IS THAT ALL?

No. It’s your turn!

All you need is a little rhyme to make your own game.

You can adapt any of the rhymes in this minibook or make one of your very own.

JUMP JINGLES

Strawberry shortcake, cream on top. STRAIGHT RHYMES Tell me the name of my sweetheart. Straight rhymes can be repeated endlessly A, B, C, D, E . . . while jumping.

Raspberry, raspberry, raspberry jam. I love coffee, What are the initials of my young man? I love tea. A, B, C, D, E . . . I love the boys And the boys love me. Strawberry, apple, my jam tart. Tell me the name of your sweetheart. Johnny gave me apples, A, B, C, D, E . . . Johnny gave me pears, Johnny gave me fi fty cents Ice cream soda. Delaware punch. And kissed me on the stairs. Spell the initials of your honeybunch. I’d rather wash the dishes, A, B, C, D, E . . . I’d rather scrub the fl oor, I’d rather kiss the iceman (Use the letter in any of the above when the jumper Behind the kitchen door. misses to fi nd your future sweetheart’s name.) Baby, baby, in the tub. Mama forgot to put in the plug. Oh, what sorrow! Oh, what pain! There goes baby down the drain.

Birdie, Birdie in the sky, Why’d ya do that in my eye? Birdie, Birdie in the sky, Gee, I’m glad that cows don’t fl y JUMP JINGLES GROUP JUMPING In case you haven’t had enough of a challenge, here’s some rhymes for you to jump with multiple jumpers. This book contains jingles or rhymes for jumping rope. All in together, girls. Did you know? How do you like the weather, girls? January, February, March, April . . . Children have been jumping rope for thousands of (Each jumper jumps in when she hears the month years. However, it is a recent development to have of her birthday. When the months are repeated, she jumping rope as a competitive game. jumps out on the same month.)

Sheep in the meadow, In the beginning, it was mainly boys who jumped rope. Cows in the corn. They wanted to see who was the fastest, could jump Jump in on the month that you were born. the highest and go the longest. January, February, March, April . . . Sheep in the meadow, Cows in the corn. It wasn’t long before girls were jumping rope more Jump out on the month that you were born. than boys. Unlike boys, girls jumped individually as January, February, March, April . . . well as in groups. There was still some competition, but girls encouraged each other to do their best. Everybody, everybody, Come on in. The fi rst one misses Girls also changed jumping rope from a sport into an Must take my end. art. By adding rhymes, it helped the jumpers keep the rhythm as well as lending a little humor to the game. In some cases, the rhymes encourage counting or actions to be done while jumping.

Five little monkeys, QUESTIONS Jumping on the bed. These rhymes ask questions. When the jumper One fell off misses, that is the answer. So continue until you get And bumped his head. one. Mama called the doctor, And the doctor said My ma and your ma were hanging out the clothes. “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!” My ma gave your ma a punch in the nose. Did it hurt her? Four little monkeys... Yes, no, maybe so. Yes, no, maybe so. Etc. (Continue until no monkeys are left to jump on the bed.) What shall I name my little pup? I’ll have to think a good one up. Bubble gum, bubble gum, A, B, C, D, E . . . Chew and blow, (When the jumper misses, she makes up Bubble gum, bubble gum, a name beginning with that letter. If she gets Scrape your toe, through the entire alphabet, do it again!) Bubble gum, bubble gum, Tastes so sweet, ABCs and vegetable goop. Get that bubble gum off your feet! What will I fi nd in the alphabet soup? A, B, C, D, E . . . (When the jumper misses, she makes up something that starts with that letter.) Keep the kettle boiling. Miss Lucy had a baby Don’t be late! His name was Tiny Tim. (Jumpers stand in a line. One after another, they run in She put him in the bathtub and out , returning to the end of the line.) To see if he could swim. He drank up all the water. Changing bedrooms, number 1. He ate up all the soap. Changing bedrooms, number 2. He tried to eat the bathtub Changing bedrooms, number 3 . . . But it wouldn’t go down his throat. (Jumpers run in from each side, changing Miss Lucy called the doctor, places with one another on each number.) Miss Lucy called the nurse. Miss Lucy called the lady with the alligator purse. I woke up on Monday morning, I gazed upon the wall. The spiders and the fi refl ies COUNTING RHYMES Were playing a game of ball; Counting rhymes end up with counting at the end of the rhyme. You keep counting until you miss. The score was ten to twelve, The spiders were ahead; Cinderella, dressed in yella The fi refl ies knocked a home run Went upstairs to see her fella, And knocked me out of bed! How many kisses did she get? One . . . Two . . . Three . . . etc.

Cinderella, dressed in yella, Went upstairs to kiss a fella, Made a mistake, kissed a snake, How many doctors will it take? Two . . . Four . . . Six . . . Eight . . . etc.

Dolly Dimple walks like this, Charlie Chaplin sat on a pin. Dolly Dimple talks like this, How many inches did it go in? Dolly Dimple smiles like this, One . . . Two . . . Three . . . etc. Dolly Dimple throws a kiss.

Two little sausages frying in the pan. FASTER! One went POP and the other went BANG! Any rhyme that has the words “pepper” or “hot” (Two jumpers start on this one. One jumps ends with the jumper jumping as fast as they can out one side, the other on the opposite side.) until they miss. There are also rhymes about missing that are meant for the jumper to go faster.

MOVING IN AND OUT Mabel, Mabel, set the table, In these rhymes, the jumpers move in and out of the Just as fast as you are able. rope. Any mentioned names should be changed to the Don’t forget the salt, sugar, vinegar, mustard, jumpers to move them in and out of the jump rope. red-hot pepper!

Rooms for rent, Johnny over the ocean, Inquire within. Johnny over the sea, As I move out Johnny broke a teacup Let Tessa come in. And blamed it on me. I told Ma, Ma told Pa. I love coffee, I love tea, Johnny got in trouble. I want Emma to come in with me. Hee, hee, haw! Salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper! My little sister dressed in pink Keep the pot a-boilin’ just for Marie. Washed all the dishes in the sink. One, two, and a dibble-dabble three. How many dishes did she break? (When the player’s name is called, she must be One . . . Two . . . Three . . . etc. in by “three.”)

Bread and butter Oh, in I run and around I go, Sugar and spice Clap my hands and nod just so. How many boys think I am nice? I lift my knee and slap my shoe. One . . . Two . . . Three . . . etc. When I go out, let Caty come in.

Down in the valley Dancing Dolly had no sense. Where the green grass grows, She bought a fi ddle for eighteen cents. There sat Sami But the only tune that she could play Sweet as a rose. Was “Alex, get out of the monkey’s way!” She sang, she sang, (On the last line, “Alex” jumps out and a new jumper She sang so sweet. jumps in.) Along came Tom And kissed her cheek. Gypsy, gypsy lived in a tent. How many kisses did he give her? Gypsy, gypsy never paid rent. One . . . Two . . . Three . . . etc. She borrowed one, (You can replace the names “Sami” and “Tom” She borrowed two, with people you know!) And passed the rope over to you!

Every morning at eight o’clock, You all may hear the postman’s knock. One, two three, four. There goes Cassidy out the door. (“Cassidy” jumps out and another jumps in.)

Jump rope, jump rope, Teddy bear, teddy bear, Will I miss? Turn around. Jump rope, jump rope, Teddy bear, teddy bear, Just watch this! Touch the ground. Teddy bear, teddy bear, I know a woman Show your shoe. And her name is Miss. Teddy bear, teddy bear, And all of a sudden That will do. She goes like—this. Teddy bear, teddy bear, Go upstairs. Teddy bear, teddy bear, ACTION RHYMES Say your prayers. If you’re ready for a challenge, try doing actions Teddy bear, teddy bear, while jumping. Turn out the light. Teddy bear, teddy bear, Spanish dancer, do the split. Say good night. Spanish dancer, give a kick. Spanish dancer, turn around. Little white rabbit, hop on one foot, one foot. Spanish dancer, get out of town. Little white rabbit, hop on two feet, two feet. (On the last phrase, the jumper runs out of the rope.) Little white rabbit, hop on three feet, three feet. Little white rabbit, hop on no feet, no feet. The clock stands still (On “three feet”, the jumper puts one hand While the hands go around. on the ground. On “no feet”, the jumper One o’clock, two o’clock . . . runs out.) (One player jumps in place, while another jumper jumps around her in a circle. The circling one counts up to twelve o’clock.)