My daughter learned how to jump rope this summer and she brought back so many memories of my childhood.   All I needed was my Keds, a jump rope and my girls and I was good to go.  Like my daughter now, I jumped rope during recess at school–that is, when I wasn’t knocking out kids at 4 Square.

Here she is learning how to jump rope.  At first she didn’t quite have it, but she was a quick study and had it down in no time.

 

I had completely forgotten that song that she is singing!  That made me think of the songs that I used to sing while jumping rope.  During my jump-roping years I lived in Chicago and the South suburbs of Chicago, but I also spent summers with my grandparents in Alabama; jumping rope in both places, I realized that jump rope rhymes are regional.   Some of the songs were the same, with minor changes and some of them were completely different.  These are the songs that I remember, although I’m not quite sure where I learned them. 

 

Mable Mable

Mable Mable set the table

Just as fast as you are able

And don’t forget the

Red hot peas!

(On “peas” jump as fast as you can until you miss.)

 

Down in The Valley

Down in the valley where the green grass grows,

There sat Sherrelle as sweet as a rose.

She sang, she sang, she sang so sweet,

Along came James and kissed her on the cheek.

How many kisses did she get?

(Count until the jumper misses.)

 

Stepped in the Water

Stepped in the water, boom ba

The water was cold, boom ba

Chilled my body, boom ba

But not my soul, boom ba

Hopping on 1, boom ba

Hopping on 2, boom ba

(…..etc. Counting until the jumper misses.)

 

Jack Be Nimble

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,

Jack jumped over the freedom stick.

You gotta do those pop-ups 10-1

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

 

Old King Mamba (?)

Old King Mamba, reading the news

Brought himself a new pair of shoes.

And when those shoes begin to wear,

Old King Mamba said “I declare!”

I can do the mumble, mumble, mumble

I can do the splits, splits, splits

I can do the sizzler, sizzler, sizzler

I can do the kicks, kicks, kicks

(The jumper performs the above motions while jumping.)

 

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, show your shoe

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, that will do

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, climb the stairs

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the light

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say good night!

 

Last Night

Not last night, but the night before

24 robbers at my door.

I jumped up when they got in,

Hit them on the head with a rolling pin.

 

And of course there was Double Dutch jumping in both Chicago and Alabama.  Although guys jumped too, mostly it was girls doing Double Dutch in my day. The way the boys talked trashed on the basketball court?–It was the same way with Double Dutch.  You had to have GAME to jump in some neighborhoods!  My cousins lived on the South Side of Chicago and I wouldn’t even think of trying to do Double Dutch in their neighborhood, as I was admittedly game-less.   I was the person on the side “digging her mashed potatoes” (for those who don’t know, this meant standing on the side, bobbing back and forth, taking forever to jump in).  And I couldn’t turn around or do tricks or anything while jumping;  I was just happy to get in and stay in without messing up! 

Despite my inepdtness at Double Dutch, I love watching people jump.  To me, it is both a sport and an art form. Check out this video from The New York Times shot at the Double Dutch Holiday Classic at The Apollo Theater in Harlem:

 

 

While my daughter now loves to jump rope, I don’t think that she will be jumping Double Dutch anytime soon.  Mommy doesn’t have enough skill to pass it on and she doesn’t go to school, live in or visit neighborhoods where Double Dutch is played regularly.  I was really pleased when The Disney Channel made the movie Jump In, starring Corbin Bleu and Keke Palmer.  If you haven’t seen it,  you and your kids will love it, if just for the final competition scene.

Although we’ve seen it many times on The Disney Channel, I think that I will buy it.  Maybe my daughter and I can watch it together and slow-mo the moves.  She can learn and I can get better.  

 

What are your fondest jump rope memories?  Do you remember any jumping songs?  Are you a Double Dutch legend in your old neighborhood?  Please share!

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