How it works
One turn of the rope for one bounce. Quicker and lighter than the double bounce, and the base for most of the harder tricks.
skip-hop tipEconomy of movement is everything: small jumps, small circles from the wrists.
Teach the single bounce 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:
- Step-by-step teaching, from the ready position to “one bounce, one turn”
- The secret of speed: turning from the wrist
- Spot the fault: the two most common mistakes, with the fix
- A pupil self-check and a link to assess the Green Award
£149 a year for the whole school, or 6 months free with the whole-school rope set.
Where it fits
Forward skipping single bounce: Green Award and Bronze Award
Green Award: Rhythm
Part of the Green Award test.
To pass, a pupil:
- Skips 20 single bounces in a row
- Skips 10 running steps and hops 5 on each foot
- Skips 5 backwards in a row
- Skips 5 side straddles
- Runs into a long rope, jumps once and runs out (see the Figure of Eight long rope game)
Bronze Award
This skill is a preliminary skip for the Bronze Award.
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.
- KS1Lesson 2: Find the rhythmSkipping Foundations · Years 1 and 2
- KS1Lesson 3: Run and hopSkipping Foundations · Years 1 and 2
- KS1Lesson 4: Backwards and straddlesSkipping Foundations · Years 1 and 2
- KS1Lesson 6: Award day: Orange and GreenSkipping Foundations · Years 1 and 2
- LKS2Lesson 1: Skill checkSkills and Tricks · Years 3 and 4
- UKS2Lesson 1: Side swings and crossoversTricks, 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 forward skipping single bounce hard. Change one thing at a time.
What usually makes it hard: A faster rhythm and more effort than the double bounce.
- TaskKeep the double bounce until the pupil is ready. Five skips, then rest.
- CommunicationClap or play a slow, steady beat to skip to.
- TaskAccept a double bounce for practice and play: it’s still skipping.
Seated or no-jump version. Turn the rope at the side at one turn per beat.
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.