Game origin Hopscotch began in ancient Britain during the early Roman Empire.

The original hopscotch courts were over 100 feet long! Can you imagine that? They were used for military training exercises. "Hey, Claudius! how bout a game of Hopscotch?" "Okay Brutus, but first I have to put my gear on! Hang a minute and wait for me?" Roman foot soldiers ran the course in full armor and field packs, and it was thought that Hopscotch would improve their foot work. Roman children imitated the soldiers by drawing their own boards, and creating a scoring system, and "Hopscotch" spread through Europe. In France the game is called "Marelles", in Germany, "Templehupfen" (try saying that three times fast!) "Hinklebaan" in the Netherlands (probably played with Heineken beer cans) "Ekaria Dukaria" (played while while watching Daria) in India, "Pico" in Vietnam, and "Rayuela in Argentina." In order to begin the game, each player must start with a marker. Common stones were used in the days of the Roman Empire, but in more modern times, items such as bean bags, pennies, and other assorted items were used. Hopscotch boards were usually found in playgrounds, but if there weren't any, a good piece of chalk could easily remedy that. How to Play Hopscotch The first player tosses her marker into the first square. The marker must land completely within the designated square and without touching a line or bouncing out. If the marker lands in the wrong square, the player forfeits her turn. If the marker is successful, the player hops through the court beginning on square one. Side by side the squares are straddled, with the left foot landing in the left square, and the right foot landing in the right square. Single squares must be hopped on one foot. For the first single square, either foot may be used. Squares marked "Safe" "Home" or "Rest" are neutral squares, and may be hopped through in any manner without penalty. When a player reaches the end of the court, she turns around and hops back through the court, moving through the squares in reverse order and stopping to pick up her marker on the way back. Upon successfully completing the sequence, the player continues his turn by tossing his marker into square number two, and repeating the pattern.

If while hopping through the court in either direction, the player steps on a line, misses a square, or loses her balance, her turn ends. The player starts on her next turn where the player last left off. the first player to complete one course for every numbered square on the court wins the game.

The court (or course)

To play hopscotch, a course is first laid out on the ground. Depending on the available surface, the course is either scratched out in dirt, or drawn with chalk on pavement. Designs vary, but the course is usually composed of a series of linear squares interspersed with blocks of two lateral squares. Traditionally the course ends with a "safe" or "home" base in which the player may turn before completing the reverse trip. The home base may be a square, a rectangle, or a semicircle. The squares are then numbered in the sequence in which they are to be hopped. [edit]Playing

the game

The first player tosses the marker (typically a stone, coin or bean bag) into the first square. The marker must land completely within the designated square and without touching a line or bouncing out. The player then hops through the course, skipping the square with the marker in it. Single squares must be hopped on one foot. For the first single square, either foot may be used. Side by side squares are straddled, with the left foot landing in the left square, and the right foot landing in the right square. Optional squares marked "Safe", "Home", or "Rest" are neutral squares, and may be hopped through in any manner without penalty. After hopping into the "Safe", "Home", or "Rest" the player must then turn around and return through the course (square 9, then squares 8 & 7, next square 6 and so forth) on one or two legs depending on the square until he or she reaches the square with their marker. They then must retrieve their marker and continue the course as stated without touching a line or stepping into a square with another player's marker. Upon successfully completing the sequence, the player continues the turn by tossing the marker into square number two, and repeating the pattern. If while hopping through the court in either direction the player steps on a line, misses a square, or loses balance, the turn ends. Players begin their turns where they last left off. The first player to complete one course for every numbered square on the court wins the game. Although the marker is most often picked up during the game, historically, in the boy's game, the marker was kicked sequentially back through the course on the return trip and then kicked out.

English

English (simple)

American

OBSTACLE RELAY GAME: Players run the course from the head of the team to
the turning point and back to the head of the team performing along the course of the run three or more stunts, with or without apparatus. The use of hoops, skipping ropes, Indian clubs, mats, low vaulting boxes, basketball hoops, or what-have-you offer an almost endless selection of obstacles.
The group will line up single file and place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. On the word "GO" the person in the front of the line tries to catch the person at the back of the line. The line cannot come apart. Rotate the group from front to back or back to front for each round of play. Once the group has caught their own tail once or twice, have them try to catch the tail of a different "snake."

CATCHING THE SNAKES TAIL: A fish is formed with all of the students holding hands in a line. One end is the head and the other is the tail. The head tries to catch the tail while the tail tries to escape. Let participants know that they should not break their grip (if possible). Variations: Have more than one group and have the heads of the groups chasing the tails of the other groups.
Players line up one behind the other with their arms around the-waist of the player in front of them. The first player or the head of the snake has free arms. He tries to catch the last player or the tail of the snake. The line or the snake twists and turns while the head of the snake tries to catch the tail. Anyone who lets go of the player in front is out. So hang on tight! When the head catches the tail, the head goes to the end of the line.