As adults, we know to prepare ourselves for upcoming tasks, either mentally or physically. Giving our children effective tools to prepare to complete learning tasks is paramount to their success.

Movement is essential for helping your child’s brain to feel calm, organised and ready for learning. Starting the day with exercise is likely to make them feel happier and less irritable. Movement outside in nature is ideal, but any activities that encourage your child to be huffing and puffing will help.

One such movement is skipping, aka jumping rope. Whether your child is adept at skipping or just starting out, it’s a sure-fire way to raise the heart rate and get the lungs pumping. Requiring only a skipping rope and some space to swing it, skipping is the perfect pre-learning time huff and puff activity.

Check out our instructional video for kids learning to skip. If your child is fairly confident with their skipping skills, this website contains some extra tricks to try and songs to use. I bet it’ll bring back some childhood memories of your own and you’ll be jumping rope alongside your little one in no time!

If you’re looking for more strength and fitness activities for your child to complete at home, our online OT at Home course may be helpful to you.