How to Play Four Square

Four square can be a fun game for kids and adults, but many remember it from the grade-school years. It is simply hitting a ball to someone else so they can hit it back to you. So that makes it a little bit like tennis, right?

Steps   [edit]

  1. Have each player stand in one of the four squares.
  2. Note that the "king" stands in square #1. This is the highest-ranking square. All other squares are in descending order of rank, going down 2, 3, and 4. The king starts the serve.
  3. Serve the ball by bouncing it in your square once. Then hit it to one of the other squares. Make sure that the ball stays within the other square and is not on or outside of any lines.
  4. Hit the ball back. Receivers must hit the ball back to any other player.
  5. Continue playing until a player hits the ball out of the square or it bounces twice in the player's own square. This makes the player "dead". All other players serve as line judges if the ball hits the line and there is a disagreement between the hitter and the receiver.
  6. Shift the "dead" player to the lowest level. When a player is dead, he or she gets moved back to the lowest ranking square and everyone moves up one square. If the king is dead, he or she moves to square #4. If there are more players than squares, the dead player goes to the end of the line, and the person at the front of the line moves to square #4.
  7. Play off walls, poles, etc.


Tips   [edit]

  • Draw and number the squares with sidewalk chalk and/or masking tape to help everyone know where each position is located and to establish boundaries.
  • The size of the squares does not matter too much, but the general size is about 5 feet x 5 feet (1.5 meters x 1.5 meters). Obviously a larger square makes it harder to hit balls back and forth in, but smaller squares offer little surface area to stand and receive the ball.
  • Instead of fighting for the king position, try flipping a coin or playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors".
  • While there is no "winner" in four-square, the person who stays in the king position the longest is usually considered the champion.


Warnings   [edit]

  • Balls at high speeds can hurt you or other people, so be careful.


Things You'll Need   [edit]

  • At least 4 players
  • One "kick ball" (medium sized bouncing ball)
  • Chalk or masking tape