Fun old-fashioned games (and rules)

Remember the games you used to play? Lace up the kids sneakers and get outsidebecause the best
games dont come from a store!
Tag

Number of players three or more

How to play
One person is it. The other players get a headstart to run and then it and chases after them until he
touches one; the caught player now becomes it. See the rules for tag and more of our favorite outdoor
games.
Read more: Classic playground games>
Hopscotch

Number of players
One or more
How to play
Draw a hopscotch board on the sidewalk with chalk and give each player a markera beanbag or rock
works well. Each player, in turn, throws his marker on the board, starting in square one. He hops on one
foot in each square to the end of the board, hopping over the square containing his marker, then turns
and hops back, retrieving his marker. A player loses a turn if he steps on a line. The first to get his
marker to 10 wins.

Homemade bubbles

1/2 cup (125 mL) liquid dish soap

4 cups (1 L) water
1/2 cup (125 mL) glycerine (available
at drugstores)

Gently mix together water, detergent and glycerine in a container with a lid. Allow the mixture to stand
for a day or two. The longer you let the mixture set, the bigger the bubbles will be.
Read more: 50 essential summer activities>

Skipping

Number of players
Three or more
How to play
Two players hold the ends of the rope and turn it while the other players take turns jumping over it in
time to a favorite tune. Click here to find a few of our favorite classic skipping songs.
Read more: How to deal with playground politics this summer>
Four-Square

Number of players
Four or more
How to play
Draw a large square (about two square metres) on the asphalt or driveway with chalk. Divide it into four
equal squares and number them one to four; one player stands in each square. The player in square four
bounces the ball once in her own square, then hits it to any other player.
The ball must bounce once in his square, then he hits it to another player. If a player misses the ball or it
lands out of bounds or fails to bounce in the square, he goes back to square one and the others rotate up
a square. The player who spends the most time in square four is the champion. For a non-competitive
option, see how long players can keep the ball going.
Orange Crush

Number of players
One or more
How to play
Bounce the ball while singing:
Orange: Bounce the ball off the wall and catch it.

Crush: Throw it against the wall and let it bounce before you catch it.
Pepsi: Bounce it on the ground, then the wall.
Cola: Throw it against the wall by tossing it under your leg.
Add variations, such as clapping or hopping on one foot.
Read more: Classic skipping songs>

What Time is it, Mr. Wolf?

How to play:
1. Determine which child will be Mr. Wolf.
2. Mr. Wolf stands at one end of the yard with his back turned to the kids. The other children stand in a
line at the opposite end of the yard facing Mr. Wolfs back.
3. Together, the kids loudly chant, What time is it, Mr Wolf?
4. Mr. Wolf answers with different times, for example, Its two oclock! The kids take a step for every
hour that Mr. Wolf exclaims. For two oclock, the kids take two steps toward Mr. Wolfs back. For eight
oclock, the kids take eight steps. The kids can determine whether they take small or large steps.
5. As the kids take their steps, they repeat the chant asking again, What time it is, Mr. Wolf? He shouts
out another time and the kids take the appropriate number of steps.
6. Eventually, Mr. Wolf yells out, lunchtime! When this happens, Mr. Wolf turns around and chases
the children who have been approaching him. Any children who are tagged must continue the game as
wolves. Any children who run back to the starting line (without being tagged) get to continue playing.
7. The new wolves join Mr. Wolf and also take part in the chase when lunchtime is called out.
8. The last player to be tagged is the new Mr. Wolf. The game begins again.

Red Rover
How to play:
1. Divide kids into two teams of equal size.
2. Each team forms a line and holds hands creating a human chain. The two lines face each other
standing about 25 feet apart.
3. Decide which team will go first by flipping a coin.
4. The team that goes first chooses a player from the other team, and says, Red rover, red rover, we call
[name of child on other team] over! while swinging their arms.
5. The player named in the chant lets go of his teammates hands and charges into his opponents. His
goal is to break through their human chain. If he succeeds, he picks someone from the opposing team to
join his team. If he fails, he must become a part of the other team.
6. The next team takes a turn calling someone over.
7. The teams take turns doing this until one team succeeds in capturing all of the players.

British Bulldog
How to play:

1. Find an open space such as a field or a big backyard.

2. Determine which child will be the bulldog.
3. The bulldog stands in the middle of the play area. The other children line up at one end of play area.
4. When the bulldog yells out, British Bulldog, the kids run to the opposite end of the play area, trying
to avoid being caught by her.
5. To properly catch someone, the bulldog must hug or lift the player off the ground and yell, 1, 2, 3,
British Bulldog! At that time, the captured player becomes a bulldog too.
6. The children who didnt get caught must try to cross back to the other side of the play area when they
hear the words British Bulldog screamed out.
7. The last player caught is the bulldog for the next round.
Note: This game can get very physical. You may want to only let your older kids play or explain to be
gentle with younger children.

Capture the Flag

How to play:
1. Choose a playing location such as a field, playground or yard.
2. Divide into two teams of three or more people. You can play with any amount of children, but 10 to
12 works best.
3. Decide which two items will be the flags. Something brightly coloured (like a T-shirt or bandana) is
perfect.
4. Make a border between the teams. You can do this with a stick on the lawn.
5. Choose a jail location for each team such as behind a backyard shed.
6. Now each team must hide their flag on their side of the border.
7. Once the flags are hidden, players can attempt to sneak across the other teams border, find and steal
their flag, then race back to their own side without being caught.
8. To capture an enemy player, team one must tag someone from team two while they are on team ones
side of the border. They will then go to team ones jail where they wait to be rescued.
9. To rescue a teammate, team two must sneak across the border, find the jail, tag their teammate and
race back to their side of the boarder.
10. Players can be recaptured by tagging them again before they reach the border.
11. To win the game, one team must safely capture the opposing teams flag and bring it back to their
teams border.
Nichola Anderson

Jul 21, 2014 Dana Dougherty Reinke Photo: iStockphoto Banish boredom with one of these classic
playground games. This article was originally published in October 2010.