Debra Reyland (and all others looking for a
chinese jumprope game),
I remember a similar rhyme we used to use
in Chicago in the 70’s when playing chinese
jumprope:
Starting position was : catch the rope with your
feet and jump to cross the rope over and
stand in the center . (you are now in a “loop”
you created with the elastic making an x in
front and back of your ankles) Jump in an
alternating pattern – spreading your feet apart,
then with legs crossed, right foot in front of left,
then apart, then left in front of right, then apart,
etc. ( remaining inside of the “loop” you
created upon jumping in)
Jump in this pattern while chanting:
“Ching-chong chinaman
sittin’ on a fence
tryin’ to make a dollar
outta 69 cents
he missed…
he missed…
he missed like this! ”
On the word ‘this’ the object was to
disentangle yourself and land on the now
straight rope, one foot on each of the ropes.
If you did this correctly, you got to continue:
Step to one side, use both feet to catch rope
as before and jump alternating now once with
left foot in front (ching), then apart, then once
with right foor in front (chong), then
disentangle yourself again landing on the
spead ropes (ONE!). (You are chanting
“Ching-chong-ONE!,”) Step to side cross
ropes over and repeat- counting your jumps in
the same alternating pattern:
“Ching-chog-TWO!, Ching-chong-THREE!”,etc.
until you miss the ropes. The person who got
the highest won.
Sound familiar? Or is this yet another
variation?
I can’t believe how many memories this site
has brought back!!!!! Wish I had that energy
and coordination now!!!!!