Jump the Beats
What you need
- a clear bit of floor space, or a patch of grass
How to do it
- Say a word and jump once for each beat in it: dog is one jump, rab-bit is two, el-e-phant is three.
- Ask your child to jump the next word with you, saying it as they go.
- Try their name, the family's names and long silly words like cat-er-pil-lar and al-li-ga-tor.
- Let them choose a word for you to jump, and check you got it right.
Why it matters
Jumping each beat makes the parts of a word something they can feel, and long words mean lots of jumping.
What they're learning
- Beats in words
- Rab-bit is two parts, el-e-phant is three.
- Two-footed jumps
- Taking off and landing on both feet, again and again.
- Listening and checking
- Counting your jumps against the word.
What to look for
Notice them slowing the word down so each jump lands on a beat.
A tip
Jump on carpet, grass or a rug, and keep the space clear of toys.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: stick to words with one or two beats, and hold their hands as you jump together
Harder: ask them to find a word with four jumps, then five
