Hopscotch is one of those childhood games almost everyone remembers playing. All you ever needed was a bit of chalk, a stone, and somewhere flat to draw your squares and numbers on.
The Hopscotch Experiment captures exactly why the game has stayed so popular for so long. Viral video brand CUT set up a hopscotch court in downtown Seattle and filmed it for ten hours, simply to see who would stop and play. The result is a lovely little video: 129 people, from kids to construction workers to business people on their lunch break, all pausing to have a go. Watch it and try not to smile.
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Here’s the Basics of Hopscotch
In case you’ve forgotten the rules, here’s a quick refresher on how to draw a hopscotch court and how to play.
How to Draw a Hopscotch Court
You’ll need some chalk (or masking tape if you’re playing indoors or on a hard surface). Draw a court of squares in the classic hopscotch pattern, then number each square 1 to 10.
You’ll also need a small object to toss, such as a pebble or a bottle cap.
How to Play Hopscotch
The first player tosses their marker into square one. It can’t touch any of the lines or bounce out — it has to land cleanly inside the square.
That player then hops through the court, skipping over the square with the marker in it, all the way to the end. They turn around, hop back, and on the way home they bend down to pick up the marker from its square.
Players hop on one foot where the squares are single, and land with both feet where the squares sit side by side — left foot in the left square, right foot in the right square.
Once a player completes their turn, the next player tosses the marker into square two, and so on.
A player is out if:
- the marker doesn’t land in the correct square
- the hopper steps on a line
- the hopper loses balance while picking up the marker and puts a second hand or foot down
- the hopper lands in a square where a marker is sitting
- a player puts two feet down in a single square
For younger children, simply hopping across the single and double squares without worrying about the marker can be just as much fun.
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FAQs About Hopscotch
What do you need to play hopscotch?
Just chalk (or masking tape) to draw the court, a flat surface, and a small marker like a stone or a bottle cap. No equipment to buy and nothing to pack away except the chalk.
What age is hopscotch suitable for?
Hopscotch works well for a wide age range. Younger children can enjoy simply hopping through the squares without the full marker-and-rules version, while older children and adults can play the complete game with all its rules.
Is hopscotch good exercise for kids?
Yes — it’s a simple way to get children hopping, balancing, and being active outdoors, and it doubles as a bit of number recognition practice for younger players.
Can adults play hopscotch too?
Absolutely, as The Hopscotch Experiment video shows. It’s a game that tends to bring out everyone’s inner child, whatever age they are.
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Over to you now — do you remember playing hopscotch as a child? Tell us your memories in the comments below.
