Materials Required
- Pillowcases to use as the sacks
Preparation
Find the appropriate number of pillowcases- one for each child – Add some larger hessian sacks for adults if they want to join in – Find a flat grassy area outdoors.
Method (or Ideas)
- Explain the activity to your child- find a flat grassy area outdoors.
- Show them the pillow case and how they use this as a sack.
- Tell them they’re going to use the sack to jump like a kangaroo – practice jumping without a sack first.
- Let them practice using the sack and provide physical assistance if needed.
- Once they can jump well, suggest a jumping kangaroo race.
- Have as many adults and children join from the family as you like.
- Have fun!
Facilitation Tips – What To Say
- Let’s see if we can jump like a kangaroo.
- Wow, great jumping.
- Now let’s see if we can jump like a kangaroo inside our sack.
- It’s tricky, but keep practicing.
- You’ve got it, great job.
- Look at you go jumping like a kangaroo.
Extend the Experience
- You could introduce three legged races or outdoor obstacle courses.
WHO Guidelines for Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour
Jumping keeps you physically active.
Early Years Learning Framework
Outcomes
- Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing
- Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity
Principle
Principle 3: High expectations and equity. Children progress well when they, their parents and educators hold high expectations for their achievement in learning.
Practice
Practice: Learning through play. Play can expand children’s thinking and enhance their desire to know and to learn. In these ways play can promote positive dispositions towards learning. Children’s immersion in their play illustrates how play enables them to simply enjoy being.
