Skipping Rope Game

Skipping Rope, also known as al-Habla or Qafez al-Habel, is a popular game among both boys and girls in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is particularly known as a girls' game in Riyadh Province and Eastern Province. The game can be played individually or in groups and relies solely on using a rope. It is simple in its components and techniques, requiring agility and attentiveness. The names vary by the provinces of the Kingdom: In Riyadh, it is called al-Habla, and in the Eastern Province, it is called Qafez al-Habel, jump rope.

There are various ways to play Skipping Rope, and it uses only a piece of rope. The length of the rope varies depending on the number of players. For individual play, the rope is about two m long. When played by a group, the rope length increases to approximately three and a half m.

Skipping Rope can be played individually or in groups. For individual play, the player holds both ends of the rope, positioning the middle at their feet, and starts swinging the rope over their head and under their feet, jumping with both feet. The faster the rope spins, the higher the player's skill level. The player keeps jumping and counting the successful rotations—either by himself or by opponents— until tripping on the rope. The next player then takes their turn. The winner is the one who performs the highest number of consecutive successful jumps.

In group play, two players hold the ends of the rope and swing it up and down. The third player jumps over the rope as it lowers. If the jumper touches the rope or falls, the turn will pass to another player.

In April 2023, during the 'Kum Kum' exhibition held as part of the 'Fawanis 6' event at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Makkah al-Mukarramah, an interactive skipping rope artwork was displayed among twenty interactive panels. These panels, each measuring seven m in length and three m in width, featured old Makkah games such as 'Kum Kum,' 'Barbar,' 'Carrom,' 'Baloot,' 'Skipping Rope,' and 'Madwan.' The exhibition also included panels depicting old Makkah neighborhoods, showcasing the social life and characteristics of the community that once lived there.