Jumping Rope

Do you know how hard it is to come up with a title about jump roping that doesn’t go back to a cheesy song?

After our cartwheeling post, we started thinking about all the other recess activities we used to do in grade school: hanging on monkey bars, playing a rousing game of 4-Square, or that one week where it seemed everyone wanted to jump rope.

Although the jump roping origins is unclear, we do know it was brought over by the Dutch in the late 1600s. Kids were jumping and developing games with songs to keep themselves occupied. Some used two ropes, explaining where the term Double Dutch came from. As it gained popularity, kids would use any material (clotheslines, braided rope, etc.) they could find to make a rope and play with their friends. Unfortunately in the 1950s, with the expansion of television and radio, kids began spending more time indoors.

Now, if you peruse the internet about jumping or skipping rope, you’ll find that this pastime has generally been rebranded as a great cardio workout (Woohoo, Jump Rope for Heart). No doubt it is, but let’s talk about what else it can do for our kids’ development.

The benefits of jump roping include:

Rhythm and timing. The repetitive nature of swinging the jump rope against the ground can operate as a metronome, setting a cadence and pattern for your child to follow. This stimulates the areas in the brain that are also involved in motor planning, speech production, fluidity of thoughts and movements, synchronization of actions, shifting attention, and modulating emotions/behavior/arousal levels.
Self-regulation. Repetition promotes regulation. Not only does it help your kiddo get rid of excess energy, but it can also be a mindful activity with its rhythm and familiar movement. Skipping rope also releases endorphins that reduce stress/anxiety and elevate mood.
Body/spatial awareness. The frequent jumping and rope swinging activates your child’s proprioceptive system, helping them understand the location of their limbs in relation to their body. They’ll also figure out where their body is with respect to the jump rope as it swings over their head and under their feet.
Gross motor development. This includes motor planning (the ability to ideate, sequence, and execute movement), coordination, balance, and strength. As they master skipping rope, your kid may try to jump higher, experiment with different ways of jumping, or level up with some Double Dutch to challenge and refine these gross motor skills.
Social participation. Your child can jump rope all by themself, but it’s more fun when others are in on the action as well. Two people turning the ropes while one or more are jumping allows for everyone to work together, essentially becoming in sync with one another. That synchronicity promotes empathy and teamwork. As more people join, they’ll have an opportunity to interact with others and build their patience as they await their turn.

Things to Consider

Jumping rope is an easy enough activity for any child to partake in. The main requirement they need is the ability to jump with both feet. If they can also walk up and down the stairs one step at a time (demonstration of balance), even better. Both skills are acquired around three years of age.

Your kid will also need the right jump rope length to ensure success. If it’s too long, it can trip your child; too short, it won’t swing up and around their body efficiently. To determine the appropriate rope length, have your child stand on the middle of the rope while raising the handles up towards their head. The handles should reach about ear height.

If your kid is a stickler, there are also different types of jump ropes to experiment with (thin plastic, actual rope, the rope with the plastic beads, whatever is in the PE storage room). Getting crazy now….

Fun and Games

As your child gets a handle on the rhythm, timing, and movement, they may want to try out some tricks. You can find a ton of activities, games, and inspo online regarding skipping rope. Here are a few activities and games to challenge your kiddo:

If they’re having difficulties timing their jumps, wave the jump rope on the ground like a snake as your child jumps over it.
If they’re jumping solo, expand their repertoire with different jump skills like scissors, criss-cross, or the playground hop. You can also have them incorporate various swings along with their jumps, creating a choreographed sequence.
Those earworm jump rope rhymes?! Although this works best with a group of children, you can also tie the rope on a doorknob, handle, or fence as you swing the rope on the other end as your child jumps (just make sure it’s long enough). By incorporating songs with repetitive movement, your child can practice skills like memory, following directions, vocabulary, and counting.