Bonnie gifted me with a skipping rope when I was about to come back to Calgary. “I bought this one when you told me that working with children might involve using a skipping rope. At least you said Doral always had one.” Her words made me laugh. Yes, I always remember a rope that Doral would bring out and then he would set up skipping with us. He must have turned one end. I don’t remember who would have turned the other. His ropes were long and we could do double dutch with them. As well, he taught me how to make a knot in the rope and then use it as a lasso, a talent I have not passed on.
Well, the brand new white rope of Bonnie’s is mine now. At every chance I have been using it with Michael and Alice. He, it turns out, is already a good skipper. Alice has the drive but not the skill. The first time she tried, she was jumping pepper so I turned pepper and counted the skips – 16 of them on her first try. I am working on slowing her down, now, since there is something far more calming about a slower skip.
I have taken out my Sally Go Round the Sun book.
I don’t know how mothers can make it through the day without referring to that book for more ideas about skipping rhymes, dandling rhymes, palm and finger plays and even taunts.
For now we are working on the skipping rhymes.
I am trying to get Alice to learn all of the variations of Cinderella / dressed in yella / went upstairs / to kiss a fella ….
She is more interested in the old classic I had a little teddy bear / his name was Tim....
Or, Doctor, doctor, can you tell / what will make poor (insert name of any child) well / ....
Michael jumped in at one point and was twisting in circles.
She just can’t help but want to match him whether he is running in and then running out, or doing twists and turns far above her jumping level.
So when he leaves the skipping spot for other play, there is always work to be done with her so that he doesn’t get too far ahead of her.
Sometimes Sumin turns the other end of the rope while Sumarga plays in the yard. But when she has to take care of him, then I tie the rope to a chair or to the leg of a table.
I can keep that rope going, even when the other end is sliding up and down the handle of a summer lawn chair, never a talent I have put on a work form, but still a talent.
As I said, a good jumper needs a good turner.
Arta
Well, the brand new white rope of Bonnie’s is mine now. At every chance I have been using it with Michael and Alice. He, it turns out, is already a good skipper. Alice has the drive but not the skill. The first time she tried, she was jumping pepper so I turned pepper and counted the skips – 16 of them on her first try. I am working on slowing her down, now, since there is something far more calming about a slower skip.
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| by Edith Fowke $35 at Amazon $2 at Salmon Arm Thrift Store |
I don’t know how mothers can make it through the day without referring to that book for more ideas about skipping rhymes, dandling rhymes, palm and finger plays and even taunts.
For now we are working on the skipping rhymes.
I am trying to get Alice to learn all of the variations of Cinderella / dressed in yella / went upstairs / to kiss a fella ….
She is more interested in the old classic I had a little teddy bear / his name was Tim....
Or, Doctor, doctor, can you tell / what will make poor (insert name of any child) well / ....
Michael jumped in at one point and was twisting in circles.
She just can’t help but want to match him whether he is running in and then running out, or doing twists and turns far above her jumping level.
So when he leaves the skipping spot for other play, there is always work to be done with her so that he doesn’t get too far ahead of her.
Sometimes Sumin turns the other end of the rope while Sumarga plays in the yard. But when she has to take care of him, then I tie the rope to a chair or to the leg of a table.
I can keep that rope going, even when the other end is sliding up and down the handle of a summer lawn chair, never a talent I have put on a work form, but still a talent.
As I said, a good jumper needs a good turner.
Arta
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