Picnic Games for Children - 02

Four Square

Equipment:

Heavy-duty rubber playground ball, driveway or concrete space for a 10-ft. square, chalk

Play:

Draw off a 10-ft. square with the chalk, then divide into 4 even squares. Number them 1-4, going clockwise. Draw a diagonal line in 1's box, to be the serving spot. 1 serves by bouncing the ball into any of the three boxes, trying to prevent that player from bouncing it back in his box. If the player returns the ball, he stays, and the 1 player is out. If not, that player is out. The next player moves into the 4 box, and the players move up. The object of the game is to move up to the 1 box, and stay there.

Hop Scotch

Equipment:

Chalk, sidewalk or driveway

Play:

Draw the layout with the chalk - 3 single squares, 1 double square, 2 single squares, 1 double square, 1 single square. You can number the squares if you want. The two basic rules of hop scotch are 1) one foot in each square only, 2) Hop over the square with the rock in it.

Use a rock to throw into the first square. Hop on one foot over the square with the rock in it. Land with two feet on the double squares. On the second turn, throw the rock into the second square, and so forth. The tricky part is staying on one foot when the rock is in one of the side-by-side squares.

Horse

Equipment:

Basketball goal and ball

Play:

Players shoot the basketball in order. If the first player scores a basket, the next player must shoot the same shot he did. If the second player scores the basket, the next player tries the same shot. If a player misses the shot, he gets an "H", and the next player starts over with a shot of his choice. With each missed shot (only after the previous player makes it), players add another letter until they have spelled "HORSE" and are out.