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Two Parts:Playing Four CornersVariations

Four corners is a fun game to play in class or at youth camps. Find out how quietly you can sneak around the room. If the person in the middle hears your moving, he might make everyone in your corner lose the game.


Part 1 of 2: Playing Four Corners

  1. 1
    Number the four corners of the room. Put up a sign at each corner, numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4.
    • You can label the corners with colors or words instead. If you're a teacher, try using something related to today's lesson.
  2. 2
    Make space at the sides of the room. Clear the area near all four walls, so children can easily move between corners.
  3. 3
    Ask for a volunteer to be "It". The volunteer gets to stand in the middle and count down.
  4. 4
    Explain the rules. Tell the players the rules of the game:
    • The person in the middle will cover her eyes and count down from 10 to 0, loudly and slowly.
    • Everyone else moves to one of the four corners, very quietly.
    • When the person in the middle finishes counting, she chooses a number from 1 to 4 (with her eyes still closed). Anyone standing in the corner she chose has to sit down.
    • Anyone who isn't in a corner when the counting is done has to sit down.
  5. 5
    Keep playing with the remaining students. After each round, the person in the middle can open her eyes and see who she knocked out. Then she closes her eyes again and counts from 10 to 0. Each round works the same way. Whoever is in the corner she chooses each round has to sit out for the rest of the game.
  6. 6
    Adjust the rules once most people are out. Once there are only a few people left, the game can take a long time to finish. Add extra rules to speed it up:[1]
    • Once there are eight people or fewer, each corner can only hold 2 people maximum.
    • Once there are four people or fewer, each corner can only hold 1 person maximum.
  7. 7
    Play until there's one winner. Once one person is left, that person gets to move to the center and count. Everyone else can stand up again and play for another round.

Part 2 of 2: Variations

  1. 1
    Point to the loudest corner. Instead of choosing any number, the person in the middle can try to name the loudest corner. This makes sneaking around extra important, and might be a good way to prevent roughhousing.[2]
  2. 2
    Point instead of naming numbers. If the person in the middle has trouble remembering which corner is which, he can point instead. This variation is good for young children.
  3. 3
    Switch the person in the middle every few rounds. If no one want to be in the middle, have each person take a turn counting for five rounds each. [3]
    • After the first round, you can ask someone who's out of the game to count instead.

Things You'll Need

  • 15+ people
  • A room with four corners and plenty of space


  • Play one or two practice rounds first, then start again. This makes sure everyone understands the rules, and makes people who had to sit down right away less frustrated.

Article Info

Categories: Party Games for Kids

In other languages:

Português: Jogar Quatro Cantos, Español: jugar a las cuatro esquinas

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