A structured skipping practice session set to music and chanting, teaching the most complex fundamental locomotor skill.
- Break it down: skipping = step on one foot + hop on the same foot, then switch. Practice the “step-hop” on one foot while standing still.
- Marching warm-up: march with high knees, alternating feet, swinging arms to establish the alternating rhythm.
- Step-hop drill: hold the child’s hand. Step forward on the right foot, hop on the right foot. Step on the left, hop on the left. Chant: “Step-HOP, step-HOP.”
- Put it together: release the child’s hand and let them try independently across 5–10 meters.
- Add music: sing “Skip to My Lou” or play music with a skipping rhythm. The beat provides external timing support.
Variation: skip while holding a scarf in each hand (visual feedback), skip with a partner, skip in a circle.
Requirements
- Space: 5–10 meters of open, flat space
- Surface: Flat ground — gym floor, grass, or sidewalk
- Materials: None required; music/speaker optional; scarves optional
- Participants: 1 adult + 1 child (adult demonstrates and holds hand initially)
- Supervision: Moderate — hands-on teaching in early stages
Rationale & Objective
Skipping is the most developmentally advanced fundamental locomotor skill, typically emerging ages 5–7 (Gallahue). It requires combining a step and a hop in an alternating bilateral pattern — demanding bilateral coordination, rhythm, and motor sequencing beyond any other locomotor skill. The ASQ-3 and PDMS-2 both assess skipping, and CDC/AAP milestones list “skips with alternating feet” by age 5–6. Proficiency in galloping and hopping (prerequisites) supports skipping readiness.
Progress Indicators
- Early: cannot coordinate step-hop; reverts to galloping or running; loses rhythm after 1–2 cycles
- Developing: can do step-hop on one side but not the other; skips 2–3 cycles before losing pattern; needs hand-holding or verbal cues
- Proficient: skips independently for 5+ meters with alternating feet; recognizable rhythmic bounce; uses arm swing; can skip to music
- Advanced: skips effortlessly over long distances; skips backwards or in circles; varies speed; smooth, rhythmic, joyful quality
Safety Notes
- Skipping generates moderate impact forces — good shoes on hard surfaces recommended
- Children who struggle may become frustrated — keep sessions short (5–10 min) and end on a success
- Use flat, clear surfaces for learning as momentary single-leg balance creates trip risk on uneven ground
- If skipping does not emerge by age 7, consider professional assessment for bilateral coordination difficulties
Hints
- Playfulness: make it musical. “Skip to My Lou” is classic, but any bouncy song works. Scarves in each hand create visual flow that motivates
- Sustain interest: once basic skipping is learned, play “Skip Tag,” skip through obstacles, or skip with silly arm movements
- Common mistake: teaching skipping before the child can gallop and hop. If they can’t, go back to those prerequisites first. Also, demonstrate slowly
- Limited space: skip in a small circle or practice step-hop in place. Even 3 meters is enough
- Cross-domain: sing songs while skipping (music/language); skip to word syllables (phonological awareness); skip with a partner holding hands (social skills)
- Progression: gallop (prerequisite) → step-hop dominant foot → alternating with hand support → independent 5 m → to music → in patterns and games
Sources
- CDC/AAP Milestones — "skips with alternating feet" (age 5–6)
- PDMS-2 Locomotion subtest — skipping items
- ASQ-3 Gross Motor domain — skipping assessment
- Gallahue, D.L. & Ozmun, J.C. — skipping as most advanced fundamental locomotor skill, mature stage ages 6–7
- UK EYFS ELG — "move energetically, such as… skipping"