Hopscotch Game Outdoor Kids’ Activity

Teach your kids how to play the classic hopscotch game. This is an easy outdoor summer activity for all ages.

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Hopscotch is a popular playground game that’s easy to recreate at home. All you need are a few supplies to set it up: something to create the grid and something to toss onto the squares.

This game can be played indoors or outdoors by kids of all ages. It’s a great way to get kids moving, especially if you don’t have a big space where they can run. You can play with just one person or a whole group!

It’s both a physical and mental activity. Players need to hop and move their bodies, as well as count and keep track of the squares.

Although this is a game of balance, safety is important. Set up your game with enough space that a child who loses their balance won’t fall onto anything other than the ground. You may want to have players wear shoes. Indoors, socks can be slippery on some floor surfaces.

Below we’ve got everything you need to know to get started. After you set up the layout and play a few rounds, you can easily change it up with one of the many variation ideas too.

How to play hopscotch

Draw a hopscotch grid layout

A classic hopscotch layout includes ten squares on the ground in a line, numbered from 1 to 10. The squares are lined up with 4 and 5 and then 7 and 8 in pairs.

Outdoors, draw the grid with sidewalk chalk on concrete. Indoors, use masking tape that can easily be removed when you’re done. If your kids love the game enough to play daily, you could even create a permanent game grid with paint or concrete pavers.

The squares should be large enough that a child can fit one foot. The last square, number 10, should be a bit larger for turning around.

Hopscotch rules

Besides the hopscotch grid, players will also need a marker to toss. A rock is a common choice, but if you have a beanbag, it’s less likely to bounce out of the squares.

To play, a player tosses the marker into the first square. Then, hop on one foot through the grid, skipping the square with the marker. When you reach a pair, hop on both feet with one foot in each square.

When you get to square number 10, land on both feet and turn around to hop back. Standing on one foot in square 2, pick up the marker, hop over square 1, and pass the marker to the next player.

For each subsequent turn, toss the marker through each of the numbers. The goal is to hop through the grid, skipping the marker in each square 1 through 10. The first person to complete this is the winner!

If a player hops in a square with the marker, steps outside the grid, or tosses the beanbag outside the layout, their turn is over. You can either decide that person is “out” or just has to start back over at one.

Hopscotch variations

Once your kids are familiar with classic hopscotch, you can create your own version. Here are some fun ideas:

• For very young children you may want to draw a shorter grid with less than 10 squares.
• Rather than numbers, mark each square with a letter of the alphabet.
• The grid doesn’t have to be squares; some versions use triangles instead.
• Make the boxes different sizes. Smaller squares make it harder to land a beanbag. Large ones mean your hops will be more challenging.
• For a twist, instead of drawing the squares in a line, create a different shape. They can spiral, follow a wavy line, or whatever you come up with.
• Make the game more challenging by setting a timer. Each player must also hop through before the time runs out.

Hopscotch is a game that’s been played by kids all around the world for centuries. Teach your kids this classic for an easy boredom buster. Then come up with your own creative variations for a fun activity indoors or out.

More fun ideas from Backyard Summer Camp:

• 12 Jump Rope Games & Outdoor Activities
• Pogo Stick Games for Kids to Play Outdoors
• 12 Outdoor Games to Play at Night