A two-foot jumping game using targets on the ground, building standing broad jump and vertical jump skills.
- Place 6–10 “puddles” on the ground — chalk circles, hula hoops, paper plates, or towels — spaced at varying distances (start close, 30–50 cm apart).
- The child jumps with both feet together to the next puddle, landing with both feet inside.
- Encourage the child to swing arms forward on takeoff and bend knees on landing (“land like a quiet cat”).
- Once through all puddles, turn around and jump back.
Variation: make some puddles “hot lava” (skip over them), place puddles at angles requiring direction changes, or add a “super jump” puddle farther away.
Requirements
- Space: About 5–8 meters of length (indoors or outdoors)
- Surface: Any flat surface; grass slightly increases difficulty (good progression)
- Materials: Chalk, hula hoops, paper plates, tape circles, or towels to mark puddles
- Participants: 1 child minimum; can be done solo after setup
- Supervision: Light to moderate — watch landing form initially
Rationale & Objective
The two-foot standing jump is a critical locomotor milestone assessed in the PDMS-2 and BOT-2. At age 5 children should jump forward at least 50 cm and jump over low obstacles with both feet (CDC/AAP). This exercise develops bilateral leg power, takeoff-landing coordination, and proprioceptive awareness. Arm swing integration during jumping is a mature pattern developing between ages 4–6 (Gallahue’s Fundamental Movement Phase).
Progress Indicators
- Early: jumps with one foot leading (asymmetric takeoff); lands heavily with straight legs; inconsistent arm use; manages only 20–30 cm
- Developing: two-foot takeoff is consistent; beginning arm swing; bends knees on landing but still loud/heavy; jumps 40–50 cm
- Proficient: coordinated arm swing on takeoff; quiet, controlled landing with bent knees; jumps 60+ cm; maintains balance on landing
- Advanced: strings 8–10 jumps in sequence without pausing; adjusts jump force for varying distances; lands on small targets; adds direction changes
Safety Notes
- Ensure landing surfaces are non-slippery — avoid slick floors with socks; bare feet or rubber-soled shoes are best
- Start with short distances; overly ambitious spacing can cause face-first falls
- On hard surfaces keep jump heights low to protect knees and ankles
- If using hoops or objects on the floor, secure them so they do not slide when landed on
- Cue “bendy knees, land like a frog” to prevent locked-knee landings
Hints
- Playfulness: make it a story — “the floor is a swamp and the puddles are lily pads; you’re a frog getting home!”
- Sustain interest: change layout weekly — zigzag, spiral, clusters. Add numbered puddles and jump in order (math tie-in)
- Common mistake: children try to jump too far and fall. Start close and gradually increase spacing
- Limited space: use 4–5 puddles in a small room. Even 2–3 meters is enough
- Cross-domain: write letters/numbers on puddles — “jump to the letter B!” (literacy); count jumps aloud (numeracy)
- Progression: close puddles (30 cm) → medium (50 cm) → far (70+ cm) → add height → add direction changes → jump over small obstacles between puddles
Sources
- PDMS-2 Locomotion subtest — standing broad jump items (ages 4–5)
- BOT-2 Running Speed & Agility subtest — jumping items
- CDC/AAP Milestones — "jumps over low obstacles with both feet" by age 5
- Gallahue, D.L. & Ozmun, J.C. — Understanding Motor Development (jumping pattern maturation ages 4–6)
- Vrbik et al. (2024), "Jumping Motor Skills in Typically Developing Preschool Children," PMC
- UK EYFS Physical Development ELG
- Head Start ELOF — "coordinates increasingly complex movements"