Skip to main content

Hopscotch Math

I remember when I was in elementary school, (yes, I can remember that far back) one of my favorite recess time things to do was to play hopscotch. It was the thing to do, so much so that we would save our stones in our pockets. As a child hopscotch was just a game, but it turns out it was much more.
I was developing large motor skills, hand eye coordination, learning to follow rules, working on my social skills, & counting.

How to Play
  • Draw a Hopscotch Diagram using chalk or painter's tape.
  • Select Markers (stones, beanbags, buttons, etc...)  
  • Explain the Rules
  • Players take turns, standing in a line at the start/finish line.
  • Each player will go through the following steps:
    • Toss a marker in square 1. Hop in the first empty square. Balance on one foot in single squares and both feet in side-by-side squares. Hop to the end of the diagram turn around and hop back to the start. Do not hop into a square with a marker.
    • On the way back to the start/finish line, pause at the square before the marker. Bend over and pick up the marker without moving feet.
    • The player will lose his or her turn and must repeat the same number on the next turn if in s/he misses the toss, falls, or jumps outside the lines. 
  • Once the player’s turn is complete, s/he goes to the end of line and the next player gets a turn. 
  • After each player successfully completes a turn with the stone in square one, their next turn s/he tosses the marker in square 2 and so on until the player has completed all squares.

Popular posts from this blog

Celebrating 25 Years

  Celebrating 25 Years of keeping the lights on afterschool! Fall Break is almost here!   Get ready for a fall, family adventure and a little competition! At SHADES, we are excited to launch the SHADES Fall Break “Bright Ideas” Family Scavenger Hunt.  The event is a family-friendly scavenger hunt throughout the community celebrating SHADES keeping the “Lights on Afterschool” in Knoxville for 25 years!  Disclaimer: Images from the Fall Break “Bright Ideas” Family Scavenger Hunt are the property of SHADES of Development and may be used for promotional purposes.  Participation in the Fall Break “Bright Ideas” Scavenger Hunt is at your own risk.  Participants agree to hold harmless SHADES of Development and its employees, volunteers, directors, and officers, from any injury, accident, liability, loss, cost, or demand incurred or sustained by your participation.
💬12 Strategies to Promote Executive Function Article Source :  Childcare Education Institute, November 2020 Executive functions are a set of skills that allow us to successfully navigate the tasks and challenges of everyday life. The area of the brain where these skills reside is not fully developed until early adulthood. The strategies here are helpful for people of all ages.  Keep in mind, different strategies will work for different people. Remain creative and open to altering these suggestions to work for you and your children Consistent routines - Learning the predictable flow of the daily routine is an important executive function. Create a daily schedule that promotes security and has a few downtime periods as possible. Transition children in small groups, rather than moving large groups through the routine all at once. For example, send a few children to wash their hands before snack rather than having all of the children line up and wait for their turn to wash hands....

Helping Preschool Understand Staying Healthy During COVID-19

With the economy opening back up and more and more businesses letting people inside, it is important to remember to wash your hands, practice physical distancing and if possible, wear a mask when you are going to be closer than 6 ft from someone. Helping our little ones understand the importance of these safety precautions can make all of this less intimating and can help them better adjust to the different rules and guidelines when going out in public. One thing parents can do is to simply talk to your kids. Telling them there is a germ or a virus outside that is making people very sick and here are some of the ways we can protect ourselves and others from getting sick. Opening up this dialogue with the kids helps them understand that they are helping keep themselves safe as well as their family and friends safe. When someone thinks of a superhero what comes to mind? Caps, superpowers, bravery and MASK. Telling kids they are active superheros during this time is a great way to bri...