This week I’m coming at you with a great team jump rope game. We play this game during our Jump Rope Unit, Jump Rope For Heart and also on Field Day. To see what my Jump Rope Unit looks like, Check out this post.
It’s a lot of fun to play and great for 3RD – 5TH grades. I do some lead-up activities with K-2nd (running through school, 2 turners and 1 jumper, jump rope rhymes), but I don’t introduce this game until 3rd grade.
This game is another golden nugget I got from J.D. Hughes book No Standing Around in My Gym.
Check out all of J.D.’s PE Games Books over at his website PE2theMax.com
Check out the game in the video below:
Game Overview:
- Objective: Run in immediately after the person in front of you and jump one time and run out
- You are Out of the Tournament Rope if:
- You don’t run into the rope before it turns
- The rope hits your foot or body
- You jump more or less than one time
- When you are out at the “tournament rope” you simply go to the “practice rope” and continue to play the game
- Possible Variations:
- Change the direction of the rope (so it hits the ground and moves towards the line)
- Add more than one tournament rope – especially good for larger numbers
- Play with a partner (2 running in at the same time)
- Change the number of jumps required before running out
- Allow students to have one turn in between jumpers (to make it easier)
There you go, add another awesome PE Game to your Phys Ed playbook.
A few reasons I like this game:
- The competitive element motivates students
- Nobody is standing or sitting around
- Super easy setup and cleanup
- It’s a game kids can play on their own once they learn it
- Once your kids get the hang of it, the “whirlwind” looks awesome as students are constantly moving in a circle
Hope you and your students enjoy the Whirlwind Challenge as much as we have.
Have Fun and Teach On!
Maria says
Ben – I did the Run Through long rope today. Instead of holding on to sticks I had them clip clothes pins on to the front of their shirt – no dropped sticks!
Also my 4-6 LOVED the performance activity with the short ropes! Thanks fo rall the great ideas.
Maria
Ben Landers says
Awesome! Good idea with the clothespins – glad it went well
Melissa Kidwell says
How would you handle special needs kids in the classroom with this activity? Some will not be able to do this and will still want to be a part of it somehow.
Ben Landers says
Modifications for special needs would depend on the student. Every special needs situation is totally different and will require a specific plan that you should create based on your expertise and the expertise of the Special Ed teacher.
I assume you’re talking about a mainstreamed situation, I doubt this activity would be appropriate for a self-contained class without some serious modifications.
If the student can’t jump you could have them be a turner and turn the rope, if they can jump, but don’t understand the rules or can’t jump into the rope – maybe you allow them to start in the middle and have a certain number of mistakes… again, just a few thoughts, but each situation is different for every student – you have to examine the student’s abilities and needs and make an “Individualized Educational Plan” 🙂