Jumpsies

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Jumpsies is a children's game involving at least two participants (preferably three) and a long rope, or a string of elastic bands tied together.

Two of the participants (the "holders") will hold the rope taut at increasing heights (e.g. ankle, knee, hip, usually ending with the holders' arms in the air), while the third participant (the "jumper") must jump over the rope. (If there is only one holder, the other end of the rope is tied to a pole or tree.)

If the jumper fails to clear the rope, or touches it, she is "out" and must trade places with one of the holders. The holder then becomes the jumper and the rope is lowered again.

In one variant, when the rope is very high (e.g. at chest height), the jumper is allowed to duck under the rope. If the holders are able to bring the rope down on the jumper's head before she makes it across, the jumper is out.

If the jumper somehow manages to pass through all of the heights, she is allowed to start from the beginning. The game ends by the consent of all the players.

In Canada in the 1960s, it was known as Yoki. The jumping heights were ankle, knee, arm's length (by your side), waist, underarm, shoulder, ear, top of head, and arms straight up. You were allowed to touch the yoki as you jumped over it at the higher levels (e.g., above waist), but your foot had to be the first part of your body to make contact with the yoki. The trick, then, was to use your foot to hook the elastic down so you could twirl over it, like a cartwheel but without touching the ground with your hands. It was played in the schoolyard (on the girls' side only) at morning and afternoon recess, after lunch, and before the start of school in the morning, before the bell to line up and file back inside.

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