Section 1: Introduction
Hopscotch is a playground game of tossing, hopping, and balancing. Players throw a small marker into a numbered square, travel along the court without touching that square, and collect their marker on the way back. The challenge grows as the target moves farther from the start.
People play hopscotch with many different court designs and local customs. This custom recreational rulebook sets out one complete ten-square game using familiar playground rules. There is no governing body or universal official rulebook for this entry; the layout, turn format, and tie procedure below are agreed playing conventions, not official standards.
The aim is to complete targets 1 through 10 in order. Play alone to practice, take turns with friends, or use a cooperative version in which everyone helps the group finish. Agree on any adaptations before the first throw so that everyone knows what counts as a successful trip.
Section 2: Equipment
The standard game requires just two items:
- Court: A clearly marked hopscotch court with numbered squares, a starting edge, and a turning space. Use the arrangement described in Playing Area.
- Marker: One small, flat object to toss into the target square. A smooth flat stone, beanbag, or similar object works well. It must fit completely inside a square, be visible against the surface, and be safe to retrieve by hand.
A group may share one marker or give each player their own. Only the active player's marker stays on the court during an attempt. No particular marker weight, material, or dimensions are required; avoid objects that roll easily, bounce unpredictably, or have sharp edges.
Chalk or securely attached floor tape can be used to create a court, but neither is required when a suitable court already exists. A written score record is optional. No uniform or protective equipment is required by these rules; secure footwear with suitable grip is recommended.
Section 3: Playing Area
Use a level, dry surface with enough grip for hopping and turning. Mark ten squares in the arrangement below, with square 1 nearest the start. Center each single square beneath the middle of the paired row above it. Numbers identify the targets; paired squares form one landing row.
TURNING SPACE
+-----+-----+
| 9 | 10 |
+-----+-----+
| 8 |
+-----+-----+
| 6 | 7 |
+-----+-----+
| 5 |
+-----+-----+
| 3 | 4 |
+-----+-----+
| 2 |
+-----+
| 1 |
+-----+
START
There are no universal court measurements. As a practical example, use squares measuring 40 cm by 40 cm; the seven numbered rows then occupy approximately 2.8 m in length and 0.8 m at their widest point, excluding line thickness and the turning space. These are suggested setup dimensions, not mandatory measurements. Adjust the squares so players can land inside them and safely hop across an empty single-square row.
Provide a clearly identified, unnumbered turning space beyond squares 9 and 10. It must allow the player to stand on both feet and turn comfortably. Leave clear space before square 1 for throwing and finishing, and around the sides for a safe step off the court.
The front boundary of square 1 is the throwing line. Throw from behind it without touching it. Numbered-square boundary lines are out of bounds for both feet and the resting marker. The start area and turning space are designated exceptions to the one-foot and court-boundary requirements.
Section 4: Players & Officials
Any number of players can take part, although a small group keeps waiting times short. Only one player uses the court at a time. In solo play, follow the same target sequence and try to complete the course with fewer unsuccessful attempts.
Choose a starting order by agreement or a simple random method, then keep that order for the game. Everyone begins with target 1. Each player remembers their own next target, so players can be working on different numbers.
No referee is required. Players can judge throws and landings together. For children, a supervising adult or another player may help call the target, remember progress, and keep the waiting area clear.
Call an obvious fault promptly and calmly. If nobody can determine whether a foot or marker touched a line, replay that target without changing the player's progress. Agree beforehand on accessibility adaptations, extra practice throws, or a different turn format, and apply those agreements consistently.
Section 5: Rules of Play
A standard turn
- Throw: Stand behind the starting line and toss the marker into your current target square. Begin with square 1 and advance in numerical order. Let the marker settle before entering. It must rest completely inside the correct square without touching a line.
- Travel outward: Follow the rows toward the turning space. Hop on one foot in each single square. In an unblocked paired row, land with one foot in each square.
- Avoid the target: Do not step in the square containing the marker. If it is a single square, hop over that whole row. If it is half of a pair, land on one foot in the other square.
- Turn: Enter the turning space beyond the last row. You may place both feet down, pause, and turn to face the start.
- Return and retrieve: Travel back down the rows, collect the marker using the procedure below, and continue to avoid its target square for the remainder of that attempt.
- Finish: Leave the numbered court past the starting edge while holding the marker. Both feet may touch down in the start area. A clean outward-and-return trip completes that target.
Picking up the marker
For a marker in a single square, stop on the return journey in the row immediately before reaching that square. Keep the normal footing for that row: one foot in a single square, or one foot in each square of a pair. Bend down, pick up the marker without touching the ground with a hand or free foot, then hop over the target square.
For a marker in a paired row, land on one foot in the empty partner square on the return journey. Balance there while picking up the marker, then continue toward the start without stepping in the target square. For example, with the marker in square 6, use square 7 on both journeys and retrieve the marker while balancing in square 7 on the return.
With the marker in square 1, retrieve it while balancing in square 2, then hop directly out to the start area. If the court size makes a required pickup or jump unsafe, adjust the layout or agree on a pickup adaptation before continuing.
Footwork and turn order
You may choose either foot for a one-foot landing and choose again after a normal two-foot landing. During consecutive one-foot hops, stay on the same foot. A small balance hop within the permitted square is allowed, provided no line or forbidden area is touched. There is no time limit.
In this version, each turn contains one target attempt, whether successful or unsuccessful. After success, your next turn starts at the next number. After a fault, your next turn retries the same number. Remove the marker before the next player starts.
Common house rules and variations
- Keep going: A successful player immediately throws for the next target and continues until a fault ends the turn. Agree on this instead of the standard one-attempt format.
- Shorter courts: Use six or eight numbered squares. Specify the paired rows and turning area, then make the highest number the final target.
- Beginner play: Allow two-foot landings, a closer throwing position, or a steadying foot during pickups. Decide which adaptations apply before play.
- No-marker hopping: Hop through the pattern and back without tossing or collecting anything. This is a separate practice variation.
- Claim-a-square: Some groups let players claim a resting square after completing the course. Because ownership and passing rules vary, agree on who may enter claimed squares and ensure every remaining jump is manageable.
Section 6: Scoring
Progress is measured by completed targets rather than by adding the printed square numbers. Finishing target 1 gives one completed target; finishing target 2 gives two, and so on. A target counts only after a legal throw, outward journey, pickup, and return beyond the starting edge.
A fault does not erase earlier completed targets. For example, if you finish targets 1 through 4 and then touch a line while attempting target 5, your progress remains four completed targets and you retry target 5 on your next turn.
For the standard one-attempt turn format, play in rounds, with each player receiving one turn per round. When someone completes target 10, finish that round so everyone has had the same number of turns. Anyone who completes target 10 by the end of that round shares the win. If only one player does so, that player wins.
For a shorter game, agree on a lower finishing target or a fixed number of rounds before starting. In a fixed-round game, the player with the most completed targets wins; equal totals are a tie. Solo players can record how many attempts they need to finish, and cooperative groups can aim for every player to complete the sequence.
If using the keep-going house rule, a simple alternative is that the first player to complete the final target wins immediately. Announce that finish condition before play, since it replaces the equal-turn finish above.
Section 7: Violations & Penalties
An ordinary fault ends the current attempt. The player removes the marker, leaves the court safely, and waits for their next turn to retry the same target. There are no point deductions, and completed targets remain completed.
- Throwing fault: The marker finishes outside the target, rests on a boundary line, or lands in the wrong square. Touching or crossing the starting line while releasing the marker also ends the attempt.
- Boundary fault: A foot touches a numbered-square boundary line or the ground outside the permitted route during the hopping portion.
- Footing fault: The player puts both feet down where one is required, places both feet in the same square, or switches feet during consecutive one-foot hops.
- Route fault: The player enters the target square, misses a required landing row, or steps through the course out of sequence. Jumping over a single target square is required and is not a fault.
- Pickup fault: The player uses a hand or free foot on the ground for support, fails to retrieve the marker, or drops it after retrieval before completing the attempt.
- Marker interference: The player kicks or pushes the marker out of the way instead of retrieving it by hand.
A toss may bounce or slide before settling; judge its final resting position. A marker touching a line fails even if most of it is inside the target. Loose clothing touching the ground does not by itself count as a support fault.
If another person, an animal, or a moving object interrupts the attempt, stop and replay the same target once the court is clear. Do not charge the active player with a fault caused by that interruption. Handle uncertain calls with a replay rather than an argument.
If someone deliberately obstructs another player or repeatedly plays unsafely, pause the game and resolve the behavior before restarting. Safety takes priority over finishing an attempt.
Section 8: Safety Considerations
Check the surface before playing. Remove loose stones and other trip hazards, and avoid wet paving, slippery floors, broken concrete, and raised edges. Keep the court away from roads, stairs, doorways, and active bicycle routes. Indoor tape should lie flat and hold securely.
Use a smooth marker that stays reasonably flat after landing. Toss gently toward the court only when it is clear. Waiting players should stand away from the throwing path, landing squares, and turning space, and should retrieve loose objects only after the active player stops.
Size the court for the participants. Everyone should be able to clear a skipped single square, land with control, and reach the marker without an extreme stretch. Try those movements before keeping score. Shorten squares or simplify the pattern when needed.
Secure footwear, tied laces, and clothing that does not catch underfoot help prevent slips. Take breaks when tired, and stop if hopping causes pain or dizziness. A player who loses balance should step down safely; saving an attempt is never more important than avoiding a fall.
Adapt the activity to the group. Two-foot jumps, stepping instead of hopping, supported pickups, or a wider route for mobility aids can preserve the challenge of following a sequence and placing a marker. Agree on each player's movement rules before starting, and use cooperative goals when that makes participation more enjoyable.
