Walking past the kids' school the other day, I realized that in none of the six years my oldest has been there, has jumprope (or skipping as they call it here) been a thing.
When I was growing up, playground activities seemed to cycle around. I could be wrong of course; I did go to about seven different schools in seven different countries. But I'm pretty sure I'm not.
For a period of time, jumprope would be the in thing. Then maybe it would be Dodgeball or Bullrush. A month or so later, that would become unpopular again and maybe elastics would be the big lunchtime game.
But somehow, it always seemed to cycle back to jumprope. I remember long tournaments where multiple people would run in and out of the spinning ropes. I remember learning the coordination needed to turn the ropes for double-dutch, and the rhythm to skip it. There were hundreds of different rhymes to scream out s you jumped, and rules for getting in and out of the jump-zone.
Jumprope was fun and I'm sure were all fitter as a result of doing it.
I wonder why kids don't still do it…. Or is it just my kids' school? Do your kids still jumprope?
I used to love skipping when I was at school, even though I can't jump well and never have been able to - it was always fun. Never did figure out the whole two ropes thing though. I have no idea if kids are doing it nowadays.
ReplyDeleteTasha
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Our schools here have an annual fund raising contest in the elementary schools to see which boy/girl can jump rope the longest. They get sponsors and everything. It's pretty cool! :)
ReplyDeleteVery little jump-roaping here. Sad really because it's fun and great exercise. I'll have to nose around.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic!!
I don't have any kids, so I'm afraid I don't know. But I do live right behind a school playground, and I can't recall ever seeing the kids out there jumping rope. Could it be that it's not popular anymore?
ReplyDeleteI jump rope from time to time for the exercise.
ReplyDeleteStephen Tremp
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