Equipment: Music (optional)

Type of Exercise: Game

Object: Move your body and enjoy yourself.

Rules:

• The fun part about the rules of this game is that there are NO RULES!
• Turn the music on any song you like.
• Move your body to show how you feel.
• You can choose from any type of movements you want. Some examples could be:
• If you are sad, you can sway and spin slowly.
• If you are happy, you can skip or gallop around.
• If you are mad, you can stomp or sway your arms quickly.
• If you are hyper, you can jump or bounce.

Variations:

• Dance with no music.
• Move to the beat of the music.
• Dance with different emotions. (i.e., happy, sad, tired, scared, etc.).
• Have someone guess what emotion you are dancing to.
• Use as many different locomotor or non-locomotor movements you can think of.
• Dance with a partner.
• Dance with an object (i.e., broom, chair, stuffed animal, etc.).

Equipment: None

Group Size: 1+

Object: Perform manipulative movements without any equipment.

Rules:

• Students complete the skills or exercises without any equipment.
• Imagination is the key.

Variations:

• Make up new rules to fit with your situation.
• Use music and perform movements to the beat of the music.
• Pretend to be an animal or famous person.

Equipment: Long Jump Rope

Group Size: 3+

Object: Enter a spinning long jump rope, jump the rope, and exit without touching the rope.

Rules:

• Two people each hold a different end of the jump rope.
• Rope turners back up so rope is draped loosely between them.
• The jump rope will be turned at a consistent speed.
• The jumping player starts by running under the rope without jumping it.
• The next turn, the player enters the turning rope, jumps once, and exits the rope.
• With each turn, the number of jumps increases by one until the player misses.
• When a player misses, they take a turn spinning the rope.

Variations:

• Set a number of jumps to aim for. The first player to reach the number wins.
• Play by adding 2 or 3 jumps each time.
• Play to a certain number and then start to subtract a jump with each turn.
• Play using the different types of jumps. (single, spin, frog, etc.)
• Turn the rope quickly.