Also called criss-cross or cross arms
How it works
Cross the arms as the rope comes over the head, jump through the crossed loop, then uncross and skip normally. It's the first trick where the hands do something new, and it opens the door to every cross skill after it.
skip-hop tipCross at the elbows, not the wrists, with the hands down by the hips. Crossing at the wrists makes the loop too small to jump through.
Teach the crossover with the All-Access Skip Pass
Everything a teacher needs to teach this skill to a whole class, from skip-hop coach Lee Collinson-James:
- The video, with slow motion and an arms close-up
- Step-by-step teaching, the four cue words and the shape check
- Spot the fault: a drawing of each common mistake, with the fix
- A 10-minute lesson plan, class set-up, and ideas for pupils who are struggling or have SEND
- A Hall screen view for the board, and printable partner coach cards
- The challenge counter, and a printable coaching card
£149 a year for the whole school, or 6 months free with the whole-school rope set.
Where it fits
Crossover: Red Award and Silver Award
Red Award: Advanced
Part of the Red Award test.
To pass, a pupil:
- Side swings on both sides and opens out into a skip
- Jumps a crossover and uncrosses without stopping
- Jumps into Double Dutch and bounces 4 times
Silver Award
One of the ten Silver Award skills: 6 crossovers in a row, no misses.
The skills on this award:
- Rodeo
- Cyclone
- Coil
- Crossover
- Side swing cross
- Continuous cross
- Cross cross
- Double unders
- Can can
- Frog can can
- Then the link: any 7 of the 10 skills linked in one routine, without a miss or error.
In the scheme of work
Where this skill is taught in the skip-hop scheme of work.
- UKS2Lesson 1: Side swings and crossoversTricks, Teams and Double Dutch · Years 5 and 6
- UKS2Lesson 6: Award day: Red and BlackTricks, Teams and Double Dutch · Years 5 and 6
What you need
KS1 2.1m, KS2 2.5m or KS3 2.8m. skip-hop ropes are designed specifically for the skills shown on this site.
SEND and inclusion
Make it work for everyone
Ideas for pupils with SEND, and for anyone who finds the crossover hard. Change one thing at a time.
What usually makes it hard: Crossing the arms wide enough to jump through.
- EquipmentCheck the rope fits: standing on the middle, the handles reach just below the armpits.
- TaskTake the jump away: cross, let the rope rest at the toes, step over.
- CommunicationColoured tape on the hands, and “hug yourself”.
- PeopleA partner checks the shape before each jump.
Seated or no-jump version. Cross the arms and turn the rope to the side, or pass the crossed loop over the knees.
An adapted pass is still a pass on the Skipping Awards. Use your own judgement and each pupil’s care plan. More in SEND and inclusion at skip-hop. Pupil struggling to get started? Try Lee’s tips for pupils who are struggling to skip.