Kho-Kho Playground Rules – Simple Guide for Kids & Schools

Outdoor team games · 13 min read · By Arvind

Kho-kho is pure Indian energy: a line of seated chasers, a single active chaser racing after runners, and a sudden tap on the back with a shout of "Kho!" that sends a new chaser off like a spring. It is fast, it is noisy and it rewards teamwork more than individual speed. Almost every Indian school child has played some form of kho-kho in PE class.

This page explains a simplified playground version: how to mark a court in your school or society ground, how chasers sit, how the "kho" relay works, what runners can and cannot do, how to score and how to keep it safe. We also include ideas to adapt the game for small grounds and younger children.

History and cultural note — इतिहास और परंपरा

Kho-kho has roots in Maharashtra and was being played in organised form in the early twentieth century. Clubs in Pune and nearby areas helped give it shape, and it became a popular school and inter-school sport across India. The name is linked to the sound "kho," the call given when a chaser hands over the chase. Kho-kho was demonstrated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics along with other Indian games, and it has had a professional league in recent years. Even so, in most schools and colonies it is played informally, with rules shaped to the ground available.

Players and age group — खिलाड़ी और उम्र

Two teams. In the playground version, each team has 6–12 players. The chasing team puts most of its players sitting in a line (the "chasers"), plus one active chaser. The running team sends in runners, usually three at a time. When all three are out, the next three come in. Children from seven years onward can play; for younger kids, use a shorter court and fewer seated chasers.

Equipment you need — सामान

• Two posts or poles (or two cones / stumps) at each end of the central lane.
• Chalk or rope to mark the central lane and squares.
• A whistle and a stopwatch (phone timer is fine).

Ground and setup — मैदान की तैयारी

Mark a rectangle about 20 m long and 9 m wide. Draw a central lane down the middle, from post to post. Along the lane, mark 8 squares (or as many as you have chasers) at equal intervals. Chasers sit in these squares, facing alternate sides: the first faces left, the second right, and so on. Place a post or cone at each end of the lane.

Runners begin anywhere in the field. The active chaser starts at one post. Decide time: a common playground format is two innings per team of 5–7 minutes each.

Step-by-step rules — खेल के नियम

1. The active chaser chases runners, trying to touch them with the hand. A touched runner is out.

   

2. The active chaser cannot cross the central lane; he must go around a post at either end to change sides.

   

3. The active chaser cannot change direction once he starts running towards one post (in strict rules). In playground rules, allow a turn only at the posts.

   

4. To hand over the chase, the active chaser touches a seated chaser from behind and says "Kho!" loudly. The seated chaser becomes active and the previous one sits in that square.

   

5. A seated chaser can only get up after receiving a kho.

   

6. The new active chaser must run in the direction he is facing or towards a post.

   

7. Runners can move anywhere, including crossing the central lane between seated chasers.

   

8. If a runner goes outside the boundary, he is out.

   

9. When all runners on field are out, the next batch enters. The innings ends when time runs out.

   

10. Teams swap roles for the next innings.

    

Scoring and winning — अंक और जीत

The chasing team scores one point for each runner touched out. After both teams have chased, the team with more points wins. In school games, you can also give a bonus point if the running team survives a full minute without losing a runner, to encourage good dodging.

Fouls and common disputes — फ़ाउल और झगड़े

• Giving kho without touching or without saying "Kho" — invalid; the active chaser must continue.
• Active chaser crossing the central lane — foul; the chase must restart from a post.
• Seated chaser getting up early — foul; any touch made is cancelled.
• Runner pushing chasers — foul; runner out.
• Rough touching or hitting — warning, then out.

A sample round, explained — एक उदाहरण

Team Saffron chases; Team White runs. The active chaser Rohit starts at the north post and runs after White runner Sneha. Sneha dodges across the lane between seated chasers. Rohit cannot cross; he sees that seated chaser Priya is facing Sneha's side, taps Priya's back and shouts "Kho!" Priya springs up and touches Sneha. One point.

Next, White sends runner Dev, who is fast and weaves near the south post. Priya gives kho to Imran, who is closer; Imran runs to the post and turns, trapping Dev near the boundary. Dev steps outside to avoid the touch and is declared out. The kho relay shows that passing the chase quickly is better than one chaser running alone.

Regional names across India — अलग-अलग राज्यों में नाम

Variations to try — खेल के रूप

Mini kho-kho

Shorter court (12 m), five seated chasers, two runners. Good for 7–9 year olds.

Free-turn kho-kho

Active chaser may turn anywhere; easier for beginners.

Kho with cones

No poles? Use cones and require chasers to circle them.

Time attack

Each team gets 3 minutes; count how many runners they get out. Fast and great for large classes.

Playground kho-kho vs the official sport

Children often watch kho-kho on television and then ask why their school game looks different. The official sport uses a precisely measured court, a fixed number of players on field, strict timing of turns and detailed rules about the direction a chaser may run, foot faults and "pole dives." Those rules make sense for trained athletes on a proper surface. On a school ground with forty children, uneven mud and a twenty-minute period, they slow everything down. Our playground version keeps the soul of the game — seated chasers facing alternate sides, the relay handover with "kho," and runners using clever footwork — while relaxing the rules that need referees. When a team starts training for inter-school competitions, move them to the official rulebook step by step: first the direction rules, then the timing, then the dive and foot rules.

Tactics that make a big difference

For chasers, the most powerful tactic is the quick kho. A tired chaser chasing one runner from end to end rarely catches anyone; a chaser who gives kho to a teammate sitting right next to the runner often gets an instant touch. Teach chasers to "read" where the runner will go and give kho before the runner gets there. Seated chasers should keep their hands on the ground and weight forward, ready to spring.

For runners, the best tactic is to stay close to the central lane and zig-zag between seated chasers, because the active chaser cannot cross the lane and must run around the posts. Runners should avoid the corners of the court, where they get trapped. Three runners working together can also draw the chaser to one side while the others rest on the other side. Explaining these two or three tactics turns a chaotic chase into a thinking game, and children love discovering them.

How to run it in a school or housing society — स्कूल और सोसाइटी में कैसे खिलाएँ

PE teachers can run kho-kho for 40 students by splitting into four teams and playing two matches at once. Use cones and chalk for quick marking. Teach the "kho" handover first with a drill: chasers sit, teacher calls a name, the active chaser must give kho to that person. This builds the habit before the real chase.

In societies, kho-kho is great for evening play on a lawn. Keep games short and switch often so every child gets to run and chase.

Teaching tips for coaches and parents — सिखाने के टिप्स

Explain the alternating facing direction clearly — it is why seated chasers can spring up towards either side. Encourage runners to use the lane to escape and chasers to plan relays. Praise good teamwork, not just speed.

A ready-made 45-minute session plan for Kho-Kho — 45 मिनट की योजना

Teachers, coaches and society volunteers often ask for a plan they can follow without preparation. Here is one built around Kho-Kho, suitable for 2 teams of 6–12 and a space of roughly about 20 × 9 m (adapt to ground). Adjust the timings to your group, but try to keep the structure, because it moves children from understanding to playing without long lectures.

1. 0–5 minutes: gather and explain. Sit everyone in a circle. Show the diagram on this page (print it or hold up a phone). Explain only the three most important rules; the rest can be taught while playing.
2. 5–10 minutes: warm-up. Light jogging, arm circles, ankle rolls and a few stretches. For board or small-space games, use finger and wrist warm-ups and a quick memory game instead.
3. 10–18 minutes: skill drill. Practise the one key skill of the game in pairs or small groups (the teaching tips above suggest which). Short repetitions with lots of praise work better than one long attempt.
4. 18–38 minutes: play. Play the game in short rounds. After every round, pause for thirty seconds and ask one question: "What worked? What was unfair?" Let children suggest small rule tweaks and vote on them.
5. 38–45 minutes: cool down and reflect. Slow walking or breathing, water, and a quick round where each child says one thing they learned or one person who played fairly.

A session like this fits neatly into a school games period, a summer-camp slot or a Sunday morning in the society garden. Repeat it across a few weeks and you will see children start organising Kho-Kho on their own, which is the real goal.

Making Kho-Kho inclusive — सबको शामिल करें

Traditional games were always played by mixed groups: older and younger siblings, cousins visiting for the holidays, neighbours of every background. Keep that spirit alive. Give younger or less confident children a "helper" role first (scorer, umpire, equipment-in-charge) and then a playing role once they have watched a round. Pair a strong player with a beginner rather than letting captains pick teams in front of everyone, which can hurt feelings. For a child who uses a wheelchair or has limited mobility, shorten distances, allow seated or standing play where possible, and give them roles that matter to the result, such as caller, measurer or final judge. For children who find noise overwhelming, a quieter corner version or a smaller group helps. Small changes like these rarely spoil the game, and they teach every child that play belongs to everyone.

A note for parents: bringing Kho-Kho home — माता-पिता के लिए

Many parents tell us the same story: their child spends hours on a phone game, but the moment a cousin or neighbour suggests Kho-Kho, the phone is forgotten. Traditional games work because they are social, physical and a little unpredictable, and because they belong to the child's own world rather than to a screen. You do not need to be an expert to bring this game home. Start by playing once yourself, even badly; children love seeing a parent learn. Tell them how you or their grandparents played it, and what it was called in your town. Then step back and let them run it.

Keep the equipment in a visible place, such as a basket near the door, so that it is easy to grab. Invite one or two neighbourhood children for a regular weekly slot, perhaps a Saturday evening, and the habit will grow on its own. When disagreements happen, ask questions instead of giving verdicts: "What rule did you agree? Is that fair for the smaller kids?" Over a few weeks you will notice the children negotiating, adapting and including others, which are exactly the skills a good school tries to teach. Finally, take a photo or a short video of them playing and share it with the grandparents. Few things make an Indian dadi or nana happier than seeing a grandchild play the game they once played in the same way.

Safety tips — सुरक्षा

• Use soft grass or mud; avoid concrete.
• Clear the field of stones and sticks.
• No pushing; touch with open hand only.
• Water breaks and shade in hot weather.
• Warm up with light jogging and stretches.

Skills and benefits for children — बच्चों को फ़ायदे

Kho-kho builds speed, agility, reaction time and teamwork. It teaches strategic passing, quick decisions and following rules under pressure. It is also very inclusive: even slower runners can be effective chasers by giving quick kho.

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