How to Play Red Rover

Red Rover is a classic children's game. Play it outdoors on a playground or field, or it can be played indoors in a large room such as a gymnasium. It is an excellent activity for large groups of children, such as elementary school classrooms, birthday parties, Vacation Bible School groups or summer camps. You can play the game with children of all ages but is best for children ages 4 to 10.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Divide a group of people into two teams. Each team should have the same number of people.
2. Form two lines. The two teams should face each other, and the members of each team should join hands.
3. Decide which team must go first. That team looks at the members of the opposing team and picks the person that they want to come over. They then chant, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send ____ right over!" The child whose name was called runs as fast as he can toward the opposing side. If he breaks through the arms of any two team members, he can choose one team member to bring back with him as he returns, victorious, to his own side. If he does not succeed in breaking through the arms of any two team members, he becomes a member of the opposing team.
4. Repeat step three with the opposing team. They now get to call a member over from the first team.
5. Play Red Rover until one side has all the team members. (With this method of ending Red Rover, note that all the children are winners, because they all end up on the same side.) If time is short, the team with the most people wins.