Follow the Bouncing Ball
Did you play four square when you were younger? I bet many, if not most or even all of you, did.
But in case there are a few amongst you that aren't quite sure what it is, here is a brief synopsis, so you know how to celebrate Play Four Square Day on 4/4. (As I write this, it's 4/4/16, which is even better.)
Get at least 3 friends. Get a playground ball - one of those large, rubbery, bouncy, (usually) red types. If you can find a four square square already painted on a playground, use it. Otherwise, get a piece of chalk and draw four squares that are each about 8 feet square (not sure on the size) and are adjacent and form a larger square. If you're making your own, also draw a smallish triangle in the outer corner of one of the squares - one that you could fit both feet into. That square is #1. Moving clockwise around the large square are squares 2, 3, and 4.
The basic idea is that the person in the square with the triangle starts with the ball and bounces it first in his own square and then bats it with (two) open palms into one of the other squares. The person in that square must then bat it into one of the other squares and so on.
If someone fails to bat it into another square, he must move to square 4. The goal is to get into square 1 and stay there as long as possible.
The version we played as kids allowed the square 1 person to make up all kinds of rules regarding the batting. For example, common rules were hitting back and double-batting. Hitting back meant you could bat the ball back to the person that batted it to you. Double-batting meant that, if the ball came in high, you could first touch it with your palms and let it drop into your square and then bat it out as usual.
Some kids would get really crazy about the rule making. Other rules I recall are corners, spiking, and lines. I'll let you figure out what they mean. You could probably ask a young person. Hopefully, they would know.
Who knew there was so much involved in playing such a simple game?