How to hopscotch

August 16, 2012, 12:45 pm Yahoo!7

Rating:

Rate it:Sign in to rate

This fun game for kids can now be played in your backyard. Remember how much you loved playing hopscotch? Introduce your kids to this old-school game by making them their own court from paving stones. It’s easy to create and, best of all, it doubles as a pathway.

&nbps;

Gather your supplies

400 x 400 x 40mm paver (10 for hopscotch court, plus extra for path)

*Quantity of additional pavers required for pathway will depend on size of your space.

Cement

Brickie’s sand

Notes:

Rules of the game - Stand on ‘Start’. Toss a stone or coin into the first square – it has to land inside the square without touching the edge or bouncing out. If you miss, you lose your turn. - Hop through the squares, missing the one with the marker. The only time you can put two feet down is on the paired pavers and only if the marker isn’t on one of them. If you step on a line, miss a square or lose your balance, you end your turn. - Hop to the end, jump and turn around 180 degrees, then hop back to ‘Start’, pausing to pick up your marker on the way, on one leg (without stepping on the square). - Pass the marker to the next player who should repeat the steps. On your next turn, toss the marker into square two, then square three, and so on. The winner is the first person to complete all squares.

Here's How

Step 1: Mark out and excavate area for hopscotch court to a depth of 100mm. Rake to level.
Step 2: Decide centre line of court, then measure 200mm to the left. Hammer a peg at start and end of proposed court on line (here, court is 2.8m). Run stringline between each peg, pull taut and adjust so it sits at height of existing surface. Use tape measure to check height is consistent.
Step 3: Mix 4 parts brickie’s sand and 1 part cement in wheelbarrow. Slowly add water and stir until mud-mix is stiff.
Step 4: Using a wet sponge, dampen 1 side each of 2 pavers. Shovel enough mud-mix to lay 2 pavers along right side of stringline where you want hopscotch court to start. Lay first paver, wet-side down, on mud-mix, tap into place and ensure it’s level. Lay second paver in line with, and butting up against, the first.
Step 5: Using same method, lay the next 2 pavers, side by side – this is the first pair to be straddled when game is played. Shovel mud-mix where pair is to be laid, then centre 1 paver under stringline. Lay another paver next to it.
Step 6: Lay remaining pavers, using same method, in hopscotch pattern (follow main pic ie 1 single paver, 1 pair, 1 single paver, 1 pair).
Step 7: Mark position for pavers to make path leading to court. Excavate, lay pavers and allow to dry.
Step 8: Mulch area and rake to level. Draw numbers on pavers.

You’ll also need

Wheelbarrow; pointing trowel; bucket; sponge; rubber mallet; shovel; rake; pegs; stringline; lump hammer; tape measure; spirit level; set-out paint; chalk; turf cutter (optional); mulch