Four Square
Photo By jodigreen
Apparently, there is normal Four Square, and then the crazy version that I grew up with. The older I got, the more I realized that I had been playing Four Square wrong all those years as child. But since I haven’t played Four Square since elementary school, it has never mattered that much. It makes me sad inside when people have no recollection of playing Four Square the way I did because it made Four Square so much more exciting.
The Traditional Way
The way Four Square is normally played is on a square divided into 4 smaller squares. The sidewalks at my school were convenient to play on because the concrete was split up into perfect sized squares. Each person stands in their square and bounces a ball back and forth to the other players in an attempt to get them out. A player is out when the ball is hit incorrectly or bounces too many times in a square. Once the person is out, everyone rotates to a higher ranking. For example if player 3 gets out, player 2 moves into player 3′s square, player 1 moves into player 2′s square, and the first square is filled by someone waiting in line. The object is to reach the highest ranked square. This continues for as long as everyone is willing to play. Its good exercise if played correctly and can get highly competitive.
Unconventional?
We followed all of the same rules as the traditional method, but we spiced things up. I always thought it was the way everyone played this game, but apparently not. The highest ranked player was King, then Queen, Jack, and Baby (or Dunce) followed. I’m not sure how all of the spots were determined at the beginning of the game but it usually panned out in a sort of social hierarchy.
Photo By vissago
Whoever was King got to make the calls, therefore, there was more incentive to be King. The King would make the call, and then play would continue accordingly until someone got out and then a new call would be made. Sometimes the King would just get tired of the call and would change it once he regained control of the ball. Since there was no real way to win Four Square, getting to be in power for a few short minutes could really change the whole entire day for a kid.
The thing about calls was that, if you didn’t know what all of the calls were you were at a disadvantage. I really only remember the names of the calls, but not what they did, so I used the help of the internet to refresh my memory:
Around the World
Once this was called, the ball would either go clockwise or counterclockwise around the square until either the King called “Peace”, a player broke the pattern, or a player got out.
Bus Stop
The King placed the ball in the middle of the court where all the lines intersected while calling out “Bus Stop” and all the players needed to place their hand on the ball. The last one to do so was out.
In another variation, all of the players except for the King would dash to the center of the court. Again, the last to reach the center would be out.
Cherry Bomb
This was probably one of the most memorable calls. The King would spike the ball hard into someone’s square making it difficult to pass the ball on. You can continue to slam the ball toward the ground with extreme force into another square, which makes it hard for the next person.
Or the King would throw the ball out of the square and if the person given a cherry bomb didn’t get it back in ten seconds they were out, which was usually the case.
Four Corners
Photo by dentedup
Photo by dentedup
All players except for the King would retreat to their corner. The last one to reach their corner was out.
Popcorn
The first person (usually the king) would throw the ball up into the air, clap once, then pass it to the second person who would clap twice while the ball was in the air, and so on. The longer the ball was in play, the more clapping you had to do before you had to catch the ball.
Typewriter
This call would require you to spell out your name. You would bounce the ball for each letter. Whomever you passed it to would have to do the same and so on.
War
Once declared, the King and the chosen player would hit it the ball back and forth between them only. If one of them messed up at anytime, that player would be out. If the King called “Peace” before the end of the round, the game would return to normal.
I know there were more, but my memory fails me. What way did you play? If you played the way I remember, what was your favorite call? Were any of the calls different from how I described them?
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Theres Pac Man, the Ace chases the other players and the first on he touches is out, if your still in you can go to either king or Queen
P.s. the psitions are Ace, Highest King 2nd highest Queen 3rd highest jack lowest
There’s also waterfall, where you put your arms together at the elbows all the way down to your hands, put the ball in between your elbows and chest, and let it roll down your arms. You can also give it a little push to get it going to the next square. I also do “taps”. It’s kind of like volleyball. You “tap” it to another square, but you can’t hold it for more than 5 seconds. “Baby” is when everyone sits down with your legs apart, then you roll the ball to someone. You’re out if the ball goes past your legs. “Black Magic” is when everyone closes their eyes except the Ace – that’s what we call it. Then the Ace moves people’s positions around. Black Cherry Bomb is when the Ace puts the ball in the middle and everyone has to touch it, then run out. The last out or the one who doesn’t touch the ball before running out is out. Snake Eyes is when you look at someone, but throw it to someone else. That’s all.
P.S. All are called by the Ace.
there was something called posion where some one bounces it into a aquare but be4 it hits the ground the player has to catch it and say poison and then the person that threw it is out
There is also a game called glass ball they pass the ball around but they cant drop it
there is baby drops too. to play that you get close to the line a drop it like a baby but you cant let it bounce in there square more than once or the person you did baby drops on is out!!!!!!!
Thank you for another informative web site. Where else could I get that type of information written in such a perfect way? I have a project that I’m just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.
Also, dont forget Bobbling, that is when you bobble it between your hands and as long as you dont hold it you can keep it until you drop it in another square.
I hate these rules
what about below knees?
LOVE these rules!! i was trying to teach my young cousins….
I remember one where everyone had to put their feet where the lines intersect and the Ace would drop the ball. Whoever didnt move their foot in time would get hit and be out….anyone know what that was called?
Theres a rule called rainbow when u throw the ball as high as u can and the other player has to catch it or they r out.
I have to say, youve got 1 of the greatest blogs Ive seen in a long time. What I wouldnt give to be able to make a weblog thats as intriguing as this. I guess Ill just have to keep reading yours and hope that 1 day I can write on a subject with as significantly expertise as youve got on this one!
u guys r noobs when i would play anyone could call these rules at anytime and we would make our own up alot like treetops, off the wall (4 inside), and stickfigures
Ps the positions r king queen jack and toilet
[...] This blog gives a good breakdown of the basic rules: http://www.theykid.com/four-square [...]
there is also chicken feet – throw the ball at opponent’s feet.
you can call animals – each person has to name a different animal – if repeated that person is out. You can use colors or states or food – keep naming different ones until someone is out or there is a repeat.
[...] photo HERE [...]
[...] are a few sites for more information about rules and ideas for fun add-ons. foursquare.org, and theykid.com. Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]
There is whips, cherry bombs, spikes, chicken feet, black jack, red jack, side balls, fastballs(whips), carry, snake eyes, regular, oldskool, and playing.
i remember shusi rollls which you spin the ball making it harder to hit
also rainbow where who beend when you throw it up in an arch to make it harder to hit
theere is chicken legs when teh ball bounces twice insted of them eing out they have to hop on one leg
I remember almost all the rules that our school used.
Treetops, Double Tipping, Body Parts, Master Padlock, Padlock, Snake Eyes, Plays, Cherry Bomb, Babies, Tiny, Pacman, Batman, Spuds, China, Japan, Triple Tipping, Quadriple Tipping, Bus Stop, War, Four Corners, Black Magic, Mystery Box, Dipstick, Butter Fingers, Lockpick, Pick, Key, Skeleton Key, Paper Clip, Destruction, Bubbling, Lawless, Spuds Only, TRIC (a.k.a Normal/Old Skool), Shoeshine, Interference, Assist, No Specials, Specials, Tag Team, and Friend Keys. We went crazy with the rules and it was fun. We made people start in 4 and try to get to 1 though.
I definitely remember four corners and bus stop. Was so sad with many of the ‘official versions’ without these calls!
There is also blackjack, where if you catch a ball before it bounces in your square the player who passed it to you is out.
and there is whirl pool where you need to pass it in a circle until ace or king calls it off.
i thought babbies is where u went and dropped the ball in the other persons square and they had to get there before it bounced more than once
and cherry bomb is where u bounce it really hard in there square and they can catch it and go about the game or it goes out there square and they out and if u caught the ball before it bounced in ur square the person giving u the ball is out
all of the ones i can find right now:
popcorn
around the world
bus stop
cherry bomb
four corners
type writer
war
pac man
waterfall
taps
baby
black magic
black cherry bomb
snake eyes
poison
glass ball
baby drops
bobbling
below knees
drop foot
rainbow
off the wall
stick figures
chicken feet
category (colors,animals,states etc.)
whips
spikes
black jack
red jack
side ball
carry
regular
old skool
playing
sushi rolls
one leg
treetops
double tipping
body parts
master padlock
padlock
plays
babies
tiny
batman
spuds
china
japan
triple tipping
quadruple tipping
war
mystery box
dipstick
butter fingers
lock pick
pick
key
skeleton key
paper clip
destruction
bubbling
lawless
spuds only
shoeshine
interference
assist
no specials
specials
tag team
friend keys
p.s. the squares are King Queen Jack Peasent. King being the highest of course and peasent being the lowest. i know i didnt explain them but just look up the ones you want to know how to do. hope i helped.