How it works
Toe behind then heel in front on the left foot, then toe behind and heel in front on the right. Four turns of the rope.
skip-hop tipPut the heel-tap foot back in the middle at the same moment the other foot goes into its toe tap.
Teach the combined toe and heel tap 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 skip-hop video of this skill, with a feet close-up and ½× and ¼× slow motion
- Step-by-step teaching: toe behind, heel in front, both feet
- Spot the fault, with the fix
- A pupil self-check and a link to the Gold Award
£149 a year for the whole school, or 6 months free with the whole-school rope set.
Combined toe and heel tap: Black Award and Gold Award
Black Award: Expert
A related skill for the Black Award: one to include in lessons.
To pass, a pupil:
- Performs 5 double unders (single bounces in between are fine)
- Performs a full 360 degree turn
- Performs a side swing cross on both sides
- Leads a group routine including individual, partner and long rope moves
- Keeps the pot boiling in Figure of Eight in a team of 6 to 8: 5 full figures of 8 each (10 jumps), with the whole team succeeding
Gold Award
One of the eight Gold Award skills.
The skills on this award:
- Crougar (pretzel)
- Skipping into and out of the crougar
- Marlee
- Razzle dazzle
- Toad
- EB
- Combined toe and heel tap
- Caboose cross
- Then the link: any 6 of the 8 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 2: Turns and tapsTricks, 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 combined toe and heel tap hard. Change one thing at a time.
What usually makes it hard: A two-part pattern on each foot.
- CommunicationPicture cards: toe behind, heel in front.
- TaskFour counts per tap at first, then speed up.
- TaskLearn one foot, then the other, then join them.
Seated or no-jump version. Toe back, heel forward on the footplate, in rhythm.
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.