12 Fun Jump Rope Songs and Rhymes for Kids

In today’s world, children are more often than not interested in video games on their smartphones, laptops or consoles, or watching television shows and movies. Apart from being harmful for your child’s eyes, electronics also make little ones lazy. It is important for them to go outdoors and indulge in fun activities by themselves or with their friends. Jump rope can be a really fun pastime for the family or for your kids to spend time with their friends. And what makes jump rope even more exciting are the catchy songs and rhymes that kids chant as they play. In this article, we’ll share 12 classic jump rope songs & rhymes for kids that are easy to learn, fun to sing, and guaranteed to keep the energy flowing on the playground.

The Benefits of Jump Rope for Kids

Jump rope, otherwise known as skipping, can be an activity for the whole family or for little ones to play together. It is, thus, a great way for your children to improve their motor and social skills. Here are the various benefits of jump rope for kids (1):

1. Social Skills

Jump rope can be a fantastic ice breaker for your kids to play with their neighbours or other kids at school. It is easy and inexpensive and is fun when played with a lot of people with jump rope rhymes and chants. It is, therefore, a great way for children to improve their social skills.

2. Creativity

Jump rope can be played in many different ways as there are no rigid or complex rules. So, your children can make up their own fun activities with the skipping rope. Children can play scissors, heal to toe, criss-cross, foot circles, up and overs and numerous other fun variations of jump rope.

3. Mental Benefits

Research indicates that skipping exercises are good for the brain as they result in the release of endorphins. These endorphins stimulate a sense of relaxation and well-being. Studies show that jumping helps improve reading skills, memory, alertness and coordination (2).

4. Motor Skills

Jump rope is great for enhancing your child’s balance, coordination, posture, endurance, muscular strength, reflexes and bone density. It can be very useful in improving cardiovascular health (3).

Collection of Jump Rope Songs & Rhymes for Children

Jump rope can be made super fun with skipping rope songs. Here are some cute jump rope chants and rhymes:

1. Mabel Mabel

Mabel Mabel is a classic jump rope song.

“Mabel, Mabel, set the table.

Do it as fast as you are able.

Don’t forget the SALT, PEPPER, KETCHUP, MUSTARD.”

2. Ice Cream Soda

This is an adorable song for playing jump rope.

“Ice cream soda,

With a cherry on top.

What are the initials

Of your sweetheart?

Capital R N.”

3. Cinderella

The Cinderella jump rope song involves counting and can be challenging if the kids keep increasing the numbers by multiples of two or three.

“Cinderella,

Dressed in yellow,

Went outside

To play her cello.

How many minutes

Did she take?”

(Kids usually continue counting 1, 2, 3… while jumping.)

4. Skipping Feet

This song is sung to the tune of Jingle Bells and is easy and fun to learn.

“Skipping feet, skipping feet,

Skipping feet all day.

Oh what fun it is to skip,

The whole day away. Hey!”

5. Happy Day

Happy Day is sung to the tune of the Happy Birthday song.

“Happy day to you!

Happy day to you!

Happy day, dear (child’s name),

Happy day to you!”

6. Jump a Rope

Jump a rope is super easy as it is sung to the same tune as Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

“Jump, jump, jump a rope,

Merrily in the spring.

Hop, hop on each foot,

As fast as you can sing.”

7. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

The Teddy Bear jump rope song is one of the most famous skipping songs for kids as they can mimic the actions while playing.

“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, go upstairs,

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers.

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the lights,

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say goodnight!”

8. Fuzzy Wuzzy

This rope jumping song is great for improving your child’s speech abilities as it is like a tongue twister.

“Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.

Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.

Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?”

9. Down the Mississippi

This classic jump rope rhyme is challenging and fun.

“M-I crooked letter,

Crooked letter I.

Crooked letter,

Crooked letter I.

Humpback, humpback, I—

Mississippi!”

10. Texaco Mexico

This is another state-inspired rhyme and is accompanied with actions.

“Texaco Mexico

Went over the hill,

Where far away.

And they do some splits, splits, splits,

And they turn around round, round,

And they touch the ground, ground, ground.

And they do some kicks, kicks, kicks,

And they pay their taxes, taxes, taxes,

And they get outta town, town, town.

And they jump back in, in, in,

And that’s the end, end, end.”

11. Miss Mary Mack

A classic favourite on playgrounds everywhere, Miss Mary Mack is a fun rhyme that kids love to chant while keeping their jumps in perfect time.

“Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack,

All dressed in black, black, black,

With silver buttons, buttons, buttons,

All down her back, back, back.

She asked her mother, mother, mother,

For 50 cents, cents, cents,

To see the elephants, elephants, elephants,

Jump over the fence, fence, fence.

They jumped so high, high, high,

They reached the sky, sky, sky,

They never came back, back, back,

Till the 4th of July, ly, ly!

July can’t walk, walk, walk,

July can’t talk, talk, talk,

July can’t eat, eat, eat,

With a knife and fork, fork, fork.”

12. 7-Up

7-Up is a counting rhyme that adds a playful twist to jump rope, keeping kids excited as they jump.

“7 up, 7 up, count to 11 up,

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

6 up, 6 up, do the splits up,

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

5 up, 5 up, touch the side up,

1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

4 up, 4 up, touch the floor up,

1, 2, 3, 4.

3 up, 3 up, touch your knee up,

1, 2, 3.

2 up, 2 up, touch your shoe up,

1, 2.

1 up, 1 up, you’re all done up.”

FAQs

1. What age group are rope jumping songs best for?

They’re usually great for kids ages 5 and up, but younger children can join in with simpler chants.

2. Can jump rope songs be customised?

Yes! Kids often add their own names, numbers, or silly words to make the rhymes more personal and fun.

Jump rope can be a great way for your children to get some exercise and spend some quality time with their family or friends. It can even be played indoors and it’s very beneficial for your child’s development.

Also Read:

Piano Songs for Children
Action Songs for Kids
Good Morning Songs for Children

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Sources References

1. Waldorf School of the Peninsula – Benefits of Jumping Rope & Fun Games to Play with It

2. PubMed Central – Jumping Rope Improves the Physical Fitness of Preadolescents Aged 10-12 Years: A Meta-Analysis

3. Cleveland Clinic – Hop to It: 6 Benefits of Jumping Rope