Hopscotch is played all over the world. The instructions to each hopscotch game varies by country. Hopscotch patterns have been found in Ancient Roman ruins. It is thought that the Romans brought hopscotch to Britain, who brought it to other countries.

Aruba

• Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea and part of North America.
• Aruba has an area of 193 sq. km.
• Aruba is 20 miles north of the Venezuelan coast which is part of South America.
• Aruba has a tropical and semiarid climate.
• Many of the trees on the island of Aruba have been bent in unusual shapes by the strong winds which come up on the shore. (Because of these strong winds, the puck must be heavy, not able to be blown away.)
• Dutch is the official language in Aruba.

Number of players 2-10 players Equipment a puck - a stone or coin can make a good puck chalk - to draw the hopscotch mat How to Play Throw the puck into box one. Hop over the first box into box two. The player then jumps into boxes three, and four putting one foot into each box at the same time. Next, hop into box five on one foot and then jump into boxes six, and seven putting one foot into each box at the same time (just as you did in the previous step). Jump and turn at the same time landing in boxes six and seven facing the other direction. Hop to box five on one foot and then into boxes three and four just as you did the previous times. Next hop into box two on one foot and pick up the puck from box one. Hop out of the pattern, without landing in box one. Every turn, you throw the puck into the next box. Do not hop into a box with your puck or the puck of another player. If your puck does not land in the right box or if you step on a line you lose and it is the next players turn. When you lose your turn your puck stays in that box until a person can complete it. The person who completes the whole pattern first, wins the game.

SOURCE: Lankford, Mary D. "Hopscotch Around the World" Morrow Junior Books, New York 1992 p. 8

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Bolivia

• Bolivia is in South America and is bordered by Peru, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina.
• La Paz and Sucre are both considered the capitals of Bolivia.
• The Andes mountains run through Bolivia. 
•  Lake Titicaca is the highest lake in the world that can be navigated.
• Food products are sold to other countries.

This version of hopscotch in Bolivia is the "Old World" version. Today children play the game the same way only they number the squares rather than naming them.

Number of Players  2 or more players Equipment a puck - can be a stone but an orange peel can also make an effective puck chalk - to draw the hopscotch mat How to Play Throw the puck into the first box (Lunes - Monday) and hop over this box into the second box (Martes - Tuesday). Kick the puck out the first box (Lunes) and back behind the starting point. After you kick the puck out you hop back out of the pattern. Players may decide whether to use their hopping foot to kick out the puck or whether they can stand on their hopping foot and use their other foot to kick the puck out of the box. Throw the puck into the box martes (Tuesday). Jump in box lunes (Monday), then in box miercoles (Wednesday). Kick the puck out of the pattern, then hop out of the entire pattern. Repeat the same pattern for miercoles (Wednesday), and then for jueves (Thursday). When you throw the puck into jueves (Thursday), hop in box miercoles (Wednesday), and then jump into box viernes (Friday), and sabado (Saturday), with one foot in each box. Then jump on one foot into box domingo (Sunday), and kick the puck back behind the main baseline. Don't throw the puck in boxes viernes (Friday), or sabado (Saturday). Continue throwing the puck into box domingo (Sunday). Always hop over the space where the puck lands. If the puck lands into the wrong space on any toss or kick, you lose your turn.

 SOURCE: Lankford, Mary D. "Hopscotch Around the World" Morrow Junior Books, New York 1992 p. 10

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France

• France is the largest nation in western Europe. 
• Mount Blanc is the highest point in France and Europe.
• The capital of France is Paris.
• Escargot (snails) are a favorite food in France.

Number of Players 2 or more Equipment Chalk - to make the hopscotch. (No puck is used for this version of the hopscotch game.)

How to Play Decide which is your hopping foot and who goes first. Whichever foot you choose is the foot you will hop on both to go to the center and to go back out. Hop through the snail to the center. Start with square 1. Hop only once in each square. Do not hop on any lines or you will lose your turn. You may rest when you reach the center. Turn and hop back to the beginning. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for a second time. If you have hopped in and out successfully you may choose a square as your "house". Put your initials in the square. You can use this space to rest and other players must skip over the square. The game is over when it becomes impossible for anyone to hop to the center. The player with the most squares at the end is the winner.

SOURCE: Lankford, Mary D. "Hopscotch Around the World" Morrow Junior Books, New York 1992 p. 16

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United States (Alaska)

• Alaska lies next to the Arctic circle.
• Alaska is the largest state in area, but the least populated.
• Alaska became a state in 1959.
• Summer in Alaska is not exactly like summer anywhere else in the forty-eight states south of it. Sometimes in the summer there are only a few hours of darkness.

Number of players 2-10 players needed Equipment hopscotch mat puck - pebble How to play Decide if you will want to use a side pocket (see picture at right). The side pocket is used to jump from when you start. The squares are NOT named or numbered. The puck is called the "man." Decide which foot you will use to hop on. You can not hop on a line or a box with a puck (man) in it. The first player puts the puck into the first box, NOT the side pocket. That player will have to jump from inside the side pocket diagonally to box 2. Then, that person goes to the rest of the boxes and comes back to box 2. When the player gets to box 2, they pick up the puck, hop out of the pattern, and give it to the next player. Then the next player tosses the puck into box 2 and repeats the pattern. If you toss the puck and it does not land into a box, or line, you lose. You keep repeating that until one person wins.

SOURCE: Lankford, Mary D. "Hopscotch Around the World" Morrow Junior Books, New York 1992 p. 40

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United States (New York)

• New York City is the largest city in the United States.
• Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City.
• Brooklyn has an area of 70 sq. miles.
• Brooklyn has cement sidewalks, and cement streets, so a pattern can be drawn just about anywhere, anytime.

Potsy has been played in Brooklyn for decades, it may have even been played by your own
grandmothers.

Number of Players 2-10 players needed Equipment a potsy - made out of three safety pins clipped together an ordinary hopscotch mat How to Play Toss potsy into box one. Hop into box two. Hop into box three, then into box four, and then five. Hop into box six, then into box seven, then eight. Jump while turning around, and then landing in eight. Hop all the way back to box two, and then pick up the potsy from box one. Then, hop out of the pattern. Throw the potsy into the next box. If you complete the whole pattern, you may choose a box and put your initials inside it. None of the other players may hop into that box.

SOURCE: Lankford, Mary D. "Hopscotch Around the World" Morrow Junior Books, New York 1992 p. 42