• Open outdoor space with flat grass or sand surface
• Markers (rope, ribbon, string, leaves, twigs)

Instructions

1. Find a flat, open outdoor space with grass or sand surface.
2. Mark a “jump” line on the ground (piece or rope or ribbon, or draw line in sand).
3. Show your child how to do a running long jump: run up to the line and take off with one foot.
4. Mark your landing spot with a leaf, a twig, or a piece of ribbon.
5. Have your child try to beat your jump!
6. Mark each jump.
7. Don’t be afraid to let your child beat you – coach for success!TIP: Show how to jump high to get extra distance.

   TIP: Show how to land with feet shoulder-width apart, and knees aligned above feet.

Variations

• If your child always takes off with the same foot, try the other foot for a while
• Introduce extra fun with imaginary scenarios – for example, pretend to be Spiderman leaping between buildings

Benefits

This activity develops dynamic balance, coordination, timing, and strength required for any and all sports and activities that involve a running jump (e.g., basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, gymnastics).

Instructions

1. Get your child to stretch out at the top of a small grass hill, arms above head.
2. Encourage your child to roll down the hill like a log.TIP: Remove jewelry and wear comfortable clothing.TIP: Make sure there are no sharp objects, rocks or obstacles in the grass.

Variations

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Benefits

This activity develops body proprioception and balance as kids roll because they learn how to differentiate up from down even when it keeps changing.

• Open outdoor space with soft grass
• Two long skipping ropes or lengths of ribbon

Instructions

1. Stretch out two ropes or lengths of ribbon on the ground.
2. Use the ropes or ribbons to form a single large “V” with a 1 metre space at the bottom of the “V”.
3. The space between the two ropes or ribbons is the river.
4. Take turns running and leaping over the river.
5. Start by leaping at the narrow part of the river, and then try to leap wider parts.TIP: Show your child how to take off with one foot and land with two feet while bending the knees.

Variations

• Pretend there are crocodiles in the river – if you fall in the river, roll around on the grass and pretend you are wrestling a crocodile!
• If your child always takes off with one foot, make sure they practice taking off with the other foot as well

Benefits

This activity develops dynamic balance, coordination, rhythm, and timing required for any and all sports and activities that involve a running jump (e.g., basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, gymnastics).

• Open space
• Rope or line in the ground

Instructions

1. Find a line on the ground, or stretch out a rope on the ground.
2. Designate one side of the rope or line to be the bank. The other side is the river.
3. When the parent says “river,” the child must jump with both feet together to the river side, and vice versa for “bank.”
4. Try to trick your child by saying “river” when they are already on the river side, or “bank” when they are on the bank side. They should not jump.
5. Let your child have a turn calling “river” and “bank”.

Variations

• Switch between “river” and “bank” faster and faster so that the game becomes more challenging
• If you have a few players, make it an elimination game – eliminate players if they jump to the wrong side – continue until there is only one player left

Benefits

This activity develops dynamic balance, coordination, mental focus, and reaction time required at older ages for a variety of sports and activities.

Instructions

1. Go with your toddler for a walk in a natural space (beach, forest, park, etc.).
2. Encourage your toddler to find interesting things to pick up and investigate (e.g. stones, sticks, leaves)
3. Watch to ensure your toddler does not pick up anything unsafe.TIP: This simple activity develops balance and coordination in bending down to pick things up.

Variations

• In your home, encourage your toddler to help you in activities where you are picking up things around the house
• Picking up books and putting them on a shelf
• Picking up toys and putting them away
• Picking up clothes for the laundry

Benefits

This activity develops coordination of legs, arms and torso, plus dynamic balance. These skills transfer to sports and activities that involve dynamic balance and coordination for lifting and lowering objects (e.g., weightlifting as a sport, and all daily lifting activities in general, plus combative sports such as wrestling and judo).