Four Square: The Classic U.S. Recess Game

Four square is one of the most popular recess games in the U.S.: four players in four squares hit a playground ball to each other with their hands after one bounce, and whoever misses goes out while the next player enters at the lowest square. It works on striking, reading the ball's path and quick decisions.

How to play

1. Explain the game and draw six chalk courts of four squares about 3 meters each, numbered 1 to 4 (5 min).
2. Cooperative rally: all four try to reach 20 hits in a row without a miss (4 min).
3. Official game: square 4 serves by bouncing the ball in their square and hitting it to another. Whoever misses goes out, the waiting player enters at square 1 and everyone moves up (8 min).
4. Server's rules: the player in square 4 picks a special rule for the round (one hand only, low hits, must hit to every square) (5 min).
5. Switch courts to play with different people (3 min).

Rules

• The ball must bounce once in your square, then you hit it with one or two open hands, no catching.
• If it lands on a line, replay the point.
• A miss: not returning it, hitting before the bounce, hitting it out, or letting it bounce twice in your square.
• Nobody waits more than one miss: on courts with five, the line is one person.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a bigger square for the wheelchair user, and catching and throwing are allowed.
• Visual impairment: ball with a bell and an audible bounce; players call their number before hitting.
• Low confidence: start in the cooperative round and choose a court with peers at a similar level.

Learning goals

• Strike with the hands with direction and control.
• Read the ball's path and anticipate.
• Learn a popular U.S. recess game.

Equipment for a class of 25

• playground balls: 6
• chalk: 6

Teacher tip

Soft rubber playground balls are ideal; a school volleyball works too. With 28 students, six courts and lines of one: any longer wait and they lose interest.

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