Equipment: playing area and a ball

There are four squares painted/chalked on the ground, all touching each other, making one large square.

Four squares

The squares can be any size!
It depends on the kids playing the game.
Recommended about 6-8 feet/square.

  • One player stands in each of the squares.
  • The squares are "ranked"...the square of most importance is the "King/Ace/Prime Minister", the other squares may or may not be named...for example the "Queen", "Princess", and "Prince".
  • To start the game the player in the "King" square serves the ball by bouncing it once in his/her square then hitting it towards one of the other squares. (It is okay to play off of walls, poles, etc.)
  • The player in the square that "receives" the ball will then hit it to another player...and so on.
  • The play continues until one of the following happens:
    • A player hits the ball (or is hit by the ball) before it bounces once in their square.
    • A player does not hit the ball before it bounces twice
    • A player hits the ball out of bounds (it must land in a player's square first)
  • A player is "out" if one of the above occurs. They then move back to the lowest ranked square and the other players move up to fill the empty square.

*(If there are more players than squares, the person who is out goes to the end of the line, and a player from the line fills the lowest ranked square.)

four square