How to Play Hopscotch

Kids of all ages can play hopscotch.

Hopscotch is a game played by children all over the world. Thought to be a training exercise adapted to a game in Roman times, variations of hopscotch are played by children from France to Croatia. Teach your children to play hopscotch or join them in a game to relive your own childhood. All you need is a piece of chalk, some markers and a bit of sidewalk, playground or driveway.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Chalk
• Tokens or markers

1. Use chalk to draw out your hopscotch court. Draw it in an area that's wide enough for you draw spaces large enough to jump on and that has overhead clearance for taller players. Draw a series of single or double boxes -- draw more boxes for a more challenging court. Be sure to label each box in numerical order.

2. Supply each player with a token or marker. The markers can be anything handy such as rocks, bean bags or sticks. Each player's token is hers to throw and mark her spot during the game.

3. Begin with the first player. He must toss his token onto the space marked "1." He then must hop all the way down the court and all the way back to the spot marked "1." He must then stop and swoop down -- still on one leg -- and pick up the token. He must then hop over the spot marked "1" onto the starting point. This is repeated by the other players in sequence.

4. Start the next round with the first player. She must toss her token to the box marked "2." She must again hop all the way down the court and back, but must pick up her token at box "2" and leap over boxes "1" and "2." Repeat for all players.

5. Repeat for each numbered box, hopping over more and more boxes on your way up the court. If a player does not throw his token into the correct box, cannot make the jump over all boxes already cleared, steps on a line, hops into a box with a token in it or falls he must miss a turn. The player who clears the court -- or comes closest to clearing the court -- wins.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, you must hop on one foot in single boxes and place your feet side-by-side in boxes placed together.

• One variation does not even require markers -- simply label boxes you have cleared with your initials. The person who has the most cleared boxes wins.

• There is a variation in which your opponent tosses your marker, forcing you to hop from that box to the starting point on your way back up the court.

• Hopscotch is a great childhood game. However, be careful and mindful of your body while playing to avoid getting injured.

References

• Games We Played: How to Play Hopscotch (or Potsy)
• Active Dad: How to Play Hopscotch
• Canadian Parents: Long Live Hopscotch
• Encyclopaedia Britannica: Hopscotch
• The Telegraph: Hopscotch Voted Greatest Ever Playground Game