Leapfrog Game: Rules, Safe Leaping, Relay and Variations
Leapfrog is a very old playground game: players crouch in a line, and the player at the back leaps over each back in turn, then crouches at the front. It needs no equipment, only a soft patch of grass and a few friends. Here are the rules, how to leap safely, a fair way to choose the order of the line, a relay version for sports days and some variations.
How to play leapfrog
- Players line up one behind the other, about a metre apart, all facing the same way.
- Everyone except the last player crouches down: feet apart, hands on knees or on the ground, head tucked in.
- The last player runs up, puts both hands on the middle of the first back and leaps over with legs wide apart, then does the same over the next back, and the next.
- When the leaper has passed every back, they crouch down at the front of the line, about a metre ahead.
- Now the player at the back of the line stands up and leaps over everyone. The game goes on until the line reaches a finish line, or until everyone has had a few turns.
How to leap safely
- Play on grass or mats, never on concrete or gravel.
- Pair children of similar size, and let younger or smaller children crouch lower, with hands on the ground.
- The crouching player keeps their head tucked down and stays still until the leaper has landed.
- The leaper pushes off the middle of the back, never the head or neck, and lands on both feet.
- Nobody leaps over a standing person, and nobody pushes a crouching player.
- Anyone can choose a lower crouch or sit out a turn. Leapfrog should be fun, not a test of courage.
A fair way to choose the order of the line
The order matters: the player at the back leaps first, and children often argue about who goes first or who stands next to whom. Type the names into the Random Name Picker and spin until everyone has a place, then line them up in that order. In a new game, spin again so that a different child gets to start.
The table below shows what a line of players means in practice. Kids is the number of players in the line, Each is how many backs every player leaps on their turn, Total is the number of leaps before everyone has had one turn, and Same is the chance that a random draw puts the same child first in two games in a row.
| Kids | Each | Total | Same |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 12 | 25% |
| 6 | 5 | 30 | 17% |
| 8 | 7 | 56 | 13% |
| 10 | 9 | 90 | 10% |
| 12 | 11 | 132 | 8% |
With more than eight players, one round takes a long time and children wait a lot. Split a big group into lines of four to six, or split the group into random teams and play the relay version below.
Leapfrog relay
For sports days and PE lessons, leapfrog makes a good relay race. Each team forms its own line behind a start line, and the teams race to a finish line about 15 to 20 metres away. The team whose whole line crosses the finish first wins. Because the line moves forward only one gap per leap, it is a race of steady, careful leaps rather than speed, which also keeps it safer. It fits well with other relay races such as the sack race.
Variations
- Low leapfrog: for younger children, everyone crouches on hands and knees, or simply tucks into a ball, and leapers step or hop over.
- Leapfrog and crawl: leap over one back, crawl through the legs of the next standing player, and so on.
- Leapfrog tag: if a player is tagged, they crouch down and stay frozen until someone leaps over them.
- Follow the leaper: combine it with follow the leader, where the leader decides whether to leap, hop or crawl past each player.
A short history
Leapfrog has been played for centuries in many countries, under different names. In English the name was already known in Shakespeare’s time: in Henry V the king jokes that if he could win a lady at leap-frog, he would quickly get a wife. Many other languages name the game after a different animal, such as a goat or a sheep, but the idea of leaping over a crouching back is the same.
FAQ
How do you play leapfrog?
Players crouch in a line. The player at the back leaps over each back in turn by pushing off with their hands, then crouches at the front. Then the next player at the back takes a turn.
Is leapfrog safe for kids?
It is usually safe on grass with children of similar size, if crouching players tuck their heads and leapers push off the middle of the back. Supervise young children and let anyone crouch lower or sit out.
How many players do you need for leapfrog?
At least three, but four to six in one line works best. With a bigger group, make several lines or play the relay version.
How do you decide who goes first in leapfrog?
Draw the order with a random name picker and line players up in that order, then draw again for the next game so a different child starts.
How do you play leapfrog as a relay race?
Each team makes its own line and leapfrogs from a start line to a finish line. The first team whose whole line crosses the finish wins.