Skill Development: Targeting a Specific Skill

There are seven main locomotor skills that are important for children to develop that will benefit them later when playing sports. These skills include: running, skipping, hopping, jumping, galloping, side-stepping (sliding), and leaping.

Have fun playing some of the games suggested, all the while improving your locomotor skills! No equipment is necessary, but you will want some open space to move around. You can practice these skills on your own, then challenge a family member to play one of the games with you as you both develop your locomotor skills!

Games

Simon Says

• This is a commonly played game, but the twist is to have the caller (Simon) call out a locomotor skill for the participants to move to
• If the caller doesn’t say Simon Says before calling the movement, the person who moves becomes the “caller”

Locomotor Shuttle

• Set a start and end distance, several metres apart
• Use a different locomotor skill each time you move from one end to the other
• Time how long it takes you to move through all seven locomotor skills
• Challenge someone in your family to have a locomotor race. Be sure that each time you get to one end, you change the locomotor movement

Butterfly Challenge

• Use chalk outside to draw very large butterfly wings, you can also draw a figure eight if you’d rather
• Try to do all seven locomotor movements while following the lines of the “butterfly” or figure eight
• Time yourself, for an added challenge!

To see these locomotor skills demonstrated, click on either of the links.

• Locomotor Skills
• The 7 basic Locomotion movements for sport | Teaching Fundamentals of PE

You can also read the descriptions of the seven locomotor movements explained below.

Running

Be sure to have your arms bent and move them opposite to the leg you start with. Bend your leg so that each heel almost touches your buttocks.

Skipping

Start with a high march and then add a hop and a step, alternating your arms and legs.

Hopping

Hop on one foot, bending your non-hopping foot at the knee. Your arms are bent at the elbows and swing forward as you hop. Switch legs when you are ready

Jumping

Keep your feet and knees together. Have both arms behind your body when you jump and land with two feet as your arms come forward.

Galloping

Have one leg straight out in front of you, and one leg straight out behind you. Keep moving with the same foot in front and the same foot behind until you want to switch sides.

Side-stepping (Sliding)

Move from your left to right. Stay low on your toes, knees bent and feet come together as you move sideways, then switch the leg you lead with.

Leaping

Jump off on one foot, on your toes, and land with the other foot (on your toes). Your arms move opposite to your legs.

Categories: Elementary