How to Play Hopscotch the Old-School Way

Learn the classic hopscotch rules and setup to teach your kids this timeless playground game.

  1. Draw the hopscotch court. Use sidewalk chalk to draw a hopscotch court on pavement or concrete. Start with a single square at the bottom, numbered 1. Above it, draw two squares side by side, numbered 2 and 3. Continue alternating: single square for 4, two squares for 5 and 6, single square for 7, two squares for 8 and 9, and finish with a single square for 10. Each square should be about 18 inches wide and long enough for a child to stand in comfortably.
  2. Choose your marker. Find a small, flat object to use as your marker or 'stone.' Good options include a smooth rock, a bottle cap, a bean bag, or a small block. The marker should be easy to throw accurately and not bounce too much when it lands.
  3. Start playing. The first player throws their marker into square 1. If it lands completely inside the square without touching any lines, they can begin hopping. If it lands on a line or outside the square, their turn ends and the next player goes. When throwing successfully, hop on one foot through the court, skipping the square with the marker. Land on both feet when there are two squares side by side, and hop on one foot for single squares.
  4. Navigate the court. Hop all the way to square 10, turn around carefully while staying in the square, then hop back through the court. When you reach the square just before your marker, stop and pick up your marker while balancing on one foot. Then hop over that square and continue to the beginning. If you complete this successfully without stepping on lines or losing your balance, throw your marker into square 2 for your next turn.
  5. Know the rules and fouls. Your turn ends if you step on a line, put both feet down in a single square, lose your balance, throw your marker into the wrong square, or if your marker lands on a line. When your turn ends, the next player goes. When it's your turn again, start by throwing your marker into the same square where you left off. The first player to successfully complete all squares from 1 to 10 wins the game.