Musical Skipper: Improving your Child’s Timing, Rhythm and Vestibular for Learning

This article contains information about the Musical Skipper to help develop your child’s timing and rhythm. Affiliate links are provided for your convenience. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

As previously discussed in “Timing, Rhythm and the Brain: Why Timing Affects Learning,” we now have a better understanding of how important timing and rhythm is for a child’s emotional and intellectual development. Because timing and rhythm begins in the womb of the mother as they hear her voice, the child uses those rhythmic vibrations to build a strong foundation for growth and development as they get older. This can greatly improve their learning capability and education, or if they are underdeveloped in their timing and rhythm, it could mean learning delays in the classroom.

To help your child further develop his or her timing and rhythm, there are many games and toys that can help. One of our favorites, and the one our students’ enjoy most, is the Musical Skipper.

Using the Musical Skipper

The Musical Skipper has three different speeds and includes music as the child is playing. You will want your child to stand in one spot and jump over the arms of the Musical Skipper as goes around in circles. Your child may have a tendency to move with the Musical Skipper and jump over it. This is a good option as well, but the best way to use the Musical Skipper is to have your child stand in one spot and jump over the arms to improve their timing, rhythm, vestibular and proprioception.

As they listen to the music and watch the arms of the Musical Skipper (visual system), they have to determine how close the skipper’s arms are to their legs and feet (proprioception), they must jump over the arms with both feet (vestibular), and they must time it with the music and jump over it without tripping or letting it hit their feet.

You will want to try your child out first at the lowest speed to see how they react to the Musical Skipper. When they have mastered the lowest speed, or if it is too easy for them, increase the speed as necessary. As they grow older, you want them to increase their speed to further advance their timing, rhythm and movement.

Integrated Learning Strategies is a Utah-based center dedicated to helping mainstream children and children with learning challenges achieve academic success. Our services provide kids with non-traditional tutoring programs within the Davis County, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, Farmington, and Centerville areas. Areas to find Integrated Learning Strategies include: Reading tutors in Kaysville, Math tutors in Kaysville, Common Core Tutors in Kaysville, Tutors in Utah, Utah Tutoring Programs