I was sitting on a bench at a local park, watching my son play on the swings. From across the park, I heard the familiar chant “Miss Mary Mack“. I couldn’t help but smile as I was immediately transported back to my childhood. The memories of endless hours jumping rope with friends came flooding back to me.
Good, old-fashioned fun
As I was reminiscing those good old days, where jumping rope was the highlight of my day, I began to ponder whatever happened to such wholesome, old-school fun.
In an era where everything seems to be focused on electronics, I realized that kids today are really missing out on such simple, fun activities.
Health benefits of jumping rope
As a child, while I was enjoying jumping rope with my friends, I was also taking care of my body, without even realizing it.
Jumping rope has so many amazing health benefits:
- Burns calories
- Improves coordination
- Increases stamina and endurance
- Strengthens bones and increases bone density
- Improves blood circulation
- Strengthens calf muscles
- Improves elasticity of the tendons surrounding the calf muscles
- Increases ankle strength
- Boosts flexibility
- Overall body toning
- Increases the lungs ability to take in oxygen and process it through deep breathing
- Improves cognitive function by combining mental and physical activity
Jumping rope is good for children and adults!
In addition to the above-mentioned health benefits helping our children grow strong minds and bodies, they can also help us, adults, in all the same ways. Jumping rope with, or at the same time as our children, can also become bonding moments that will create lifelong memories for all involved. Isn’t that one of our ultimate goals?
Jumping rope can be a perfect exercise
Besides all of the health benefits of jumping rope, it is just plain fun. Children can jump rope alone, with friends, siblings, or other family members. Plus, the fact that jump ropes are so small and flexible mean that you can take them anywhere, anytime.
So many jumping rope chants
You can try recalling some of the different chants you heard as a child, or google ideas for different jumping rope chants. There are so many that it’s impossible to list them all here, so I’m only including my absolute favorite:
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 50 cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
Jump over the fence, fence, fence.
They jumped so high, high, high
They reached the sky, sky, sky
They never came back, back back
Till the 4th of July, ly, ly!
July can’t walk, walk, walk
July can’t talk, talk, talk
July can’t eat, eat, eat.
With a knife and fork, fork, fork.”
Grab a jump rope
On the way home from the park, I was sadly disappointed that I had to stop at 4 different stores before I found a jump rope. Apparently, they aren’t as popular as they were when I was a child. I bought quite a few of them, one for each member of my family. I cannot believe how much fun these simple ropes have added to our daily routine already(and how sore my body now is). Oh, how I’ve missed this simple “toy”.
I’ve enjoyed watching my youngest jump to his heart’s content.
Trying out the good old-fashioned jump rope myself has made my heart happy.
Listening to my older children teaching my younger children some of the jump rope chants that they remember has refreshed my soul.
But, most of all, I’ve enjoyed all of us laughing together hysterically while making up our own chants.
Above all, I cherish the fact that I’ve introduced my children to a healthy activity that brought me joy for so many years.
If you haven’t added jumping rope into your life, I highly recommend it! Not just for your children’s benefit, but for yours too.
Sharing these healthy activities with our loved ones only enhances our bonds with them and shows them that LEARNING IS A WAY OF LIFE.
Please check out my earlier blog post for ideas on incorporating parachute games into your life:
https://learningisawayoflife.com/parachute-games/
I seem to forget about jumping rope, even though it was my favorite as a kid. I think I will be a couple to get the family more active!
This is a great article! I know what I’ll be doing with the kids this summer 🙂