Video  Supports all levels

Beginners  Give clear commands such as: “Legs bent, arms ready, jump!” This will help the children learn timing and the technique needed for jumping. If jumping is too difficult, have the children step to the next hoop instead.

Intermediate  Reduce the commands to: “Ready and jump!” Increase the speed if needed.

Advanced  Increase the jumping distance if you feel it is possible and have the children say “Ready and jump!” themselves.

Special Needs  For active special needs children this activity is possible. Be sure all children are focusing and listening to prevent them bumping into each other. Be sure every child understands what they have to do before doing the activity.

Arrange the hoops in a circle on the floor with a space of 50 cm between each hoop.

Have each child stand in the centre of their own hoop within the circle of hoops.

The goal is for the children to jump from hoop to hoop in the same direction and at the same time.

Explain that everyone needs to work as “a team” and to jump at the same time.

Ask the children to face in the direction they will jump and stand with their feet together ready to jump.

With the verbal instruction “Ready and Jump!”, the children simultaneously jump to the next hoop.

The jump must be done from two feet to two feet.

Repeat this until the children have jumped a full circle and are back in their own hoop.

Be sure that all children are attentive and standing ready to jump. If one child is not ready the children may collide with each other.

Be sure the hoops are spaced an achievable jumping distance apart. Set the spacing to your smallest child.

Beginners  Keep the instructions simple and the activity short. Jumping to the sides may be challenging.

Intermediate  Encourage jumping with feet together. Do three or four jumps and have the children try and copy the sequence.

Advanced  Increase the difficulty of the jump sequence and have the children repeat it a few times and try to memorize it.

Special Needs  This activity can be done at a speed that best suits the child. Depending on the ability level, do achievable movements, even if moving just one foot at a time.

Do a variety of jumps slowly enough for the children to follow you.
Say the jumping instructions out loud. For example:
“Jump forward. Jump backwards.”
“Jump to the side. Jump to the center. Jump to the other side.”
“Run around the hoop.”
“Jump right over the hoop. Turn around. Jump right over again.”

Ensure that the children are all facing forward and that they can see you clearly.

Have the children stand in their own hoops in front of you.

It is easier for the children to follow if they “mirror” you. When the children jump to the side, have them jump to the same side as you.

If a child is struggling to follow the movements, have the child stand in front of you to be able to focus and follow more easily.

Be sure that there is enough space between hoops for the children to move in and around while copying.

Beginners  To help a child understand how to correctly place their hands on the hoop, stand behind them and then place your hands together with their hands on the hoop do the roll together.

Intermediate  With guidance and verbal prompting the children should be able to roll and catch the hoop with practice.

Advanced  Increase the rolling distance and encourage faster and more accurate rolling to challenge the children more.

Special Needs  One hand can easily do the rolling if needed. The hoop can also be rolled from the side of the chair. Standing with feet apart or one leg forward will also aid balance.

Have the children find a partner or select a partner for each child.

The pairs stand facing each other approximately three to four meters apart so that they form two lines.

Show the children how to correctly roll a hoop. Start by holding the hoop in front of the body directly in line with the partner. If the left leg is forward the left hand should be on top and the same goes for the right side.

The top hand should be lightly placed on the top of the hoop to keep it straight and balanced. The other hand, also open, is placed behind the hoop, fingers pointing downwards. A firm push is then given from the back hand to propel the hoop forward.

Give a hoop to each child in the line on one side. Verbally explain the correct hand placement and on your command have them roll the hoop.

If done correctly and with the right amount of force the hoop should roll forward in a straight line.

The partners waiting in the line on the other side have to catch the hoops as they roll towards them.

Repeat the verbal commands once again. When the children understand how to roll the hoop correctly have them enjoy rolling and catching on their own.

A push that is too gentle will make the hoop fall over midway. The harder the children push the hoop forward, the straighter it will go.

Be sure there is enough space between the children in the lines so that the hoops do not easily roll to the wrong person.

Have the children get the attention of their partner before rolling to prevent collisions.

Be sure that the children roll rather than throw the hoop.

Beginners  If working with hoops is too challenging, have the children place their hands on the floor and form a tunnel using their bodies.

Intermediate  The children should be able to manage this activity fairly well.

Advanced  If easily achieved encourage the children to more more quickly through the hoops, still without touching.

Special Needs  Able-bodied physical needs children can manage this activity with supervision. Keep in mind that the children would need to stand still for some time holding their hoop in the tunnel.

Small groups of five to seven children are best for this activity, preferably with adult supervision for each group.

Have the children stand side by side, approximately 60 cm apart, each with their own hoop, except for one child who will take the first turn.

The children hold the hoops resting on the floor in front of them so that the hoops form a straight tunnel on the ground.

The child without starts at the beginning of the hoop tunnel and crawls through all the hoops trying not to touch the sides of the hoops along the way.

On reaching the end of the tunnel the child runs back to the start, stands opposite the child whose turn is next and holds the hoop while they have a turn.

The children crawl through the hoops ahead of them first, then they run around to the start of the line to crawl through the hoops that were behind them until they reach the next child in line for a turn.

This continues until all the children have crawled through the tunnel of hoops and are standing on the opposite side of where they started.

The last child in line will simply run around to the start of the tunnel, crawl through all the hoops until back in their own place and stand on the opposite side like the others.

The goal for the children is to crawl through the tunnel without touching the sides or the tops of the hoops. All movements must be carefully controlled during the activity.

Encourage the children to hold their hoops still during the activity.

If you have more than one group allow enough space between the groups for the children to run around.

Encourage children who lack upper body strength, they will find the activity difficult and will be slower.

Beginners  Call out the numbers in numerical order to help the children adjust to the activity.

Intermediate  Say the numbers randomly and with varied length of time before calling each number.  This will create anticipation and focus.

Advanced  Have the children “high five” each other when meeting in the middle. This requires more body control and focus.

Special Needs  The children may have difficulty remembering their number or reacting accordingly. It may help to touch the shoulder of the child whose number you call.

Beginner  Have bigger stepping holes for younger or less coordinated children.

Intermediate  Decrease the size of the stepping holes here and there to make the activity more challenging.

Advanced  Have the children try to do the activity moving backwards.

Special Needs  Have the gaps in the hoops set at an achievable distance apart. Give support if a child’s balance is unsteady.

Approximately 8 to 12 hoops is needed for this activity.

Explain that they will pretend to cross a river where water is running fast and the only way to cross the river is to step in the gaps created by the hoops and to pretend they are the stepping stones on which they must tip-toe on to reach the other side. .

Pile the hoops loosely on the floor in a line so that there are gaps that the children can tiptoe into. This “river crossing” can be two to three meters long.

One by one the children tiptoe from one side of the river to the other keeping their balance while doing so. Adjust the size of the gaps according to the age of the children.

This is a fun activity that the children can do before exiting from the teaching area or the activity can be repeated several times. Be sure to captivate their interest with pretend play to make it more fun!

If you have two groups and have two sets of hoops laid out, have a safe distance between them.