Did You Know Playing Jacks with Your Kids Can Help Them in School?

Jacks Skills

Many games from the 60s and 70s that children played built good underlying skills. These games allowed the players to integrate both body and mind as skills were strengthened such as visual-motor perceptual, eye-hand coordination, rhythm, logic, reasoning, strategy, timing, concentration, and attention.

We use many of those older games to help our student build new skills as well as fill in missing skills they are lacking. We find these games are very beneficial for students with a wide variety of challenges.

Sets of Jacks that were produced in the 60s and 70s were small and made out of metal. Although those jacks were easy to handle and had a good weight, they can be a choking hazard for younger children. Many manufacturers in the last 15 years or so have made larger jacks that are rubber. These jacks are safer and do not hurt if you step on them however, they are more difficult to pick up especially when trying to pick up several at a time.

Playing Jacks is very integrating and bring a lot of benefit to the students but there are several skills that need to be in place first.

 

Pre-Skills

If the child has difficulty with small motor control or catching, use a racquetball first. Otherwise use a hi-bounce ball that will come with your jacks.

·        Bounce & catch ball with dominant hand on the table 10 times in a row without missing.

·        Bounce & catch ball with non-dominant hand on table 10 times in a row.

·        Bounce & catch ball switching from dominant hand to non-dominant hand 10 times in a row.

·        Bounce & catch ball from one hand to the other in a ‘V’ on a table 10 times in a row. (left to right, right to left)

·        Bounce the ball with the dominant hand, pick up a jack with the non-dominant hand, and then catch the ball with the dominant hand 10 times in a row.

·        Bounce the ball with the non-dominant hand, pick up a jack with the dominant hand, and then catch the ball with the non-dominant hand 10 times in a row.

·        Bounce the ball with the dominant hand, pick up a jack in the dominant hand, and then catch the ball with the dominant hand 10 times in a row.

·        Bounce the ball with the non-dominant hand, pick up a jack in the non-dominant hand, and then catch the ball with the non-dominant hand 10 times in a row.

Throwing and picking up Jacks

·        Throw 4 Jacks so that they spread out but are still fairly close to one another, within an inch to three inches.

·        Teacher or parent places two jacks 1 inch apart child practices bouncing ball and picking up two jacks at the same time.

·        Repeat with three jacks.

 

Playing Jacks

Level 1

·        Toss all the jacks on the table.

·        Bounce the ball with the dominant hand, pick up one jack in the dominant hand, and then catch the ball with the dominant hand.

·        Place the jack in the non-dominant hand.

·        Repeat until all jacks have been picked up.

Level 2

·        Toss all the jacks on the table.

·        Bounce the ball with the dominant hand, pick up two jacks in the dominant hand, and then catch the ball with the dominant hand.

·        Place the jacks in the non-dominant hand.

·        Repeat until all jacks have been picked up.

Level 3

·        Toss all the jacks on the table.

·        Bounce the ball with the dominant hand, pick up three jacks in the dominant hand, and then catch the ball with the dominant hand.

·        Place the jacks in the non-dominant hand.

·        Repeat until all jacks have been picked up.

If the child misses a jack or ball you can decide if they should continue, start over with that level, or if it is the parent or teacher’s turn.

You can decide how many jacks you want to play with. The typical Jacks games used to come with twelve jacks but now many of the larger rubber Jack games come with ten.