How To Play Hopscotch: Rules And Variations

So do you know about hopscotch rules? The Roman soldiers played hopscotch in ancient Britain at the time of the early Roman Empire rule. The soldiers draw the squares on the floor, which were over 100 feet wide, and they ran through the course with the heavy armor. This game was originally the way to improve and practice the footwork.

Younger children in the region were fascinated by this game and started drawing the smaller squares to make their version of this game.

The term “hop” means to jump, and “scotch” means to scratch showing the lines scratched out to form the squares. Together, they include the word hopscotch. So, in this article, we will tell you about how to play hopscotch and hopscotch rules.

What Do You Need To Play Hopscotch?

Big sidewalk chalk to draw the hopscotch board.
The spacious area like backyard, patio, terrace, or playground.
For markers, you can use small flat stones, flat beanbags, or pebbles that the children can step on without hurting the feet.

Tips:-

Make sure to choose a safe and free traffic area for the kids to play.
Ensure that all the markers are small to fit within the squares.
Find the objects which are sharp and safe for children to throw and hold.
If you are playing with children, then the beanbag is the best choice because stones tend to roll or bounce when being thrown.

How To Draw The Hopscotch Squares?

Drawing hopscotch patterns does not need any artistic skills. So here are the ways to draw the chalk grid. Younger children might need some time to get used to the ten-grid or eight-grid hopscotch. Also, you can start with smaller ones and learn from them before mastering it before trying the bigger ones.

How To Play Hopscotch?

It is a game for all age groups of kids. Hopscotch can be played by multiple players or by a single player. The aim is to toss the marker in the hopscotch square in sequence, jump through the squares, and collect the marker while jumping back.

Here are some hopscotch rules and steps that children should know before they start playing this game.

Once you draw the hopscotch squares, now give markers to each kid.
The first one to play will throw the marker in the first square, make sure it lands in the square, not touching the lines.
The kid now jumps directly on the square, skipping the first one that they threw in the marker.
Now the children continue to jump the rest of the square from one to eight, following the number sequence. The single squares should be jumped on, and side squares or double squares should be hopping into one foot, landing in each square.
On reaching the last square, the player now turns around and jumps. They then continue to hop back through the squares in reverse order.
Now the player holds on, reaching the square leading to the one where the player maker is. It will be the second square if the player has thrown the marker in the first square.
The kid then picks up the marker in the first square while still in the second and jumps out, skipping the first square.
With one square conquered, now the kid can attempt to conquer the square by following the same steps.

The player forfeits the turn under the following conditions if they:-

Fail to jump throughout the game with the same foot.
Player steps on the boundary lines of the square while moving from one square to another.
Marker threw outside the square that they are playing for.
Forget to skip a square that they have thrown the marker in.
Forget to pick the marker on the way back.

How To Spice It Up?

This game might be the traditional game; however, it is never out of style. So here are some of the best hopscotch variations which you can try with your kids once they have mastered the basic rules of this game.

Timed Hopscotch

Get the children excited by timing the game. You can set the time frame according to your kids’ age group, and if anyone does not complete the course within the time is out. Also, you could time each player’s course; the one who completes the course wins.

Kick It

You can also kick the marker into the squares numbered rather than throwing it.

In this method, the kid throws a marker at first, then kick out the hopscotch grid on the way back. Though, it is quite tough because children have to remember when to kick and throw the marker to get it right.

Add More Numbers

This game is limited to 10-grid hopscotch, and you can add 15-grid or more. More square means more fun, and the kids get encouraged to put the effort to throw the pebble into farther squares.

Change Size And Shape

Pitch in some triangles and circles among the regular square hopscotch grid. You can also get creative with the patterns and size of the squares. By changing the sizes and shapes will test the children’s coordination, landing, and pacing skills.

Final Words

So now you have understood the basic hopscotch rules. It is an amazing game that helps children exercise both physical muscles and the brain. Many kids have played this game in their childhood. Hopscotch is an amazing game that no kid should miss out.

Moreover, if your kid likes to play chess, then check out the chess for beginners. If you find this information useful, drop a comment below this section.

How To Play Hopscotch: Rules And Variations