Children with poor jumping abilities often have weakness in the calf muscles, particularly the soleus muscle, which makes it difficult to get a good push-of when jumping and also affects landing smoothly. 

In these activities the child practices walking and making small jumps on the tippy toes with the knees slightly bent. This action is a good way to get the soleus muscle working.

You will need:

A set of 6-8 small non-slip mats about 30X30 cm in size.  
(You can make a set of mats by cutting a cheap yoga mat into 8 small mats. Another option is to buy cheap non-slip bathroom or kitchen mats from the $ store.) 

Walking on tippy toes with the knees bent

Instructions 

1  Place your mats in a row and stand on tippy toes on the first mat.  Bend the knees a little. 

2  Walk across the mats on your tippy-toes with the knees a little bent, stepping from one mat to the next. 

3  Walk to the end of the row of mats, turn around and walk back again. 

Challenges 

• Staying on your tippy toes, bend the knees a little more and walk across the mats.
   
• Move the mats a little way apart, and walk across them again, still on your tippy toes with the knees slightly bent.  How far apart can you move the mats and still step from one to the other?

Walk around the house into and out of each room
You will need a set of numbered cards, one for each room in the house. 

Instructions 

1  Put one number-card in each room to create a circuit. 

2  Start at number one, then walk on the toes with the knees a little bent into each room, touch the number-card, turn around and walk to the next number and so on. 

 Challenges
1  Are you able to walk all the way from number one to the last number without putting either foot flat on the floor?
2  Can you complete the circuit taking big steps, staying on your toes the whole way?
3  Try walking on your toes lifting the knee up high with each step. 

Small two-foot bounces on tippy toes on a row of mats

Instructions
1 Place the mats in a row on the floor.  Stand on your toes with the knees bent, on the first mat.

2 Jump forwards, landing on each mat.
3 When you get to the last mat, jump to turn around, and jump back to the first mat. 
4 Go there and back 2 times. Have a short rest and repeat. 
Challenge
1  Move the mats a small distance apart.  Jump to the last mat, turn around and jump back again.

• How many time can you jump to the end and back without putting you heels down on the mats? 

2  Move the mats a little further apart. 

• How many jumps can you do now? 
• How far can you move the mats apart and still do two-foot jumps on your tipppy toes?

Bouncing around the house 

Create a numbered circuit, as described above,  and bounce on your tippy toes moving from room to room. 

Challenge 

1  How far can you get before needing a rest? 
2  Make bigger jumps and count how many many jumps are needed to complete the circuit. The bigger your jumps, the fewer jumps you need to make. 

Important note 
The content on this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

If your child has a medical condition that affects their fitness and ability to do strenuous physical activity, please consult your child's health care professional before starting an exercise program, especially one that includes strenuous activity.

Disclaimer 

All liability is excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law in respect of any loss or damage whether direct, indirect or consequential that arises in connection with the use of or reliance upon any content forming part of this article.