Here are a few of our favorite jump rope games to get kids moving and having fun!
Scissor jumps: Land with one foot forward, then on the next jump switch feet.Cross jumps: Land with feet crossed like an X, then apart, then crossed again.Duckie: Land with heels apart, toes and knees pointed in; then on next jump, put heels together and toes and knees pointed out.Swing: Land on one foot and swing the opposite leg out to the side, then switch on next jump.
Some popular jump rope rhymes go all the way back to Victorian times when children in the United States, England, and Ireland made up catchy rhymes based on current events, local gossip, and things they overheard their parents and other adults discussing. Have one person hold it at each end and wave it gently along the ground like a slithering snake, while other players attempt to jump over it. Take turns being the jumper and the snake-mover. The remaining players form a single-file line so that the first person in line is facing the rope. The turners swing the rope forward toward the line, then away. As they do so, the first player must run under the rope and back without touching the rope or letting it touch them. After one pass, the second person in line joins in and both players run under the rope. Then three runners go together, and so on. If anyone touches the rope or doesn’t make it back and forth in time, start again with one player running. To make it more of a game, the person holding the rope can speed up or slow down while the other player tries to match their rhythm. If they can’t keep up, they are out. If both jumpers are more skilled, one can start jumping while holding the rope. The other person can jump in and out completely, all while the rope continues moving. One player stands in the middle while the rest stay in their spots around the edges. This central player holds the rope up high and swings it in a circle while saying: “Helicopter, helicopter over my head, I choose a color and the color is… " Once the central player names a color, they rotate the rope along the ground. When the other players hear the color name, anyone who is wearing that color steps forward and tries to jump over the rope. If anyone steps on the rope, the central player starts over. They must jump for a predetermined amount of time, the number of jumps, or as long as it takes to recite a rhyme or sing a song (like “Happy Birthday,” if you’re playing at a birthday party for example). After everyone has had a turn to jump, the winner is the player with the most water remaining in their cup. So you start with one jumper, then two, and so on, until the chain is broken and there’s a missed jump. (Some skilled twirling will help prolong the game by making it easier for new players to join in.) Meanwhile, the cat is doing the same while chasing the mouse and trying to tag him. Give the mouse a one-jump head start. When the cat tags the mouse, rotate positions and play again. Once they get that part down, they can start to swing the jump rope over their head slowly and let it hit the floor. Finally, they can start jumping over the rope each time it circles around. Teach children to wait until the rope hits the floor before they jump. Some do so while it’s in the air, which can cause them to lose their balance and possibly trip. If children have any trouble skipping over the rope, they can keep stepping over it until they are ready to jump. If you’re ordering a jump rope online, just add 3 feet to the child’s height. If the jump rope drags on the ground when jumping, it’s probably too long. If it hits the child’s ankles or feet, it’s too short.
