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Helicopter

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Average: 5 (1 vote)
Group Size: 
Small Group (1-10)
Group Size: 
Large group (10 or more)
Age Group: 
Pre K/K
Age Group: 
Grades 1-2
Age Group: 
Grades 3-5
Length of Activity: 
10 minutes or more
Developmental Goal: 
To develop the eye-foot coordination needed to jump rope.
Equipment: 
Jump Ropes
Before You Start: 

Skills practiced: Jumping and timing.

  • Review the concept of personal safe space when turning a jump rope.
  • Explain the concept of taking turns in a jumping order and in the different roles.
  • Demonstrate the skills needed and use students to help you.
  • Ask students to explain the game to you.
  • Caution: Make sure that students know to stay outside of the circle until the rope is low to the ground!
 

Set Up: 
Make a large (20’ diameter) circle with chalk if you will be using a long (10’-15’) rope.Make enough X’s on the perimeter of the circle for each player.
How To Play: 
  • Students stand on an X on the edge of the circle. 
  • The leader begins slowly turning the rope in a helicopter fashion over his/her head and says “Helicopter, helicopter over my head, I choose a color and the color is… (insert color).” 
  • At that point, the leader begins turning the jump rope on the ground and the students with the mentioned color anywhere on their bodies or clothes take one step forward and attempt to jump over the rope, which is now low to the ground. 
  • Play stops when a student is hit with or stops the rope with his/her feet. 
  • The leader then begins again with a new color.
Variations: 
  • Start with the rope circling on the ground and several children already positioned to jump as a warm-up. 
  • Change the chant at the start of the game.