Today, I’ll be walking you through the exciting game of kickball, a favorite among kids and adults alike.
Kickball bears a resemblance to baseball in terms of structure—it involves two teams, one ball, and four bases: home plate, first base, second base, and third base.
The game starts with a player kicking the ball from behind home plate and then running to the bases in sequence.
This game helps kids practice kicking and running the bases.
Setting Up the Game
- Equipment You’ll Need: One kickball and 40 cones to mark the field. For
- Demonstration: Show the kids how to run the bases and pick up cones as they go. Have the kids explain the game back to you to make sure they’ve got it!
- Position cones along each baseline: you’ll need about 10 cones from home to first base, and the same between the other bases.
How to Play
- Form Two Teams: Split the players into two groups — one will be the kickers and the other the outfielders.
- The Coach’s Role: The coach will act as the pitcher throughout the game.
- Outfielders’ Job: The outfielders should spread out. Their main task is to return the kicked ball to the pitcher as quickly as they can.
- Kicking and Running: There are no outs or foul balls in this version or you can play with them depends on your choice. Kickers take turns kicking the ball, then run along the baseline, grabbing as many cones as they can until the ball is back with the pitcher.
- Stopping the Play: When the pitcher gets the ball, they shout “STOP!” The kicker then stops collecting cones and heads back to home base.
- Collecting Cones: The cones each kicker collects are piled up at the home base.
- Continue Playing: The next kicker then takes their turn to kick the ball and collect cones.
- Direction of Running: Kickers can run in either direction on the baselines but must avoid running across the pitcher’s mound.
- Ending the Inning: The inning ends when all kickers have had a turn or all the cones are collected.
Also, you can organize a community kickball tournament.
If Playing with Outs
Teams receive one point when a player makes it all around the bases to home base.
If a fielder throws a ball to get a runner out and misses the runner – the runners can only advance one base.
Three outs and teams switch.
If a kicker kicks the ball and it goes between home base and either first or second base then it is called a foul and the kicker kicks the ball again.
4 fouls = 1 out.
Play up to a certain time limit or whoever reaches 20 first.
For more running games click here.
Variations for More Fun
- Kickers must run the bases in sequential order.
- Outfielders try to tag the base towards which a kicker is running before shouting “STOP!”
- For larger or older groups, use more cones so everyone gets a chance to kick.
- For a more challenging game, allow outfielders to tag kickers to get them out if tagged cones cannot be put back in the pile.
Here you can find more games like kickball. Enjoy!