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A grown-up and toddler face each other on a clear floor spot as the toddler bends to jump on "go."
Skill builderSpeech delay supportPause Before ActionIndoor Or Outdoor

Ready Steady Jump.

Give your toddler a quick whole-body listening game with no materials to gather. They wait through “ready... steady...,” jump on “go,” and practice linking a spoken cue to an action.

Play time
1-5+ min
Age
1-3 years
Energy
Medium
Mess
No
Effort
Low
Where
Indoor Or Outdoor
Start here

The recipe.

Low parent effort
1 things

What you need

  • None
1 min minimum

Setup

Then start the loop
Step 01
Clear a small spot where your child can stand, jump once, and land without bumping anything.
"Ready... go."
The loop

How play unfolds.

A multi-panel sequence showing a grown-up saying "ready... steady... go," a toddler jumping once, landing, and resetting for another turn.
  1. 01
    Say, “Ready... steady...” and pause briefly.
  2. 02
    Say, “Go.” Your child jumps once and lands in the same spot.
  3. 03
    Repeat the same cue and jump for another turn.

Safety Check

  • Stay close the whole time.
  • Use a non-slip surface and keep the jumping space away from furniture edges, hard obstacles, and slippery flooring.
  • Stop or simplify if your child cannot land safely or starts crashing into the space.
Skill spotlight
Pause Before Action

Waiting for a spoken cue before jumping

This helps your child hold back for a moment, listen for one useful action word, and start their body at the right time.

  • •Waiting through "ready... steady..." gives your child practice pausing before a body action.
  • •Jumping on "go" links one useful cue word to one clear movement.
  • •Landing and resetting for another turn keeps the routine short, repeatable, and easy to rejoin.
Real-world transfer
  • Waiting for a simple action word in daily routines.
  • Starting and stopping the body with better timing.
  • Joining short back-and-forth games with another person.
Supporting the play

What to say in the moment

Match what you say to what you see.

Prompt ladder
Level 1 (Start)
"Ready... go."
Level 2 (Keep going)
"Jump."
Level 3 (Stretch)
"Wait for go."
Level 4 (Extend)
"Your turn to say go."
If your child seems...
What you'd see
Focused
What to do
Say
"You waited for go."
Add
Keep the same short pause and one jump each round.
Extend
Let your child help say "go" after your "ready... steady..."

Make it easier

Younger end
  • -Use only the word "go" after a very short pause.
  • -Count a bend or bounce as the jump.
  • -Stop after two or three strong turns.

Make it harder

Older end
  • +Add one extra beat between "steady" and "go."
  • +Ask your child to freeze for one second after landing.
  • +Let your child take a turn saying "go" for you.

If it's not working

If you see
If child ignores it
Do one fast model jump with almost no pause, then invite your child into the next turn.
If you see
If child misuses it
Shrink the jump to a tiny bounce in place and keep the next pause very short.
If you see
If child gets frustrated
Count a knee bend, bounce, or tiny hop as success and say "go" sooner.
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