Bunny hopping

It’s spring and baby bunnies abound! Here is an activity that celebrates our furry friends while developing an important fundamental movement skill.

Setup

Open outdoor space on grass or dry pavement.

Things you will need

Rope, ribbon, or string to mark a starting line in the grass

or

Chalk to mark a starting line on pavement

How to Play

1. Talk with your preschool or primary school child about rabbits and bunnies. How do they move?
2. Show your child how to hop like a rabbit. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees as deep as you can with each hop.
3. Keep your hands held up in front of your stomach or chest. (Rabbits have their front paws on the ground when they hop, but people are not really made for that kind of movement.)
4. Practice hopping with your child. Make sure you take off with both feet and land with both feet, bending your knees and hips slightly when you land.
5. Play “Follow the Leader” hopping like rabbits.
6. Create a starting line, and see who can hop the farthest with one hop.
7. If you have a few children and adults available, try making a relay race with two or three mixed teams of kids and adults. Create a starting line and place markers about 10-15 metres away. Each player has to hop around the marker and return to the starting line before the next teammate can go.
8. Bonus points: Have a contest to see who can wiggle their nose like a rabbit!