If you’re looking for an exciting and easy playground game to play with your friends, Red Rover is the perfect choice. When you play Red Rover, teams stand in lines and hold hands to prevent other players from running through them. Red Rover is super simple and requires no equipment, so keep reading for all the rules of the game from start to finish!
Things You Should Know
- Split players evenly into 2 teams. Have each team hold hands and stand in a straight line across from each other about 20 feet (6.1 m) apart.
- One team says, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send (name) on over.” The chosen player runs toward the team, trying to break through 2 players’ arms.
- The runner chooses one player to join their team if they successfully break through the line. If the team stops the runner, the runner joins their team.
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan kids play, and is it true someone could break their arm doing this?Community AnswerKids can play this (and have been playing it for over 100 years). The truth is, someone could break an arm doing just about any physical activity, but as long as no one gets too rough, the game is perfectly safe. Establish ground rules ahead of time if you want, and end the game if anybody breaks the rules or someone gets hurt.
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QuestionIs Red Rover a more dangerous game for adults to play than it is for children?Community AnswerIt depends. Some adults may be weak or old; other adults may be bursting with energy. Always ask them if they want to play or not. Be aware that sometimes, things go wrong, and people may get hurt. Red Rover may not be the best game for weaker adults, but it still is possible for adults to play.
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QuestionHow long does Red Rover take to play?Community AnswerIt depends on the amount of people. The fewer people, the shorter the game.
Tips
Warnings
- When you’re standing in the line, avoid holding your arms up to “clothesline” the runner because they could get seriously hurt. Keep your hands and arms down at waist-level instead. [4] X Research sourceThanks
References
About This Article
To play Red Rover, divide at least 6 players into 2 teams, with a captain for each team. Have each team stand in a straight line, holding hands, with the 2 teams facing each other. The first captain should pick a player from the other team, then the whole team will sing “Red Rover, Red Rover, will “that player” come over!” If they pick you, run as fast as you can towards the other team and try to break through the arms of 2 players. If you don’t get through the line, you join the opposing team, but if you do get through, you can go back to your team. Play until one team is down to 1 person. If you want to learn any variations on the rules of Red Rover, keep reading the article!
Reader Success Stories
- "This is a game I remember from my childhood, but I had forgotten some of the details. I was trying to explain it to my husband, who had not ever heard of it, so this article was very helpful." ..." more
