Chinese jump rope facts for kids
Chinese jump rope is a fun children's game that mixes parts of hopscotch and jump rope. It's also known by other names like elastics in Australia and the UK, gummitwist in Germany, and Chinese garter in the Philippines. Players create different shapes and moves with the rope, often while chanting rhymes.
This game started a long time ago in China, around the 7th century. In the 1960s, kids in Western countries started playing it too. It's usually played by at least three people using a rope about 16 feet (5 meters) long, tied into a circle. The rope is often made from many rubber bands tied together, but you can also buy special elastic ropes.
Two players stand facing each other, about 9 feet (3 meters) apart. They stretch the rope around their ankles so it's tight. The third player, called the jumper, stands in the middle and tries to do a set of moves without making a mistake. As the jumper gets better, the rope is moved higher, making the game more challenging.
How to Play Chinese Jump Rope
The game starts with the two rope holders placing the elastic rope around their ankles. The jumper then picks a pattern of moves to follow. Many patterns have their own special songs or chants. This first set of moves is sometimes called the "first level."
If the jumper successfully completes all the moves in the pattern, the rope is moved higher. It can go from ankle height to knee, then to waist, and even higher! The goal is to complete the pattern at each new height. If the rope gets too high to jump over, some players might kneel and use their hands instead of their feet. If a jumper makes a mistake, like touching the rope or missing a step, it's the next player's turn to jump. Players take turns being the jumper until everyone has had a chance to play.
The moves involve jumping and moving your feet in different ways. Here are some common ones:
- Out: Both feet land outside the rope.
- In: Both feet land inside the rope.
- Side: One foot is inside the rope, and one is outside.
- On: Both feet land on top of the rope.
The two rope holders often chant these names as the jumper performs the moves. Other moves involve changing the rope's shape:
- Pull: The jumper uses their foot or feet to move one side of the rope over the other.
- Diamonds: The jumper crosses their legs with the ropes between them, making a diamond shape.
- Scissors: Starting with both feet outside the rope, the jumper crosses their legs, pulling the ropes to form a shape like scissors.
There are many ways to play Chinese jump rope. Sometimes the rope is crossed to make an "X" shape. The jumper then has to move their feet into different parts of the "X." Some players create "levels" like in a video game. Each level has different challenges. A player must complete all levels to win the game. These levels often have fun names, like the "roller coaster," where the criss-crossed rope is higher on one side than the other.
Fun Chants and Rhymes
Chants and rhymes make Chinese jump rope even more fun! Here are some examples:
- "England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales
Inside, outside Puppy dogs' tails"
Some chants are used for counting:
- "Old Mrs Mason broke her basin
On the way to London Station. How much did it cost? One, two, three, four..."
- "Charlie Chaplin sat on a pin
How many inches did it go in? One, two, three, four..."
German Chants
In Germany, where the game is called gummitwist, kids use these chants:
- "Hau-Ruck": Hau Ruck Donald Duck Micky Maus Mitte Raus (Meaning: Jerk Chuck, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, inside out)
- "Sahne": Sahne Sahne Mitte Grätsche Mitte Raus (Meaning: Cream, cream, inside, outside, inside, out)
- "Däumling": Däumeling ist klein wie ein Daumen Raus (Meaning: Tom Thumb is as small as a thumb-nail)
- "Zitronenschale": Zi-tro-nen-scha-le Raus (Meaning: Le-mon, cit-rus, peel, out)
- "Schneewittchen": Schnee-witt-chen und die eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben Zwerge Raus (Meaning: Snow White along with the one, two, three, four, five, six, seven Dwarves, out)
