Hopscotch is a classic childhood game. All you need to play is a rock and a piece of chalk. If you feel like you are a little rusty on the rules, they’re pretty simple. Throw your rock (or marker of your choice) to square number one, then make your way through your hopscotch course by skipping square one. At the end of the course, jump and turn 180 degrees, and head back to the starting line. Be sure to pick up your marker, without loosing your balance. On your next turn, throw your marker to square number two, then three, and so on.
And with the weather being so fair lately, hopscotch is the perfect reason to get outside and get moving!
AND with so many great skills that hopscotch works on……drawing your hopscotch course is great for developing drawing and pre-writing skills, throwing your marker is great for building eye-hand coordination and ball skills, and maneuvering through your course is great for improving gross motor coordination, balance, and core control.
Wanna build some additional developmental skills during your hopscotch game? Try these variations:
- Before each turn, give the child a category, such as sea animals or breakfast foods. With each hop, they have to name one thing that fits into that category. To simplify, the child could name an item only one double squares. Challenge auditory memory skills by having the next child replicate that child’s category list. Works on auditory memory and cognitive skills.
- Give each child an additional action to perform on certain numbers, starting with a few and increasing the number of challenges you provide. Such as, clap on number 2, touch your nose on number 5, and pat your head on number 8. Works on motor planning, sequencing, auditory memory, coordination, and attention.
- Have the kids create additional actions to perform on a few of the squares, such as clapping or wiggling their hips, for the next kid to remember and imitate. Works on motor planning, copying, sequencing, coordination, and memory.
What other games and variations can you create? Leave a comment and share your ideas!