Did you ever play Red Rover as a child? If you have, you know it’s a classic playground game that’s easy to learn and loads of fun. If you haven’t, don’t worry! We’ll go over the basic rules and some variations of the game so you can join in on the fun the next time you’re at the playground.
The basic concept of Red Rover is simple: two teams stand in a line facing each other, and one team calls out the name of a player on the other team to come and try to break through their line by holding hands. If the player breaks through, they get to take someone back to their team. If they don’t, they have to join the other team. The game continues until all the players are on one team.
Here’s how to play:
- Choose two captains. The captains will pick players for their teams.
- Have the teams line up facing each other, holding hands to form a chain. The teams should be far enough apart so that players have room to run.
- One captain starts by calling out the name of a player on the other team, saying “Red rover, red rover, send (player’s name) right over!” The player then runs to the other team, trying to break through the chain of hands.
- If the player breaks through the chain, they get to choose one player to bring back to their team. If they don’t break through, they have to join the other team.
- The game continues until all the players are on one team.
There are a few variations of the game that you can try as well. One variation is to allow players to take a running start before trying to break through the chain. Another variation is to allow players to use different parts of their body to break through the chain, such as their elbows or their heads. You can also try playing with a ball instead of having players run through the chain.
Red Rover is a great game for kids of all ages. It’s a great way to get kids moving and having fun (and maybe break an appendage or two), and it helps to improve teamwork and communication skills. Next time you’re at the playground, give Red Rover a try!
Next 1970s playground game: Hot Hands, Red Hands, Blood Hands
