How it works
Holding a handle in each hand with the hands together, swing the rope to the left, then to the right, then open out and jump it. The hands draw a lazy 8: an eight on its side.
skip-hop tipKeep a handle in each hand. The rope should brush the floor close to your feet without touching them.
Teach the side swing 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 hands and feet close-ups and ½× and ¼× slow motion
- Step-by-step teaching: the infinity sign, first without a rope
- From standing still to jumping as you swing
- Spot the fault, with the fix
- A pupil self-check and links to the Red and Bronze Awards
£149 a year for the whole school, or 6 months free with the whole-school rope set.
Where it fits
Side swing: Red Award and Bronze 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
Bronze Award
One of the ten Bronze Award skills.
The skills on this award:
- First: the Safety and Poise checks and the preliminary skips
- Bell
- Slalom
- Twister
- Side straddle
- Front straddle (scissors)
- Combined straddle
- Ex
- Wounded duck
- Side swing
- 180 degree turn
- Then the link: any 8 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 side swing hard. Change one thing at a time.
What usually makes it hard: Keeping the hands together and the rope moving.
- EquipmentA heavier or beaded rope is easier to see, hear and control. Foam handles help a weak grip.
- CommunicationSay “swish left, swish right”, or mirror the teacher.
- TaskSide swings on their own are a skill. Leave out the jump until they’re ready.
Seated or no-jump version. Fully accessible seated: swing both handles to each side of the chair.
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.