Old-Fashioned Jump Rope Songs and Rhymes

This rhyme begins with the rope being swung back and forth instead of overhead. That makes it an easy rhyme for beginning jumpers like preschoolers. When the counting part begins, the rope is swung overhead.

Down in the valley
Where the green grass grows,
There sat Janey
Sweet as a rose.
Along came Johnny
And kissed her on the cheek.
How many kisses
Did she get this week?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

This is possibly the best known of all jump rope rhymes. Like the majority of these rhymes, it includes kissing.

Cinderella, dressed in yellow
Went upstairs to kiss her fellow
Made a mistake
And kissed a snake
How many doctors
Did it take?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

Kids seem to find this one super fun—especially the kicking part.

Johnny gave me apples,
Johnny gave me pears.
Johnny gave me fifty cents
To kiss him on the stairs.

I gave him back his apples,
I gave him back his pears.
I gave him back his fifty cents
And kicked him down the stairs.

This is another well-known classic. Many of these rhymes called for the name of the jumper to be inserted, along with the name of his or her sweetheart, so substitute the name of one of the children for Janey or Johnny.

Janey and Johnny
Sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
Then comes marriage
Then comes Janey
With a baby carriage.

In this rhyme, the first jumper inserts the name of a friend they want to join them in jumping. That friend "runs in," which involves joining the jumper while the rope is still turning. Then that friend inserts the name of another friend, continuing until everyone is jumping. This game is popular on school playgrounds, but try it during Grandma Camp or family reunions.

I like coffee,
I like tea,
I'd like for Janey
To come in with me.

In this rhyme, the first letter of the jumper's sweetheart's name is supposed to be indicated by the letter that the jumper misses on.

Ice cream soda,
Lemonade punch.
Tell me the name
Of my honey-bunch
A, B, C, D, E...

While jumping to this rhyme, jumpers must mime the actions mentioned.

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Touch your shoe.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
That will do.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Go upstairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Say your prayers.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn out the light.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Say good night!

In this rhyme as in "Teddy Bear," the jumper must perform the actions called for. The splits are just a wide-legged jump. At the end, the jumper must jump with eyes closed while the other kids count. 

Not last night but the night before,
Twenty-four robbers came knocking at my door
I asked them what they wanted,
And this is what they said:
Spanish Dancer, do the splits,
Spanish Dancer, do the twist,
Spanish Dancer, turn around
Spanish Dancer, touch the ground,
Spanish Dancer, go out the back
Spanish Dancer, please come back.
Spanish Dancer, read a book.
Spanish Dancer, do not look.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

This is a humorous rhyme that kids find rather scandalous. That's probably why they like it so much. The words are also used in traditional hand-clapping games. It has also been set to music. Like "I Like Coffee," this rhyme also involves extra jumpers coming in and going out.

Miss Lucy had a baby.
She named him Tiny Tim.
She put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim.

He drank up all the water.
He ate up all the soap.
He tried to eat the bathtub,
But it got stuck in his throat.

Miss Lucy called the doctor
(Second jumper comes in.)
The doctor called the nurse.
(Third jumper comes in.)
The nurse called the lady
With the alligator purse.
(Fourth jumper comes in.)

"Mumps" said the doctor.
"Measles" said the nurse.
"Nothing" said the woman
With the alligator purse.

Miss Lucy hit the doctor.
Miss Lucy slapped the nurse.
Miss Lucy paid the woman
With the alligator purse.

Out ran the doctor.
Out ran the nurse.
Out ran the lady
With the alligator purse.
(Extra jumpers exit.)

In this rhyme, on the stretched-out word "cor-ner," the jumper runs out of the rope, around one of the turners, and back in. At the end, the answer to the question is determined by which word the jumper misses on. If a child is good enough to do the somewhat complicated maneuvers required by these last few rhymes, perhaps it's time to branch out into other jump rope games, like Double Dutch. 

I had a little sports car,
A two-forty-eight,
I drove around the cor-ner
and slammed on the brakes.
When the policeman caught me
He put me on his knee,
And asked me a question:
Will you marry me?
Yes, No, Maybe So, Certainly...