Jump Rope Songs and Rhymes
One of my first memories of singing jump rope songs were in elementary school jumping rope to “Down in the valley where the green grass grows there sat Tracy sweet as a rose…”
What I also remember is my white knee-high socks falling down and being so mad at them I took them off and jumped rope in my bare feet. When recess was over, I got in trouble for taking my shoes off and got a note sent home to my mother. Oh…the simple days of jumping rope and recess!
This past weekend I had my granddaughters, and I was trying to teach them to play jump-rope. I was also teaching them some of those old-time favorite jumping songs. I had to look a few of them up, but they came right back to me, and it took me back to 1970.
I sure hope the young girls of today find as much joy in a simple game of jump rope as I did was when I was a child. If you have little ones in your life, please take a moment to teach them some of these old fashion jump rope songs, you will be making wonderful memories for them!
Johnny gave me apples,
Johnny gave me pears.
Johnny gave me fifty cents
To kiss him on the stairs.
I gave him back his apples,
I gave him back his pears.
I gave him back his fifty cents
And kicked him down the stairs.
Laura and David
Sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
Then comes marriage
Then comes Laura
With a baby carriage.
Down in the valley
Where the green grass grows,
There sat Tracy Sweet as a rose.
She sang, she sang,
She sang so sweet.
Along came Craig
And kissed her cheek.
How many kisses did he give her?
One, two, three, tour, five…
I went upstairs to make my bed.
I made a mistake and bumped my head.
I went downstairs to milk my cow.
I made a mistake and milked a sow.
I went in the kitchen to bake a pie.
I made a mistake and baked a fly.
I love coffee.
I love tea.
I love boys.
And the boys love me.
Cinderella dressed in yellow
Went downstairs to kiss her fellow.
How many kisses did she give?
One, two, three, four, five…
Do you have a favorite that you remember? Please share it with us, and maybe we can pass on this old-time favorite game to some young children of today!
DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation from affiliate and sponsored posts on this blog.
Here is a list of some of our favorite 70’s toys:
(Contains Affiliate Links)
Connect Four
Wiffle Ball & Bat
Jumbo Jacks
Slinky
Green Army Men
Giant Pick Up Sticks
Operation Game
Lincoln Logs
Tiddly Winks
Jacob’s Ladder
Pot Holder Loom
Barrel of Monkey’s
Checkers
Tea Set
Cabbage Patch Doll 
Banana Seat Bike
I remember some of these. This post made me smile!
I had such fun teaching them to my granddaughters! They thought their GiGi was crazy but they ended up having a ball!
Oh my goodness!! These were wonderful. I remember them well. How about –
Minnie Minnie Haw Haw
Went to see her Paw Paw
Paw Paw died Minnie cried
Minnie had a baby named her Minnie Sue
Put her in the bathtub to see what she could do.
Drank up all the water, ate up all the soap
The next thing you know she had bubbles in her throat.
Minnie called the doctor Minnie called the nurse,
Minnie call the lady with the alligator purse.
In came the doctor, in came the nurse
In came the lady with the alligator purse.
Mumps said the doctor, measles said the nurse
Chicken pox said the lady with the alligator purse.
Out went the doctor, out went the nurse
Out went the lady with the alligator purse
Remember that one? LOL!!! (I’m REALLY old!!)
Nina,
I never heard that one! Thank you so much for typing it all out and sharing it! That was great!!!!
We used to sing one titled “Miss Mary Mack” while we were jumping rope. I don’t remember all the words…that was so long ago!
We used Mary Mack for the hand slapping game…I think the words were this:
Miss Mary Mack
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 fifty cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
Jump over the fence, fence, fence
They jumped so high, high, high
They touched the sky, sky, sky
And didn’t come back, back, back
Till the fourth of July, July, July
I enjoyed reading your post. I remember one that start out
Mary Lou Lou Lou
All dress in blue blue blue
Rue…I never heard of that one but hopefully someone else will now all the words so we can post it! Thanks for stopping by!!
I remember that, but unfortunately not the words. However each sentence ended with the triple repeat. I really like that the old fashioned games and activities are coming back.
If you remember it please share with with us!
This was so neat for me because this is not something I did as a kid! Wish I did!
Maybe you can pass it on to a kid. Jumping rope brings back so many memories for me, and I can see how every little girl would enjoy it!
I remember these! What a wonderful ride down memory lane you just gave me. thanks!
I brought back great memories for me as well! Those carefree days of being eight again!
Oh, goodness! Fun memories. It’ll be a year or two before my daughters are coordinated enough to try this. Visiting form Coffee and Conversation and pinning.
Abi I am glad you saved it until your girls get older! They will love learning all these great songs from you!
The one I remember was …
Swinging rope just under the feet not over the head to start.
Blue Bells Cockleshells
Evie Ivy overhead (now full swing overhead under feet)
Johnny in the ocean
Johnny in the sea
Johnny broke a bottle
Blamed it on me
I told ma
Ma told pa
How many whippings did he get
One, two, three, four, etc..
I haven’t thought of these songs in years thanks for bringing them back around.
Thank for sharing that one I hadn’t heard that one!
Way back in grade school we did “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear turn around. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear touch the ground. Teddy Bear Teddy Bear, touch your shoes. 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 goodnight.” Two people, one on each end of the jump rope, would twirl it while the Teddy bear would jump in the middle. As the Teddy Bear was jumping, she or he would do the task that was chanted. When done, the Teddy would run out while the rope was still twirling and the next Teddy would run in. So much fun back in the day. We used to do this in the gym when it was raining and couldn’t go outside for recess. We loved rainy days!
I hadn’t heard of that one before! Thanks for sharing.
“Mabel, Mabel, set the table. Don’t forget the salt (rope goes slow), pepper ( rope goes real fast), vinegar, mustard…”