Jump Rope for the Mind, Body, and Soul

We are currently covering jump rope activities and perfecting our skills for Jump Rope for Heart on March 14. I always wonder when I’m teaching my lessons, about how to make this experience fun for all students. Because fun is what keeps us engaged, involved, and content with whatever activity is at hand. I keep it fun by challenging students to try new tricks, skills, and by creating excitement among the class and jumping rope myself. How long can I keep it fun, new, and interesting? Are my teaching traits skewed toward the younger classes?
My lessons have really challenged me in my Kindergarten and 1st Grader classes recently. I may be asking too much of myself, but I want them to get the hang of jumping, rhythym, and developing extra hand-eye coordination skills. I find myself constantly turning a rope for them as they learn to time their jumps and focus. How much is too much? They will need to develop these skills on their own, but I want them to be able to rely on me to develop success as well. Should I place students into groups dependent on their skills to foster greater development of these skills? (Upper, Middle, Lower)
As I reflect on last week’s lesson plans, I want to try to teach more independent skills this week, and offer more individual help and practice to those that need it. I will foster more personal learning time and shy away from the group activities and practices. The children will learn from their coach, classmates, and themselves. They will develop self esteem by attempting and achieving a new skill over the course of the next 3 weeks, possibly a skill they never learned before. And they will have fun doing it.