Puddle Jumpers

A two-foot jumping game using targets on the ground, building standing broad jump and vertical jump skills.

  1. Place 6–10 “puddles” on the ground — chalk circles, hula hoops, paper plates, or towels — spaced at varying distances (start close, 30–50 cm apart).
  2. The child jumps with both feet together to the next puddle, landing with both feet inside.
  3. Encourage the child to swing arms forward on takeoff and bend knees on landing (“land like a quiet cat”).
  4. Once through all puddles, turn around and jump back.

Variation: make some puddles “hot lava” (skip over them), place puddles at angles requiring direction changes, or add a “super jump” puddle farther away.

Requirements

  • Space: About 5–8 meters of length (indoors or outdoors)
  • Surface: Any flat surface; grass slightly increases difficulty (good progression)
  • Materials: Chalk, hula hoops, paper plates, tape circles, or towels to mark puddles
  • Participants: 1 child minimum; can be done solo after setup
  • Supervision: Light to moderate — watch landing form initially

Rationale & Objective

The two-foot standing jump is a critical locomotor milestone assessed in the PDMS-2 and BOT-2. At age 5 children should jump forward at least 50 cm and jump over low obstacles with both feet (CDC/AAP). This exercise develops bilateral leg power, takeoff-landing coordination, and proprioceptive awareness. Arm swing integration during jumping is a mature pattern developing between ages 4–6 (Gallahue’s Fundamental Movement Phase).

Progress Indicators

  • Early: jumps with one foot leading (asymmetric takeoff); lands heavily with straight legs; inconsistent arm use; manages only 20–30 cm
  • Developing: two-foot takeoff is consistent; beginning arm swing; bends knees on landing but still loud/heavy; jumps 40–50 cm
  • Proficient: coordinated arm swing on takeoff; quiet, controlled landing with bent knees; jumps 60+ cm; maintains balance on landing
  • Advanced: strings 8–10 jumps in sequence without pausing; adjusts jump force for varying distances; lands on small targets; adds direction changes

Safety Notes

  • Ensure landing surfaces are non-slippery — avoid slick floors with socks; bare feet or rubber-soled shoes are best
  • Start with short distances; overly ambitious spacing can cause face-first falls
  • On hard surfaces keep jump heights low to protect knees and ankles
  • If using hoops or objects on the floor, secure them so they do not slide when landed on
  • Cue “bendy knees, land like a frog” to prevent locked-knee landings

Hints

  • Playfulness: make it a story — “the floor is a swamp and the puddles are lily pads; you’re a frog getting home!”
  • Sustain interest: change layout weekly — zigzag, spiral, clusters. Add numbered puddles and jump in order (math tie-in)
  • Common mistake: children try to jump too far and fall. Start close and gradually increase spacing
  • Limited space: use 4–5 puddles in a small room. Even 2–3 meters is enough
  • Cross-domain: write letters/numbers on puddles — “jump to the letter B!” (literacy); count jumps aloud (numeracy)
  • Progression: close puddles (30 cm) → medium (50 cm) → far (70+ cm) → add height → add direction changes → jump over small obstacles between puddles

Sources

  • PDMS-2 Locomotion subtest — standing broad jump items (ages 4–5)
  • BOT-2 Running Speed & Agility subtest — jumping items
  • CDC/AAP Milestones — “jumps over low obstacles with both feet” by age 5
  • Gallahue, D.L. & Ozmun, J.C. — Understanding Motor Development (jumping pattern maturation ages 4–6)
  • Vrbik et al. (2024), “Jumping Motor Skills in Typically Developing Preschool Children,” PMC
  • UK EYFS Physical Development ELG
  • Head Start ELOF — “coordinates increasingly complex movements”