Stapoo is an Indian outdoor game which is a variation of Hopscotch game. It can be played in an open ground, home backyard, or on street. In other foreign countries the same is well-know as Hopscotch and box type structure is used to play the game with 1 or more players.
If you closely study the game of Stapoo and Hopscotch, you will find that in Stapoo 8 boxes are made in a simple grid structure, whereas in the game of Hopscotch 10 boxes are made and used for playing. As this is all about Stapoo, let’s focus on how it is played!
What is Stapoo game?
Stapoo game is an Indian Hopscotch outdoor game where grid like structure is drawn on the flat surface having 8 square boxes and it is played with a flat round shaped or square shaped marker which generally we call stapoo.
The grid which will be drawn on the flat surface will have 2 columns and 4 rows. Means, there would be 8 boxes as show in the below given image.
The counting starts from right in anti-clock direction – the very first is the box 1, then box 2, box 3 and box 4. Now from the left side… the top one, it is the 5th box, then box 6, box 7 and the last one would be 8th one.
Upon playing, the player would be on 1 foot in box 1, 2, 3, 6,7 and 8. While the player can be on 2 foot in the 4rth and 5th box which we have marked in green in the above image.
How Stapoo is played?
There are 2 variation of stapoo game which is quite popular in India. One is just pick the marker (player should be on one foot) and cross all boxes without touching the boundary lines, while in other variation, player hit the marker with other foot from 1 to another box. Let me explain both variations of stapoo game below:
Variation 1: Pick Marker and Skip Box
Step 1: Stand outside of the grid and throw the marker in box 1. Make sure the marker shouldn’t bounce on the line, otherwise the player turn will over and next player will play it.
Step 2: On one foot (outside the grid), the player pick the marker and jump directly in box 2 and then cross the remaining boxes on one foot. In 4rth and 5th box, player can be on 2 foot!
Note: Where the player throw marker, the player has to skip that box otherwise the turn will over!
Step 3: So on one foot pick marker and then jump to box 2 and from box 2 to box 3 and so on till box 8. The player needs to cross all boxes without touching boundary line.
Step 4: If all ok, now the player throw the marker in Box 2 and repeat same process. This time player lands on one foot in box 2, picks the marker from box 2… skip the box 2 and directly jump to box 3 from box 1. And next time player will throw marker in the Box 3, Box 4 and so on… till Box 8.
Step 5: The player who first complete all 8 boxes will be the winner.
Variation 2: Hit Marker with Foot
Step 1: Stand outside of the grid and throw the marker in box 1. Make sure the marker shouldn’t bounce on the line, otherwise the player turn will over and next player will play it.
Step 2: On one foot, the player will jump in the box 1, and kick the marker with other foot from one box to another. Means as the player has throw the marker in box 1, the player first jump on one foot in the box 1 and hit or strike the marker from box 1 to box 2 and then box 2 to box 3 and the same will be repeated till box 8 and finally the player will kick marker out from box 8 to out of grid.
Step 3: The player needs to cross all boxes without touching boundary line.
Step 4: If all ok, now the player throw the marker in Box 2 and repeat same process. And next time player will throw marker in the Box 3, Box 4… till Box 8.
Step 5: The player who first complete all 8 boxes will be the winner.
Final Words
So this is the game of Stapoo, which is played by many people in their free time. It is quite common game that still played by girls, boys, in park or in society. The rules of Stapoo is simple, the marker and player foot should not land on the boundary lines of grid.
This game is still quite famous in village area and quite good for body fitness. You don’t need any high-tech gadget to play this game… all you need a little open space, draw grid on that flat surface and start playing with a wooden piece with friends and family members.
Do you want to know more about Stapoo? Please let us know in the comments and don’t forget to share it with others on social media websites!
