These are not actually my reminiscences. Although I do recall the girls reciting different rhymes while jumping rope, I don't remember what they were. I have only jumped rope a few times, once to annoy the girls who were doing it and another time when some girl had the idea that boys were physically incapable of doing so. Here are some jump-rope rhymes that I have come across, from different generations, some of which are kind of strange. If you can remember any of the ones that you may have used, please post them here. I had a little brother, His name was Tiny Tim. I put him in the washtub To teach him how to swim. He drank up all the water, He ate up all the soap. He died last night With a bubble in his throat. Fudge, fudge, Call the judge. Mama's got a baby. Ain't no girl, Ain't no boy, Just a plain old baby. Wrap it up in tissue paper. Put it in the elevator. Johnny over the ocean. Johnny over the sea. Johnny broke a milk bottle And blamed it on me. I told Ma. Ma told Pa. Johnny got a lickin' Ha! Ha! Ha! My mother said I never should Play with gypsies In the wood. If I should She would say, "Naughty girl to disobey." I wish my mother would Hold her tongue. She had a boy When she was young. I wish my father would Do the same. He had a girl With an awful name. Salome was a dancer. She danced before the king. She danced hanky-panky And she shimmied everything. The king said, "Salome, You can't do that in here!" Salome said, "Baloney!" And kicked the chandelier. All in together girls. No mind the weather, girls. I spy a lark, sitting in the dark. Intery, mintery, cutery corn, Apple seed and apple thorn. Wire, briar, limber lock, Three geese in a flock Sit and sing by the spring. O-U-T spells out! And the next jumper enters the magic circle of the rope. Birdie, birdie in the sky, Why'd ya do that in my eye? Birdie, birdie in the sky, Gee, I'm glad that cows don't fly. Benjamin Franklin went to France To teach the ladies how to dance. First the heel, and then the toe, Spin around and out you go.
I remember this one... 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! Had to do what it said..like turn around, etc.
We had many skipping rhymes as I was growing up, most if not all of you wouldn't understand a word of the dialect, so I won't post those ones ..here's a simple one that was understandable to those outside of Scotland lol I had a little monkey and his name was sonny jim I put him in the water to see if he could swim he drank all the water and ate all the soap and he died last night with a bubble in his throat
You shouldn't let that stop you. I see that's a modification of one of the ones that I had found, only instead of little monkey named sonny jim, it was a little brother named Tiny Tim, and other changes.
Ah went tae the river - couldnae get acroass Peyed ten bob fur an auld blin' hoarse. Jumped oan it's back - it's bones gave a crack Ah played mah fiddle tae the boat came back. The boat came back, we aw jumped in The boat capsized an' we aw fell in.
Cokabendies Feelin' seek , Guess ye whit'll mendim Twenty kisses in a cloot , Lassie will you send him, half an unce ' green te' half an unce o' pepper Tak ye that ma bonny wee laddie ,.....' An Ah Hope Ye'll Sin be better
Friends, Romans, Countrymen...lend me your ears! I have come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The little Dog laughed to see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon! Howl
I remember a lot of the jump rope songs were just nursery rhymes and we also sang them while hand clapping. I found these on YouTube