Jump Rope Games and Rhymes: Rules, Turners and Streak Odds
Jump rope, or skipping, has been a playground favourite for generations. With one long rope, two players turn and the others take turns to jump in, often chanting a rhyme that tells them what to do. With short ropes, everyone can play at once. Here are the classic group games, a few traditional rhymes, a fair way to decide who turns the rope, and what the numbers say about long jump streaks.
What you need
- A long rope, about 4 to 5 metres, for group games, or a short rope per child for solo skipping.
- A flat, non-slip surface such as a playground or a sports hall.
- Trainers or other flat shoes with a good grip.
Basic long rope rules
- Two players, the “enders” or turners, hold the ends of the rope and turn it in big, even circles.
- The other players line up to one side. One at a time, they run in while the rope is going up and away from them, and start jumping.
- The jumper keeps jumping while the group chants a rhyme or counts the jumps.
- A jumper who stops the rope, by tripping or stepping on it, is out and swaps with one of the enders.
- Some games end when the rhyme ends; the jumper then runs out and the next player runs in.
Classic jump rope games
- Teddy bear: the jumper acts out each line of the rhyme: “Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around; teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground”, and so on.
- Salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper: the enders turn slowly on “salt” and faster on each word, until “pepper” means as fast as they can.
- Alphabet: the group chants the alphabet, and the letter where the jumper trips is the first letter of a name, a food or an animal.
- Visitors: a jumper calls in a second player to jump with them, then runs out, and the second player calls in a third.
- Snake: the enders wiggle the rope along the ground, and players jump over without touching it. Good for very young children.
- Double Dutch: two ropes turned in opposite directions. Hard, but impressive, and played in competitions in several countries.
Who turns the rope?
Turning the rope is the least fun job, and in many playgrounds the same children end up doing it all the time. Put every name into the Random Name Picker with “remove and spin” switched on and draw two enders at a time. Rotate every few minutes, or every time a jumper is out, and nobody gets stuck turning for the whole break.
How long can a streak last?
Counting jumps is half the fun, and children love trying to beat their record. Even a steady jumper misses now and then, and every jump is another chance to trip. The table shows the chance of reaching 20, 50 or 100 jumps without a miss, for different miss rates:
| Misses | 20 | 50 | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/100 | 82% | 61% | 37% |
| 1/50 | 67% | 36% | 13% |
| 1/20 | 36% | 8% | 1% |
| 1/10 | 12% | 1% | 0% |
So a jumper who trips once in every 50 jumps still has only about one chance in three of reaching 50 in a row, and about one in eight of reaching 100. Long streaks are hard, which is exactly what makes a new record feel so good. In a competition, it is fairer to give every jumper two or three tries and count the best.
For a game of chance, use the Random Number Generator to set a target before each turn, for example a number from 10 to 50. Jumpers who reach the target score a point.
Safety
- Jump on a flat, dry surface, never on gravel or a slippery floor.
- Keep waiting players well back from the turning rope.
- Enders should turn at a steady speed, and slow down for younger jumpers.
- Use a rope that is not too heavy, such as a cloth or beaded rope, rather than a thick rope that hurts if it hits.
Jump rope goes well with other playground classics such as hopscotch, four square and tag.
Another old playground favourite that needs only a patch of ground is marbles, with its classic ring game and a fair way to decide who shoots first.
FAQ
How do you play jump rope with a long rope?
Two players turn the rope while the others take turns to run in and jump. The jumper keeps going while the group chants a rhyme or counts, and a jumper who stops the rope swaps with one of the turners.
What is a good jump rope rhyme for kids?
Teddy bear, teddy bear is a favourite for young children, because they act out each line. Salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper is fun for older children, as the rope speeds up.
What is Double Dutch?
Double Dutch is jump rope with two ropes turned in opposite directions at the same time. It takes practice, and it is also played as a competitive sport.
How do you decide who turns the rope?
Draw two turners at random with a name picker and swap them every few minutes, or every time a jumper is out, so everyone gets to jump.