Long jump

Inspire your child to grow by leaps and bounds this summer with long jumping. Get them outside with this simple activity that helps develop an important movement skill: jumping. Sure, long jump is an athletics staple, but your child will love it because they get to act like their favourite superhero, Spiderman.

1. At your favourite outdoor play area, mark a line on the ground. This becomes the takeoff line.
2. With your child, imagine you’re jumping from one building to another, just like Spiderman. The longer the jump, the better.
3. Start with jumping from the standing position using both feet on takeoff. This is called a standing long jump.
4. Make sure your child doesn’t step over the line before jumping. Encourage them to use their arms to propel their body forward.
5. Once they’ve mastered the standing long jump, try takeoffs using only the right or left leg.
6. For added difficulty, introduce a running jump. Have your child take-off from both feet, or only the right or left leg. You’ll be surprised how far they can soar.