Kickball Rules: How to Play, Fair Teams and Kicking Order
Kickball is baseball with a big rubber ball and no bat. The pitcher rolls the ball, the kicker kicks it, and runners go round the bases. It needs very little skill to start, which makes it a favourite in PE lessons, at summer camps and in adult social leagues. Here are the basic rules, a fair way to pick teams and the kicking order, how to decide who kicks first, and some variations.
What you need
- A large soft rubber ball, about the size of a playground ball.
- Four bases (home plate, first, second and third) set out in a diamond. On a playground, cones or jumpers work fine.
- Two teams of roughly equal size. Anything from about six players a side to a whole class can play.
Basic rules
- One team kicks while the other team fields. The fielding team has a pitcher, a catcher behind home plate and fielders spread around the diamond.
- The pitcher rolls the ball along the ground toward home plate. The kicker kicks it and runs to first base.
- A kicker or runner is out if a fielder catches the kicked ball before it bounces, if a fielder holding the ball touches the base before the runner reaches it on a force play, or if a runner is tagged with the ball while off base.
- In many school versions a runner is also out when hit by a thrown ball below the shoulders. Agree on this before you start, and never throw at the head.
- A runner who gets all the way round to home plate scores one run.
- After three outs the teams swap. When both teams have kicked, that is one inning. Play an agreed number of innings and the team with the most runs wins.
Groups often add rules for fouls and pitches. A kick that lands outside the first or third base line is a foul; many groups count three fouls as an out. A pitch that bounces too high or rolls wide can be called a ball, and four balls send the kicker to first base, as in baseball.
A fair way to pick teams
Captains picking teams one by one is quick, but it leaves the same children waiting to be picked last. A fairer way is to put every name into the Random Name Picker and split the class at random, as explained in our guide to random teams.
Children often ask to be on the same team as their friends. With a random split into two equal teams, the table shows how often a group of friends all end up together.
| Class | Pair | Three | Four |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 45% | 18% | 6% |
| 16 | 47% | 20% | 8% |
| 20 | 47% | 21% | 9% |
| 24 | 48% | 22% | 9% |
| 30 | 48% | 22% | 10% |
Two friends land on the same team a little less than half the time, while a group of four friends ends up together in one draw in ten or fewer. That is part of why random teams feel fair: nobody can arrange the teams, and friends still play together often enough.
Kicking order and who kicks first
Kicking order matters in a short PE lesson, because children near the end of the line may only kick once. Draw the kicking order with the name picker’s remove option, or give each player a number with the Random Number Generator. In the next game, start where the last game stopped so the same children are not always waiting at the end.
To decide which team kicks first, use a Coin Flip. The winning team chooses to kick first or to field first. Kicking last can be a small advantage, because the home team knows exactly how many runs it needs in the final inning.
Safety tips
- Use a soft rubber or foam ball, not a hard ball.
- If hitting runners with the ball is allowed, throws must be below the shoulders and from a sensible distance.
- Keep the kicking area clear: the catcher stands well back from the kicker’s leg.
- Runners should not slide on hard surfaces, and fielders should not block a base with their body.
Popular variations
- Everyone kicks: instead of three outs, each half-inning ends when every player has kicked once. Great for young children and big classes.
- No outs, just runs: fielders try to get the ball back to the pitcher before the runner reaches a base, with no one ever sitting out.
- Two-ball kickball: two pitchers and two balls in play at once, for very large groups.
- Dodgeball rules on the bases: a mix with dodgeball, where fielders may hit runners with the ball below the shoulders to get them out.
For a calmer backyard game that still needs fair teams and a coin flip to start, try cornhole.
FAQ
What are the basic rules of kickball?
The pitcher rolls a rubber ball, the kicker kicks it and runs the bases. Outs come from caught kicks, force outs at bases and tags, and teams swap after three outs. The team with the most runs after the agreed innings wins.
Can you throw the ball at runners in kickball?
In many school and playground versions you can, but only below the shoulders. Many adult leagues do not allow it. Agree on the rule before the game.
How many innings are in a kickball game?
There is no single rule. School games are often limited by time, and many leagues play fewer innings than baseball. Agree on a number of innings or a time limit before you start.
How do you choose kicking order fairly?
Draw the order at random with a name picker, and start the next game where the last one stopped so the same children are not always last.
How do you decide which team kicks first?
Flip a coin. The winning team chooses whether to kick first or field first.