Chinese Jump Rope
Officially Chinese Jump Rope (Elastics)
PLAYGROUND SKIPPING GAME using a LONG LOOP OF ELASTIC (~6-8 ft circumference) held around ANKLES of 2 STANDING HOLDERS while a JUMPER performs SEQUENCED FOOT PATTERNS (in, out, on, hop, cross) at PROGRESSIVELY HIGHER LEVELS (ankles → knees → thighs → waist → armpits → NECK). Widely played in CHINA (yes, actually Chinese origin) since 7th c.; internationalized worldwide as GIRLS' PLAYGROUND STAPLE 20th c. Common song-chants + rules vary by region.
Quick facts
Category
Playground Games
Type
Team sport
Players
3–5
Duration
~15 min
Where played
both
Field / court
Flat playground / floor / grass surface
Country of origin
🇨🇳 China
Estimated origin
Documented in China as 'tiào pí jīn' (跳皮筋) since Tang Dynasty (7th c.); popularised globally 20th c. as playground craze — became major fad USA 1960s-70s + UK 'French skipping' + Germany 'Gummitwist' + Australia 'elastics'.
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Perform a SEQUENCE of foot patterns WITHOUT MISTAKE at successively HIGHER ELASTIC HEIGHTS.
Rules
Basic rules
2 HOLDERS stand FACING each other, ELASTIC LOOP taut around their ANKLES (starting position)
Signature 2-holder + elastic-taut setup.
JUMPER performs a MEMORISED FOOT PATTERN (e.g., 'in-in-out-out-cross-in-out') stepping on/between/across the two parallel elastic lines
Signature memorised foot pattern.
SUCCESS = advance to NEXT LEVEL: elastic MOVES UP to KNEES → THIGHS → WAIST → ARMPITS → NECK (or HAND-HELD OVERHEAD)
Signature 6-level height progression.
MISTAKE = jumper is OUT + rotates to HOLDER role; next player attempts
Signature mistake-rotates rule.
PATTERNS often SET to CHILDREN'S SONGS or COUNTING CHANTS (e.g., 'England Ireland Scotland Wales' UK; 'CINDERELLA' USA; 'YOKI YOKI' South Africa)
Signature song-chanted patterns.
VARIATIONS: DIAMONDS (elastic crossed to form X), DOUBLE-LOOPS, HIGH-JUMP (kick over highest level)
Signature variation patterns.
PROGRESSIVE DIFFICULTY: pattern complexity + speed increases at higher levels; hardest 'NECK' or 'OVERHEAD' level requires flexibility + jumping
Signature ascending difficulty.
Scoring
No formal scoring — informal cooperative-competitive playground game.
Win condition · Reach highest level without mistake; social recognition among peers.
Playing area
Called
Flat playground / floor / grass surface
Dimensions
~3-4 m open floor area
Equipment
ELASTIC ROPE LOOP — ~180-240 cm circumference, ~5-8 mm thick knitting elastic tied into a loop
Signature elastic loop.
COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR (though many played barefoot)
Standard shoes.
Terminology
- Elastics
- British + Australian name for the game.
- French skipping
- Alternate UK name.
- Gummitwist
- German name — 'rubber twist'.
- Yoki
- South African name for a common pattern set.
- Tiào pí jīn (跳皮筋)
- Chinese name — 'skip rubber band'.
- Levels
- Height positions: ankles → knees → thighs → waist → armpits → neck.
- In / Out / On
- Basic foot-placement instructions within pattern.
Major competitions
No formal competitions; occasionally featured at multicultural festivals + PE demonstrations
n/a · Global cultural
Where it is played
Governing bodies
No governing body — informal children's playground game
Global (informal cultural)
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Traditional cultural game — no professional athletes
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Chinese jump rope— Wikipedia