How to Create a Preschool Jumping Game

Who says that fitness and learning can’t happen at the same time? With the preschool jumping game, your child will develop coordination and build stamina, while learning something along the way. With brightly colored jumping “mats” that you and your preschooler create, fitness will be fun and educational.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Construction paper or card stock
• Markers
• Crayons
• Stickers and other decorations
• Glue
• Scissors
• Magazines
• Contact paper (clear)

1. Begin by brainstorming with your preschooler about possible ideas for your jumping mats. This may include shapes that you cut out or draw onto the paper, animals, colors, letters or instruments. Have your child help draw the pictures or find pictures in magazines or online that can be glued to the paper.

2. Apply the clear contact paper to laminate the jumping mats for future use. This will help the game last beyond one use.

3. Spread the mats out on the floor and call out a mat for your child to hop to, by naming a color, letter, number or animal (or whatever else you’ve created). Continue calling out items and letting your preschooler jump from mat to mat.

4. Yell “freeze” and your preschooler must stand still like a statue. This signals the end of the round. While there is no clear winner in this preschool fitness activity, your child will have so much silly fun he won’t even focus on winners/losers.

5. Add another layer of fun to your preschool jumping game by having your child perform when they hop to a mat. For instance, if she lands on a number, have her count to that number, or if the mat is an animal, she can pretend to be that animal. Additionally, if she lands on a letter, she can name something that begins with the letter.

Tips & Warnings

• For additional fun, add music to your hopping game. This activity provides plenty of opportunities for silly movement and learning at the same time.
• Enlist your preschooler’s help when developing the game—you can determine the colors, shapes and other elements of the jumping game together.