Four Square - Game for kids - How to play

Four Square.

Four Square is a classic outdoor American game. It focuses on the physical ability to hit a ball with control using one’s hands. The ball is thrown back between the players in the squares until a player makes a mistake and is eliminated.

Game sheet

number of players: from 4 children
age: from 6 years old
material: a chalk and a ball
Played outdoors
Duration: 20 minutes

Four Square Game rules

This game requires a minimum of four players, some chalk, a large ball and a decent sized playing area. One player draws a large square and then draws 2 lines across the middle to make four smaller squares.
Each player claims a square. Players then take turns hitting the ball into each other’s squares. Each player must hit the ball with any part of their hand into an opposing player’s area after it has bounced only once into their square.

Players are eliminated when they are unable to hit the ball out of their square with their hands before it bounces a second time. If the ball lands on a line or goes out of bounds before it bounces back, the player who sent the ball is eliminated. If a player hits the ball and it bounces back into his square, he will also be eliminated.
The Winner is the last one standing.

If there are more than 4 players, individuals can rotate into the game whenever a player is eliminated. The game continues until all the players have had a chance to play and everybody but one has been eliminated.