JUMP ROPE RHYMES

JUMP INTO SPRING

It's almost spring and you can't help but smile and have a spring in your step. And speaking of steps and springs reminds me of how much fun I had jumping rope as a child…and then teaching my students to jump rope. For some of the children it was easy, but other children really had to work at it. Being persistent and not giving up is a good thing to learn. Jumping rope also encourages social skills, motor skills, counting, and oral language. It’s good for the body and the brain!

Here are some chants we used to say, but you can adapt them if you don’t like the words. You could also use these on a rainy day. Just have the children get a pretend jump rope and jump along as you say the rhymes. What a perfect brain break for kids from pre-k through the primary grades.

*You can jump on two feet or alternate hopping on one foot at a time.

Bubble Gum
Bubble gum,
Bubble gum in a dish.
How many pieces
Do you wish?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5…(How high can you count?)

Bathing Beauty
Bathing Beauty
Thinks she’s a cutie
All she wears is bathing suities.
If you jump to 24, you will get an extra turn.
1, 2, 3…24

Cinderella
Cinderella dressed in yella.
Went upstairs to kiss her fella.
Made a mistake and kissed a snake.
How many doctors did it take?
1, 2, 3…8

Engine No. 9
Engine, engine number nine
Going down the railroad line.
If the train jumps off the track
You will get your money back.
How much money will you get?
1, 2, 3, …10

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, read the news.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, tie your shoes.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go upstairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down in your chair!

Blue Bells
Blue bells, cockle shells, eevie, ivy, over.
I like coffee. I like tea. I like you to jump with me.

Here's my "Jump Rope Rally" video so we can jump together!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1UBTOFEzA


Jump Rope Rhyme Book
It might be fun to give children copies of the rhymes and let them make a book of jump rope rhymes. They could illustrate these and use them for independent reading.

*Do you remember any jump rope rhymes from your childhood that you could teach your students?


*Have students ask their parents to teach them a jump rope rhyme they did as a child.

JUMP INTO SPRING

You just can’t help but smile and have a spring in your step these days. And speaking of steps and springs reminds me of how much fun I had jumping rope as a child…and then teaching my students to jump rope. For some of the children it was easy, but other children really had to work at it. Being persistent and not giving up is a good thing to learn. Jump roping also encouraged social skills, motor skills, and oral language. It’s good for the body and the brain!

Note! I'm shaking my head because 25 years ago I never had a parent complain about the words in these rhymes.  Today you might need to change "Bathing Beauty" to "Goldfish Beauty" and "Bubble Gum" to "Raisins, Raisins," or "Cinderella" to ... oh, forget it!!!!😜

*You could also use these on a rainy day. Just have the children get a pretend jump rope and jump along as you say the rhymes.

*You can jump on two feet or alternate jumping on feet.

Bubble Gum
Bubble gum,
Bubble gum in a dish.
How many pieces
Do you wish?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5…

Bathing Beauty
Bathing Beauty
Thinks she’s a cutie
All she wears is bathing suities.
If you jump to 24, you will get an extra turn.
1, 2, 3…24

Cinderella
Cinderella dressed in yella.
Went upstairs to kiss her fella.
Made a mistake and kissed a snake.
How many doctors did it take?
1, 2, 3…8

Engine No. 9
Engine, engine number nine
Going down the railroad line.
If the train jumps off the track
You will get your money back.
How much money will you get?
1, 2, 3, …10

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, read the news.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, tie your shoes.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go upstairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down in your chair!

Blue Bells
Blue bells, cockle shells, eevie, ivy, over.
I like coffee. I like tea. I like you to jump with me.

Here's my "Jump Rope Rally" video so we can jump together!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1UBTOFEzA

Do you remember any jump rope rhymes? I’m sure if you asked Mr. Google you could find hundreds to add to this list. But, watch the words because some of them might be a little inappropriate!

Jump Rope Rhyme Book 
It might be fun to give children copies of the rhymes and let them make a book of jump rope rhymes. They could illustrate these and use them for independent reading.

BALANCE

Did you know that balancing is good for your brain? It strengthens the core and helps you focus. You can practice balancing if you are a young child, school ager, teenager, parent, or older adult. It's something the whole family can do TOGETHER! Besides, you don't need any equipment or special space.

Note! Experts say that just like any sport the more you practice balancing the better you will become. Balance daily for a week and you might be surprised!

Balancing Brains
Have children stand. How long can they balance on their right foot? How long can they balance on their left foot?

Can they balance on their toes?

Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg in the air?

Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg in the air.

Can they balance on one foot with their eyes closed?

Can they balance on one foot and count? Count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc.

Can they balance on one foot and say a nursery rhyme or their ABC's?

Can they balance and say the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and so forth?


Balancing Act
Feet together, close your eyes, (Close eyes breath in and out.)
And breath slowly in and out.
Open your eyes, (Balance on left foot.)
Lift your right foot and balance on the left.
Put your arms out straight. (Arms out wide as you balance.)
Now reach for the stars. (Arms up in the air as you balance.)
Place your right foot on the floor
And raise your left foot. (Balance on right foot.)
Put your arms out straight. (Arms out wide as you balance.)
Now reach for the stars. (Arms up in the air as you balance.)
Place your left foot on the floor
And raise your right knee. (Lift right knee and balance on left foot.)
Can you bend your arms like a tree in the wind? (Move arms around.)
Place your right foot down
And raise your left knee. (Lift left knee and balance on right foot.)
Can you bend your arms like a tree in the wind? (Move arms around.)
Place your left foot on the floor.
Raise your right knee (Straighten right leg in the air and balance.)
And then stretch your right leg out straight.
Bend your right knee and place it on the floor.
Raise your left knee (Straighten left leg in the air and balance.)
And then stretch your left leg out straight.
Bend your left knee and place it on the floor.
Raise your right leg to the side. (Straighten right leg by side.)
Place your right leg on the floor.
Raise your left leg to the side. (Straighten left leg by side.)
Place your left leg on the floor.
Stand on your left leg. (Balance on left leg.)
Stretch out your arms. (Stretch arms out wide.)
Bend forward like an airplane. (Slowly bend forwards as you balance.)
Stand on your right leg. (Balance on right leg.)
Stretch out your arms. (Stretch arms out wide.)
Bend forward like an airplane. (Slowly bend forwards as you balance.)
Stand up on tippy toes. (Stretch up on toes and balance.)
Stand still for as long as you can.
Raise your right hand and place (Raise right hand and pat on back.)
It on your back and give yourself a pat.
Raise your left hand and place (Raise left hand and pat on back.)
It on your back and give yourself a pat.
Now close your eyes and slowly breath in and out.
Let your mind take you to a happy place.

http://bit.ly/drjeanBalancing


Jumping Brains

Yes, jumping is another great tip to shake up the children's brains and release wiggles. Ask children to stand and challenge them to jump in their space as long as they can. When they get tired they can sit back in their seats.

WIGGLE WORMS?

HAVE YOU NOTICED THE CLOSER YOU GET TO OCTOBER 31ST THE MORE THE WIGGLE WORMS COME OUT IN YOUR CLASSROOM?HAVE YOU GOT WIGGLE WORMS IN YOUR CLASSROOM THESE DAYS? HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO GET THOSE WIGGLES OUT.

Take advantage of those extra minutes you have before lunch, while waiting to for an activity, or at the end of the day with one of these brain breaks. They are the perfect solution for when your students look bored or restless during the day.

Hint! Before doing these activities ask children to show you their “body space” by extending their arms slightly and twisting around. Remind them to stay in their body space as you do these activities.

Shake It Up
Hold up your right hand and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left hand and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your right foot and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left foot and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Count to four with each arm and leg…then three…two…one.
End by saying, “Oh yeah!” as you extend your arms and make the letter “Y.”

Adaptations: If children are wound-up do this with a whisper voice.

*Count to five in different languages.

*Do the vowel shake down where you say, “A, E, I, O, U,” and the “E, I, O, U,” and then “I, O, U,” and so forth.

Balancing Brains
Have children stand. How long can they balance on their right foot? How long can they balance on their left foot?
Can they balance on their toes?
Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg in the air?
Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg in the air.
Can they balance on one foot with their eyes closed?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thq9MTAUfSY

Jumping Brains
Ask children to stand and challenge them to jump in their space as long as they can. When they get tired they can sit back in their seats.

Here’s a video where you can jump with Dr. Jean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1UBTOFEzA&list=PL7bsHC8DZJxh3UuXWDyOXZ1c_dGBUdxOA&index=43

Brains Go Marching
Children can get an amazing amount of exercise simply by standing and marching in place. March with Dr. Jean on this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1jEZ9vSmdA&list=PL7bsHC8DZJxh3UuXWDyOXZ1c_dGBUdxOA&index=2

Push the Wall
While children are waiting in the hall have them put their hands up against the wall and push it as hard as they can. Ask them to do push ups against the wall?

Babble Break
How about a three-minute "babble break" where children can talk to their friends? You could give them a topic to discuss that relates to a unit of study, let them tell jokes, or just chit chat.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljcHJVUzRkOEVQZHc/view?usp=sharing