Silent Ninja Jumps
Children pretend to be silent ninjas who jump without making a sound, landing on the balls of their feet with bent knees. They learn to cushion their landing safely from the very first jumping session.
How to play
- Listen to the teacher do an "elephant jump" (loud, stiff legs) and a "ninja jump" (soft, bent knees) (1 min).
- Try both in place and decide which is quieter—we'll keep the ninja one (1 min).
- Tiptoe around the room; at each tambourine tap, do a ninja jump and sink down a little on landing (2 min).
- The teacher closes their eyes: if they can't hear a single jump, all the ninjas win together (1 min).
- Take a deep breath and slide your pretend sword back into its sheath (1 min).
Rules
- Ninjas land on their toes with bent knees.
- Legs don't stay stiff like sticks.
- I jump in my own spot without bumping anyone.
- We all win if nobody can hear us.
Variations
Easier
At age 3, very small hops; the teacher holds hands with anyone who needs it.
Standard
At age 4, jump in place and land low enough to touch the floor with fingertips.
Harder
At age 5, a ninja jump forward and a frozen landing—feet don't move—while counting to three.
Adaptations
- Visual impairment: jump next to a wall or holding an adult's hand, with a quiet description of where the open space is.
- Autism or noise sensitivity: tap the tambourine softly or use a visual cue instead (raise a scarf).
- Less skill: rising onto tiptoes and slowly bending the knees without leaving the floor is enough.
Learning goals
- Learn to land with bent knees.
- Control the force of a jump.
- Listen to one's own body and the sound it makes.
Equipment for a class of 25
- tambourine: 1
Teacher tip
This makes a great opener for any jumping session—you can reuse "land like a ninja" in every game afterward. Typical mistake: landing on the heels with straight legs; fix it with the image of a spring.
PatioLab has "Silent Ninja Jumps" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More warm-ups for Elementary
«Ahora que Vamos Despacio»: The Silly-Fibs Stroll
We stroll very slowly singing the traditional Spanish song «Ahora que vamos despacio» («Now that we're going slowly, let's tell some fibs»), and on each «tralará» we…
«El Cocherito Leré»: The Hopping Carriage
We're carriages trotting around the yard, and on every «leré» in the traditional Spanish song «El cocherito leré» («the little coachman») we jump with feet together.
«Sal de Ahí, Chivita»: The Get-Out-Little-Goat Chain
The little goat won't leave the field, so in this traditional Spanish cumulative song we call the wolf, the dog, the stick, the fire, the water and the ox.
A Bandage Where I'm Tagged
A few children tag holding a scarf; anyone tagged puts on a “bandage” by placing a hand exactly where they were touched and keeps running that way, and after a second…
A Walk Through the Pole Forest
We stand plastic poles upright in cones with holes and the playground becomes a forest of tall trees.
Achoo, Into Your Elbow!
Children move around like animals and when the teacher goes “Ah… ah… achoo!”, they stop and hide their face in their elbow as if sneezing or coughing.