Jump Rope Rhymes and Tricks

A jump rope sized for your child

A long jump rope for group play (optional)

Start with basic jumping. Hold the handles, rope behind your heels, swing overhead, jump as it passes under. Find a steady rhythm — one jump per swing.

Once the rhythm is steady, add a chant. The classic: "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!" Perform each action while continuing to jump.

Other classic rhymes: "Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella" or "Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack, all dressed in black, black, black." The rhymes give rhythm to the jumping.

Criss-Cross trick: swing the rope normally, then on the next swing, cross your arms in front of your body so the rope makes an X as it passes under. Uncross for the next jump. This requires serious coordination.

Double Bounce: bounce twice (small hops) between each rope swing. This slows the rope down and is actually easier than single bounce for some kids.

Speed Challenge: jump as fast as possible for 30 seconds. Count every jump. Write down the number and try to beat it next time.

Group Jump Rope: two people hold the ends of a long rope and swing it. Others take turns running in, jumping 3-5 times, and running out. "Hot Pepper" means spinning the rope fast.

Try jumping backwards — swing the rope forward over your head instead of backward. This reverses the coordination and feels completely different.

Jump rope rhymes have survived for generations because they solve a real problem: keeping a rhythm while jumping. The chant is a metronome for your feet.

The criss-cross is the first "real trick" most kids learn. It looks impressive and feels like a breakthrough. Practice it separately before adding it to rhymes.

Jump rope is one of the most efficient cardiovascular exercises. Ten minutes of jumping equals about 30 minutes of running in terms of heart rate and calorie burn.

For group rope, the swingers control the game. Teach them to swing at a consistent speed and height. Inconsistent swinging makes jumping nearly impossible.

Record a slow-motion video of your child's tricks. They'll want to watch it 50 times and be inspired to learn more.