Gross motor development
Toddlers participate in a shared book reading focused on jumping, and practice jumping in a follow-up activity.
Be Prepared: Place nonslip place mats or carpet squares in an open area, leaving enough space between each for toddlers to jump without bumping one another. Have the puppet or toy monkey and book at hand.
[Use the monkey puppet or toy monkey to invite toddlers to join you for sharing a fun book and for jumping like monkeys. Clap and say the name of each toddler who comes to the gathering. Encourage toddlers to sit on a carpet square.
Pause after each of the following requests. Say the name (or invite toddlers to say the name) of the body part toddlers point to.]
Please point to a part of your body that helps you eat.
Please point to a part of your body that helps you hear.
Please point to a part of your body that helps you jump.
We use our legs, our feet, and our knees to jump. Let’s all point to our legs, and then our feet, and then our knees.
[Lead toddlers in pointing to each body part as you say its name. Encourage toddlers to say the name with you.]
We are going to read a book about jumping on the bed. You probably know this story. It is a fun story. We will do some jumping after we read the book.
[Read the text and use your own words to describe pictures you point to. Invite toddlers to tell some parts of the story. Example: When Mama says “good night,” ask toddlers whether all of the monkeys go to sleep.]
[At the conclusion of the book sharing:]
Would you like to do some jumping?
We can pretend to be the monkeys in our book jumping on the bed. Your carpet square can be a little pretend bed.
It is time to stop jumping when I put up my hand.
[Demonstrate and describe a hand signal that means “stop.”]
[Invite toddlers to stand and then jump on their own carpet square. Offer the “stop” hand signal after several seconds.]
Now let’s pretend our jumping made us hungry and tired. Remember, we are pretending to be monkeys. Monkeys like to eat bananas. Our toy monkey (or monkey puppet) is going to help me give each of us a pretend banana.
[Use the toy monkey or puppet to offer each toddler a pretend banana.]
It is time for us to sit down and to be calm. It is time to be quiet.
We listened to a fun story about monkeys jumping on the bed. Then we pretended we were like the monkeys jumping on a bed. We practiced our jumping. What parts of our body do we use to jump? (legs, knees, feet)
Toddlers’ jumping skills can vary widely. Positively recognize all forms of participation, keeping in mind that some toddlers may not wish to jump. At the same time, use the guided jumping practice offered in the current activity to informally understand each toddler’s jumping skill level. Use follow-up times with individual toddlers to provide additional guided practice in jumping.
In addition to promoting skill in jumping, the activity offers opportunities for toddlers to practice regulating their behaviors. The activity begins and ends with quieter periods that are in high contrast to jumping. The “stop” hand signal may be difficult for some toddlers to follow. The request to calm down at the end of the activity may require explicit suggestions on how to keep quiet. It is beneficial for toddlers to have guidance in moving from one level of activity to another.
Toddlers who are familiar with the book may welcome invitations to help tell the story. Be sure to repeat key aspects of a toddler’s description so all toddlers have a second exposure to the storyline. Self-regulation may be a challenge during the book sharing if more than one toddler wishes to tell the story. Emphasize taking turns.
Extra support
Enrichment
Gross motor development
Toddlers practice jumping off a low-level step platform with caregiver guidance.
Adjustable step platform (see Be Prepared)
Be Prepared: Put the step exercise platform at its lowest level (about four inches from the floor) next to a mat so toddlers land on a soft surface. Clear the surrounding area of all toys and furnishings, such as chairs.
Invite several toddlers to join you at the sturdy low platform for jumping practice. Describe the platform and draw attention to the mat that gives us a soft place to land on our feet. Remind toddlers what parts of our body we use to jump: legs, feet, knees. Lead toddlers in pointing to each body part and joining you in saying its name. Demonstrate how we bend our knees when we jump. Emphasize that we land on both of our feet (not on our knees or bottom). Explain that we will take turns jumping.
Stand next to the platform to help with turn-taking and to hold a toddler’s hand if he/she wishes. It is important that each toddler step onto the platform without assistance. Lifting a toddler up to any surface is not advised. Generally, if a toddler is able to step up onto the platform, he/she will have the ability to jump four inches onto the mat without holding your hand.
You can add an element of fun by connecting the jumping to a story, song, or idea, such as “Another frog jumped into the water.” Toddlers enjoy pretending.
A toddler may climb up onto the platform and want to get down without jumping. Help the toddler down by offering to hold one hand. Encourage the toddler to turn and step down. Acknowledge the toddler’s skill in stepping up and assure him/her there will be another time to try jumping. Praise effort rather than skill.
Within a group whose age spans 12 months, you will observe a range of gross motor skills. Even among toddlers close in age, there are likely to be differences in specific skills, confidence, and interest in jumping. The activity is for toddlers who want to participate. Take note of the toddlers in your room who may need practice stepping down from a low platform. Some toddlers will be more inclined to jump from the platform with support when few children are nearby to watch. Place the platform in an area safe for jumping when toddlers are engaged in play and adult supervision can be provided.
Toddlers need their hands free when jumping from the platform. If toddlers are holding something, devise a plan for putting their toys elsewhere during their jumps.
Avoid any type of score keeping or comparisons between toddlers. Celebrate each toddler’s efforts with phrases like “Good try at jumping!”
Extra support
Enrichment
Gross motor development
Toddlers strengthen their ability to jump.
Adjustable step platform (see Be Prepared)
Be Prepared: This activity is for toddlers who are ready for slightly more challenge in jumping. Raise the step exercise platform two more inches and place it next to a mat so toddlers land on a soft surface. Clear the surrounding area of all toys and furnishings, such as chairs.
Follow procedures suggested in Option 2. These include a review and demonstration of body parts used in jumping and information on turn-taking. Encourage toddlers to jump with both feet. Stand close by and focus on each toddler’s practice jump. Some toddlers may want to hold your hand for the first several jumps. A toddler will likely tell you when your extra support is no longer needed.
Ensure the activity is offered to toddlers who are interested in jumping. Coaxing toddlers to attempt a jump is not recommended.
Providing opportunities to continue skill development is a key aspect of early education. Toddlers cannot verbalize a need for increased challenge. Sometimes toddlers respond to a lack of appropriate challenge with misbehavior. Consider misbehavior a form of communication. Your observations of toddlers’ skills will be a guide when talking with teaching partners about possible modifications in the environment that may address developmental changes.
The self-confidence toddlers develop through learning to jump may give a toddler more self-confidence in other areas. At this age, toddlers need focused opportunities every day to develop physical abilities, such as jumping.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: monkey toys or puppet, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow, carpet squares
Place little monkey toys or a monkey puppet near a display of the book. Encourage toddlers to look at the pictures and point to other activities the monkeys do, such as brushing their teeth. If time and staffing permit, another option for an interest area is to place the carpet squares in an open area that is safe for supervised jumping. Provide structure to the jumping by giving directions, such as jumping twice and then stopping. Include the toddler’s name as you describe the toddler’s action. Example: “Deena is jumping, jumping. Now she stops.”
Invite preschool-age children and older children in your setting to practice jumping as described in Option 2. If mobile infants and pre-walking toddlers show an interest in participating, sit on the floor facing the infant or toddler, hold both of his/her hands and say “jump.” Do not lift the infant or toddler by the arms. An infant may simply bend his/her knees and make a jumping type motion with his/her body.
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