Skip to My Lou

Requirements

• Large indoor or outdoor space free of obstacles

Instructions

1. Make sure your child has practiced galloping before they try to skip.
2. Show your child how to skip by skipping in a circle.
3. Tip: skipping is stepping forward with one foot, hopping once on that foot, and then quickly stepping with your other foot and repeating.
4. Teach your child the song “Skip to My Lou” while clapping the rhythm.
5. Ask your child to follow you as you both skip in a circle and sing.

Variations

Words:

Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou, (3x) Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Fly’s in the buttermilk, shoo, fly, shoo (3x) Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
There’s a little red wagon, paint it blue (3x) Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Cat’s in the cream jar, ooh, ooh, ooh (3x) Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Lost my partner, what’ll I do? (3x) Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou, (3x) Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.

Benefits

This activity develops dynamic balance, coordination, and rhythm required for activities at older ages such as running, skipping, hopping, and dancing.