In Red Rover, the kids form two opposing lines and attempt to "cross over", or break through, the opposing team's line. Red Rover is the kind of fun, physical game you don't see so much anymore, in our overly safety conscious and obese America.

How to Play Red Rover - The Rules

At first, two teams are chosen of equal size (more or less). They form two lines and face each other while holding hands.

One side starts by picking a person on the opposing team and saying "Red Rover, Red Rover, let <Jimmie> cross over"

Jimmie then separates from his teammates and charges at the other line. His goal is to break through that line by disconnecting the other kid's clasped hands through force of impact.

If Jimmie breaks through, he chooses one person from the opposing team to join his team (usually the strongest kid), and they both go back and join in Jimmie's original line.

If Jimmie fails to break through, he becomes part of the other team.

Each team alternates calling people over until one team has all the people and is thereby declared the winner.

The neat thing is that since all the players are on the winning team at the end of the game, there really are no losers in Red Rover.