How to Play Playground Games

Classic playground games such as Hopscotch, Simon Says, and Hide and Seek have been around for many years, but are still loved by kids today. These games can all be played outside on the playground for fun during recess or anytime!

Hopscotch

1. Draw a Hopscotch pattern on the ground with chalk. The pattern should have eight squares and can be arranged in whatever way the players agree on. Be sure to number them 1-8.


2. Use a rock, pebble, button or whatever is available as a marker. Each player uses their marker to show which square they are to hop over.


3. Stand in front of the first square and toss the marker into square #1. Using just one leg, hop over the first square and hop all the way to square #8.


4. Turn around and hop back to the beginning. When you land on square #2, bend down, pick up the marker and continue hopping to the starting line.


5. At your next turn, toss your marker into square #2, then square #3 and so on.


6. A player is out when he or she steps on a line, the marker doesn’t land in the correct square, the player hops in a square that has a marker or if he or she loses balance while picking up the marker and puts a second foot or hand down onto the pattern.

Simon Says

1. Assign one player to be Simon. The remaining players must do as Simon asks, as long as he or she says, “Simon says” before the request.


2. Simon must give a command such as “Simon says put your right hand on your head.” Players must then perform this action. If Simon does not say, “Simon says” before each command, the players are NOT supposed to do it. If a player does, he or she is out.


3. Be the last player to stay in the game and you win!

Hide and Seek

1. Determine which player will be “it.” He or she is the player who will try to find the other players.


2. Choose a spot to be the “base.”


3. The player who is “it” turns around at the “base,” covers his or her eyes and counts (usually to 25).


4. The other players all run to quickly hide.


5. When the player who is “it” finishes counting, he or she yells out “Ready or not, here I come!” and quickly tries to find the players who are hiding.


6. The other players try to run to the “base” as quickly as they can without getting tagged by the player who is “it.” If they make it to the “base”, they are safe. Whoever is tagged first is now “it.