Original 9 Square in the Air rules, but with two players per square. Players work together to hit the ball out of their square, but the ball can still only be hit once when it enters the square. 

Original 9 Square in the Air rules, but with two players per square. Players work together to hit the ball out of their square, and each player may hit the ball once when the ball enters the square.

Original 9 Square in the Air rules, but with two players per square. Each of the players MUST hit the ball before it leaves their square.

Begin with 8 players in the grid, leaving the middle square open. Do not, I repeat, do not let the ball drop in the empty square. If it does, you FLUSH the game and everyone that was in the game is now out and 8 new players fill the game. All other rules apply and serve can begin in square one.

Same rules as flush, but with two players in each square. 

Flush Rules: Begin with 8 players in the grid, leaving the middle square open. Do not let the ball drop in the empty square. If it does, you FLUSH the game and everyone that was in the game is now out and 8 new players fill the game. All other rules apply and serve can begin in square one.

Do not allow players to spike the ball.  (Spikes would have a downward trajectory when it leaves the player's hand.)

When the ball bounces off of the bars of the game, it creates a bouncing pinball effect.  In this variation the ball may NOT touch the bars of the game structure. If the ball bounces off any part of the game, the player that hit the ball last is out.

When playing doubles (two per square), players must alternate who hits the ball. If player A hits the ball, player B must hit the ball next play. No one likes a ball hog and that’s where the Ping Pong Rules come in. To ensure everyone gets to hit the ball when you have two players per square, you simply have players alternate hitting the ball every time the ball comes into their square, just like doubles in ping pong.

Waiting in line? No problem, because you are still in the game with this variation! Instead of the line extended outward from the game, it wraps around the game, and those in line get to join in the fun! 

If the ball is hit outside of the game structure and a person in line hits the ball back into the game, play continues. If you are in line and you hit the ball back into play and get a person in the game out, you take their place in the game and they go to the end of the line!

Block the view of the center square with tarps, sheets, or shower curtains. Doesn't matter what you use, just make it a challenge for the center square to see where the ball is coming from. Same Rules... Same Rotation... New Level of Difficulty!

Instead of blocking the view of just the king square, block it for ALL the squares!

Think creatively! If you are throwing a Luau party, hang grass skirts from the crossbars instead of sheets or tarps.  

Add an extra element of fun to your 9 Square in the Air by lighting it up! This can be done with the Neon Accessory Kit, string lights (either holiday themed or white), flashlights connected to the bottoms of the legs point them up. Everyone could wears glow necklaces and/or bracelets. What ways can you think of to light up your game?

Hot outside? No problem! Attach a sprinkler to your game to keep the fun going in the heat. Better yet, submerge your game in a pool and stay extra cool while you play.

Add a fun element to gameplay by adding scooter boards! All players sit on a scooter board while they play. We recommend lowering the game to the lowest height setting for this variation.

Players must play with their elbows on their ribs and cannot extend their arms. Players must roar every time they hit the ball. It helps to lower the game set to the 5 or 6 feet height.

Players must extend their arms completely and cannot bend their elbows. Players must groan like a zombie when they hit the ball.

Players cannot bend their knees while playing and must make robot noises when they hit the ball.

Before the round starts, the player in the King square chooses a leg to stand on. Players must play on one foot for the whole round.

Using a deck of cards with various farm animals on them, players pick a card and each time they hit the ball they must make the sound their animal makes!

Call out the name of the person you’re hitting to

Call out the name of the person who hit it to you.

Count together how many times the ball is hit before it hits the ground or is hit outside the game structure. Work as a team to beat the high score!

Form teams of three to compete against each other. When the ball hits the ground in your square or someone from your team hits the ball outside the game, the whole team is out! The winner can be chosen by whichever team holds the king spot at the end of an allotted time, or when your team is the in king square and another team gets out you get a point. Play until your decided point number is reached.

Divide players into two teams and fill the squares with alternating team players. You can designate teams with marking tape or ribbon.Play with regulation 9 Square in the Air rules. When someone gets out and everyone rotates, check to see if either team has a tic tac toe before game play resumes. Keep score: the team with the most tic tac toes wins.

"Conquer the Kingdom" is a 9 Square in the Air variation that is all about domination. A group of 18 or more players is divided into two equal teams, and they want to invade the game and occupy all 9 squares! The team that fills all 9 squares wins! You start the game by filling the court and lining up with alternating members of each team. Once players get out they go to the end of the line and do not need to remain in this alternating pattern. Eliminate the other team and fill the 9 squares with your team to Conquer the Kingdom!

Teams of 3-4 people compete for the most points advancing to the final.  For more information about how to run a 9 Square in the Air tournament click below.

Group leader draws a number card and players skip count on every hit.  If a player fails to call out the next correct number when they strike the ball, they are out.  How high can the group count?

We suggest drawing a new number every 3-5 serves to help develop mastery. 

For each round, the leader uses the numbers of the squares to create a math problem, and everyone must answer the problem as they contact the ball.  “Add 7 to your square!”  The player in square one must say “8” when they contact the ball, or they are out.

Individuals compete for the most points advancing to the final. For more information about how to run a 9 Square in the Air tournament click below.

BIG SQUARE Rules Summary:

    4 players in the BIG SQUARE

    3 strikes and they are out

    2 hits for the BIG SQUARE players

    1 fun new way to play

Count together how many times the ball is hit before it hits the ground or is hit outside the game structure. Work as a team to beat the high score!