One, Two… Jump on Three!
Children walk while the teacher counts “one, two…” and only on “three!” do they do the action: jump, crouch or clap. It works on waiting for the right moment and starting all together.
How to play
- Spread out and count one, two, three together with claps, staying in place (1 min).
- Walk on “one” and “two,” and on “three!” jump with feet together, all at once (1 min).
- Change the three action: crouch like a frog, spin around or touch the floor (1 min).
- The teacher tricks you: “one, two… twooo!” and nobody jumps; only three counts (1 min).
- Finish with a super slow three, “ooone, twooo, threeee!”, and one giant group jump (1 min).
Rules
- I walk on one and two.
- I only jump on three.
- If I go too early, that's OK: I try again next time.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, always the same action (jump) and the teacher raises both arms on three.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, change the action each round and add the teacher's tricks.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, count to four with the action on four, or the teacher counts only on fingers, no voice.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: on three, raise arms or clap loudly instead of jumping.
- Hearing impairment: the teacher also counts on clearly visible fingers.
- Autism: tell children about the tricks beforehand so they don't cause frustration.
Learning goals
- Wait for the signal before acting.
- Start moving at the same time as the group.
- Wake up legs and attention.
Teacher tip
Keep a steady count at first; later you can stretch out the two. Lots of kids jump on two because they're excited, so cheer for the ones who hold on as much as for the jumpers.
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