Start a skipping club
Everything you need to set up and run a skipping club: the ropes, a kit bag, a year of the All-Access Skip Pass and a place on the Virtual Skipping League, in one club set for £170 with a free skip-hop account (£189 without).
A skipping club is one of the cheapest, busiest and happiest clubs you can run. Thirty skippers, one hall and a bag of ropes, and everyone is moving from the first minute.
skip-hop coaches have taught skipping in UK schools for a quarter of a century. This page sets out how to start a club, what to do in your first sessions, and the club set we put together so you have everything on day one: the ropes in the right sizes, the training, the videos, the Skipping Awards and a way to track every skipper’s progress.
The skip-hop club set: £170 signed in
Everything a club of 30 needs, plus a year of the All-Access Skip Pass. Bought separately, the ropes alone are £159 and the pass is £149.
In the set
- 30speed ropes in three bags of 10You choose the size of each bag: 2.1 m, 2.5 m or 2.8 m.
- 1pair of 4.5 m Double Dutch ropesContrasting colours, so jumpers can see which rope is which.
- 17.5 m long ropeLong rope games and rhymes for 20 or more skippers at once.
- 1tough duffel kit bagThe same bag as our whole-school set, to carry and store the lot.
- 1year of the All-Access Skip PassEvery skill, video, lesson plan and Skipping Award, from the day you order.
Choose your rope sizes
Pick a size for each bag of 10. Not sure? Stand a skipper on the middle of a rope: the handles should reach just below the armpits. See the rope size guide.
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Your year of the All-Access Skip Pass starts when you order. Pay by card, or by invoice if your club or school needs one.
Your club on the Virtual Skipping League
The Virtual Skipping League is skip-hop’s free online skipping competition. Every club set comes with access, and how it works depends on your club.
Every skip counts for your school
If your club runs in a school, or is attached to one, your skippers’ scores go on the school’s Virtual Skipping League account. Everything they do at club goes towards the school’s activity totals, alongside PE lessons and playtimes, so a lunchtime or after-school club lifts the whole school.
Track every skipper’s progress
Sports clubs, youth groups and community clubs get their own access too. Collect your skippers’ scores in one place, and each skipper can see their own improvements week by week. Your scores won’t appear in the public league tables, which are for schools, but it is a very good way to follow each skipper as they work on their skills.
If enough clubs join, we’d love to run a Virtual Skipping League for clubs as well.
Skipping Awards for your club
The Skipping Awards give every skipper a goal: eight colour Awards, from White (first jumps) to Black, then Bronze, Silver and Gold. Skippers move up whenever they are ready, whatever their age.
- An assessment page for every Award, with the skills, what to look for and a tracker for your group.
- Certificates to download and print as soon as a skipper passes, in five styles.
- Adapted passes count. Every skill can be adapted so every skipper can take part. See SEND and inclusion.
A year of the All-Access Skip Pass
The club set includes a full year of the All-Access Skip Pass, from the day you order. It opens up everything skip-hop has for coaches:
- Every skill, coached step by step, with video you can slow down for the hall screen: individual, partner, long rope and Double Dutch. See the skills.
- Lesson plans and the scheme of work, ready to run as club sessions.
- The Skipping Awards assessment pages and certificate maker.
- Tips from a quarter of a century of skip-hop coaching in schools.
How to start a skipping club
Six steps, from the first idea to your first certificates.
- Decide who it’s forAn age range, a size and a day. Most clubs start with 15 to 30 skippers and one or two adults. Mixed ages work well: older skippers love to turn and teach.
- Find a spaceA hall with a hard floor and a high ceiling, or a flat, dry playground. Allow about two metres square for each skipper with their own rope, and a clear strip about 10 metres long for the long rope.
- Sort out the safe stuffA first aider, a register with emergency contacts, and whatever safeguarding checks, insurance and policies your school, club or venue needs. Check with them before your first session.
- Get the ropesOne rope each, the right length for every skipper, plus a long rope and Double Dutch ropes for group games. The club set covers a club of 30.
- Plan your first sessionsShort, busy activities with lots of turns. Use the session plan below to start, then the skip-hop lesson plans and skills to keep it going.
- Give them something to aim forThe Skipping Awards give every skipper a next step and a certificate. Record scores on the Virtual Skipping League so they can see themselves improve.
Your first club session: a one-hour plan
Keep everyone busy, change activity often, and finish with something to celebrate.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Warm-up Bouncing on the spot without a rope, then the double bounce with ropes. Small, quiet jumps. |
| 15 min | Skill of the week One skill from the Awards, such as the single bounce, the boxer skip or the crossover. Show it, break it into steps, practise in pairs: one skips, one watches and helps. |
| 10 min | Long rope Under the Moon, then running in and out, then a rhyme. Everyone takes a turn at turning. |
| 10 min | Double Dutch corner Older or more confident skippers learn to turn two ropes and time their entry, while others play long rope games. |
| 10 min | Beat your score 30-second speed skips, counted by a partner. Record the scores on the Virtual Skipping League. |
| 10 min | Awards and cool-down Assess anyone ready for their next Skipping Award, then a slow walk and stretch. |
Want ideas for the long rope part? Try Under the Moon, Clusterjump and the traditional skipping rhymes. Starting Double Dutch? Begin with Double Dutch turning and entry.
Skipping club questions
How much does it cost to start a skipping club?
The skip-hop club set is £170 with a free skip-hop account, or £189 without one. It has 30 speed ropes in the sizes you choose, a pair of Double Dutch ropes, a 7.5 m long rope, a kit bag and a year of the All-Access Skip Pass. Bought separately, the ropes alone are £159 and the pass is £149. skip-hop is not VAT registered, so there is no VAT to add.
What size ropes should our club choose?
Choose by your skippers’ heights. 2.1 m ropes suit ages about 4 to 7, 2.5 m ropes suit ages about 7 to 11, and 2.8 m ropes suit teenagers, adults and tall children. Most junior clubs pick two bags of 2.5 m ropes and one bag of 2.1 m or 2.8 m. See the rope size guide.
Can a club that isn’t part of a school use the Virtual Skipping League?
Yes. We give independent clubs access to the Virtual Skipping League so you can collect your skippers’ scores in one place and each skipper can see their own improvement. Club scores don’t appear in the public league tables, which are for schools.
Our club is run by a school. Do the scores count for the school?
Yes. If your club is attached to a school, your skippers’ scores go towards the school’s activity totals on the Virtual Skipping League, the same as scores from PE lessons and playtimes.
When does the All-Access Skip Pass start?
Your year of the All-Access Skip Pass starts when you order the club set. It gives you every skill page with its coaching and video, the lesson plans, the Skipping Awards assessment pages and the certificate maker.
Can we print Skipping Awards certificates for our skippers?
Yes. When a skipper passes an Award, mark it on the assessment page and download and print their certificate. There are five certificate styles to choose from.
How many adults do we need?
Plan for at least two adults for a club of up to 30, and follow your venue’s or organisation’s own rules. Older skippers make great helpers once they have learned to turn the long rope.
Get your club skipping
Thirty ropes, Double Dutch, a long rope, a kit bag and a year of the All-Access Skip Pass, for £170 with a free skip-hop account (£189 without).
Choose your rope sizes Explore the skills
Questions about running a club? Email info@skip-hop.co.uk.