How To Play Snail Hopscotch (Escargot)
by L Wiles - 2008-08-01
Snail Hopscotch is an active, hopping game played with 2 or more players, typically outside, on a snail hopscotch layout.
What You Need To Play Snail Hopscotch
- Two or more players
- A flat play area about 5 feet in diameter or bigger, often a driveway or carport.
- A snail hopscotch layout, or chalk to make your own layout (paint and tape can also be used).
- A piece of chalk for writing in names.
Rules For Playing Snail Hopscotch (Escargot)
Snail, or Escargot, is a French version of hopscotch. To start, the first snail hopscotch players hops on one foot in each of the sections finishing at the “home” circle. If the snail player makes it “home” without stepping on a line or losing their balance, they get to write their name in any square they choose. This square now becomes a rest spot (can stand on two feet) for that player only. All the other players must hop over that marked square.
This cycle continues until all squares have been marked. The winner is the child with the most squares.
A snail hopscotch player is out if any of the following are true:
- The snail hopscotch player steps on a line.
- The snail hopscotch player goes into a square where there is another child's name marked.
- The snail hopscotch player puts a hand or second foot down or steps outside the layout area
If a hopscotch player is out, their turn stops immediately and it is the next players turn.
Snail Hopscotch Layout
Now a days, standard hopscotch layouts are found painted on many school playgrounds, but you don't see the Snail Layouts as often. No matter, it's easy to make your own hopscotch layout outside or even inside.
Standard sidewalk chalk works great for a quick, easy snail hopscotch layout on a wide sidewalk, driveway or patio. For a more permanent hopscotch layout we recommend making a stencil from cardboard or heavy duty paper then painting the hopscotch lines with a medium paint brush using an easy to see color such as white.
For inside hopscotch fun you can make the hopscotch layout using tape (painter's tape is good because it removes quite easily when you're done playing). This idea works best on hard flooring, not so good on carpet (although I suppose it's possible).
The snail hopscotch layout is a spiral (it resemble a large snail shell) about 5 feet around with a circle in the middle, this circle is “home”. Lines are drawn about 1 foot apart to section the spiral, forming boxes inside the spiral.
