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1. Marbles
What you need: two or more players, chalk (or a stick), marbles
How to play: Draw a circle, about 1 m across, on asphalt with chalk (if you?re playing on sand, use a stick). Scatter a few marbles from each player into the ring. Have each player select a ?shooter? marble that looks different from the others (and is preferably larger). Taking turns, shoot your marble from just outside the circle. Kneel on the ground cradling the shooter in the crook of your index finger, and flick the marble with your thumb. The goal is to bump the other marbles out of the circle. If you?re successful, go again and collect the marbles you?ve knocked out. Remove your shooter at the end of your turn. When the ring is empty, count your marbles; the player with the most marbles is the winner. Fair-play tip: Decide at the outset if you are playing for keeps or if you will return the marbles to the original owners.
2. Four-square
What you need: four players, chalk, bouncy ball
How to play: Draw a large square (about 2 x 2 m) on asphalt. Divide it into four equal squares numbered one to four. One player stands in each square. The player in square four starts by bouncing the ball once in her own square, then sends it to another player in one bounce. If the ball lands outside of the intended square or doesn?t bounce before it reaches the intended player, the sender goes to square one and all the other players go up a square. If the intended player doesn?t catch the ball, ...