Skip-It from the late 1980s and 1990s, primarily by Tiger Electronics, was a simple yet popular active toy consisting of an ankle loop connected to a ball (or a weighted end) via a plastic tether. The primary feature of the popular versions was a mechanical or digital counter on the ball that tracked the number of successful skips.

Description and Features

Design: The toy featured a small plastic hoop designed to be affixed around one ankle with a sturdy plastic cord extending outwards, ending in a weighted ball that often contained the counter mechanism. Early variations had different colored plastics, including solid and glitter options.

Functionality: To operate the Skip-It, the user placed the padded ring around their ankle, then swung the ball in a 360-degree rotation. They would then use their other foot to continuously hop or skip over the cord as it circled their body, similar to playing jump rope with oneself.

Counter: The most popular versions from Tiger Electronics included a built-in counter located on the ball itself. This counter (either a simple mechanical clicker or a basic digital display) tracked the number of times the user successfully skipped over the cord, encouraging competition to beat personal best scores.

Physical Activity: The design of the toy was simple, but effective at promoting physical activity and coordination. Advertising campaigns often highlighted the fun and exercise aspect, with memorable jingles like "Skip it and kick and spin, skip it!".

Safety/Experience: A common, though humorous, aspect of the toy was the potential for the weighted ball to hit the user in the shin if they missed a skip, which reviewers often recall as part of the authentic "Skip-It" experience.