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How to Play Snail Hopscotch

Snail hopscotch is a playground game that is played by hopping on a board shaped like a snail. Any number of people can play at a time. It takes a small rock and the ability to hop on one foot. Aim the rock at the next number on the snail. If the rock lands inside the number's box, hop around the snail on one foot, jumping over the space with the rock. Get to the 10 and trade feet, then hop back. Pick up the rock. If you do not step on any lines and pick up the rock with one hand, on your next turn, you can progress to the next number.

Things You'll Need

Chalk
Small flat rock

Instructions

- 1
  
  Draw a chalk snail on the concrete so that its shell contains boxes for the numbers 1 through 10. Make sure that each box is large enough to fit your foot without touching any of the lines.
- 2
  Find a small flat rock that you can use to throw into each number's box in turn.
- 3
  Line up everyone who wants to play after you decide who should go first. Sometimes it is a good idea to line up in age order or by height with the youngest or littlest player going first. The first person throws the rock into the box with the number 1. If the rock lands inside the square without touching a line, the person hops into the snail from the head. Hop on the same foot over the number 1 box. Then hop from box to box all the way to the box with the number 10 without stepping on any lines. You are out if you step on a line.
- 4
  Switch feet at the 10 box and hop back all the way to the number 2 box. Bend down to pick up the rock using just one hand. If your knees or the other hand touches the ground you are out. Stand back up. Hop OVER the number 1 box and out of the snail.
- 5
  Give the rock to the next player who tries to get through the snail the same way. Each player takes a turn. If you made it all the way through the snail when your rock was in the 1 box, when your turn comes back up, toss the rock into the number 2 box. If you got out before completing the number 1 round, you should toss the rock into the number 1 box again. Try to move one number box at each turn all the way from 1 to 10 but you can't go to the next number if you step on lines or miss the toss or touch the ground with knees or the other hand when picking up the rock. The winner is the first player who completes the snail hopscotch all the way to the number 10.

Kids Games