These hopping games unlock endless laughter and joy. With each hop, skip, or jump, your little one builds stronger muscles.
Why Hopping is So Beneficial for Preschoolers
Physical development is always at the forefront of people’s minds when they consider the benefits of hopping games.
Building strong muscles and teaching children to use their bodies is an important part of preschool. Hopping games provide a fun way for children to get moving and help with coordination, bone strength, and endurance.
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Hoping games encourage cognitive growth in addition to physical development. Kids learn spatial awareness and where their bodies are in relation to things around them, and preschoolers learn to concentrate on the game and work through problems they may run into.
Energy is used up and released while playing hopping games. This brings *joy* to an active preschooler’s Mama’s ears. Ideally, the more energy they use while hopping and jumping, the less they will have to destroy the house or torment their sibling (in theory). 😉
With the endorphins flowing from all the jumping activities, your little learner will experience reduced stress and an improved mood.
Hopping Games for Preschoolers
Hopscotch
You probably guessed this classic game would make the list. Make a hopscotch board for your preschooler. Add numbers from 1 to 10 or 10 to 1 on the squares, and have your little one play hopscotch by hopping from square to square.
When the numbers are written from 10 to 1, it works on counting backward—a fun twist on the classic game.
Jumping Rope
Hand-eye coordination can be a bit tricky for preschoolers. Have your little one start with a jump rope behind them. Slowly, they bring it over their head and step over the jump rope, which is now touching the ground.
They can start to spin the rope faster as they get better at this.
Animal Jumps
Set up cones and have your little one do different animal jumps from one cone to the next. Try hopping like a rabbit, a frog, and a kangaroo!
Obstacle Course
Make a simple obstacle course with things to jump over or hop around, like cones, pillows, or hula hoops. Challenge them to hop in a zig-zag pattern through the cones.
Jumping Jacks
Show your little one how to do a jumping jack and practice doing them together. Challenge them to do a certain number of jumping jacks before stopping. Count the jumping jacks out loud as you both do them.
This is one of the hopping games that you can change to fit your needs. Change from counting to saying the ABCs or playing I Spy with colors. Each time your little one wants to talk during I Spy, they have to do jumping jacks.
Hop on the Number
Lay index cards with numbers written on the ground to make a number path. Have your little one jump from one card to the next numerically.
You may want them to land NEXT TO the card so they can still see the number (and not slip on the paper).
Balloon Volleyball
Inflate balloons and have your little one jump around to try to keep all of the balloons from hitting the ground. They can use their hands, arms, legs, head, etc., to keep the balloon afloat.
Musical Statues
Play music and have your little one jump, hop, and dance. Once the music stops, have them freeze like a statue! When the music starts again, they resume their hopping, jumping, and dancing.
Over the Animals
Set out small stuffed animals or bean bags and have your little one jump over each one. The bigger the animal, the harder it will be for your little one to get over.
Jumping Games
Hop right to scheduling these jumping games for your little one. The hopping games are quick to set up and will *hopefully* result in a calmer preschooler for you.