Hi Alisa,

Ken Solis may have some further information.  You should be able to find him through the USAJRF.org website under other US Jumpers.

Here is a site of various rhymes: http://www.gameskidsplay.net/jump_rope_ryhmes/index.htm

Here are some quotes from Kens book on the history of Jump rope: ¡ÈAccording to Dr. Ken Solis, author of The Jump Rope Primer, rope jumping may date back to ancient Egypt and is common to many cultures. Dutch settlers in New York are usually credited with introducing it to this continent. Until this century, it was primarily a boys' game as well as a training routine for boxers and other athletes. Then the advent of short skirts and bloomers allowed girls and women to jump into the act. At the elementary school level, at any rate, jumping rope became an almost exclusively female sport.¡É  Jump Rope Primer

Good Luck

-----Original Message-----
From: Alisa [mailto:herbevor@...]
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 7:57 AM
To: jumprope@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Jump Rope] new member

Hi I just joined this group and I enjoy jump roping.
I am thrilled to find like minded people.

I have a question for the group. I teach at a renaissance
emersion weekend. this time around I have been ask to teach
outside games. I found sites stating that jump roping is a
pre-renaissance activity, yet I can find no sites that tell
me when the Jump rope rhymes first came into play. If anyone
has any resorce on the history of the jump rope rhyme, or more
on the history of jump ropes, I would be very greatfull

Alisa Ann