Red Rover

Two teams hold hands in facing lines — 'Red Rover, Red Rover, send [name] on over!' — the summoned player charges the line.

🌤outdoor

What is Red Rover?

Red Rover is a playground team game popular across the Anglosphere. Two teams line up hand-in-hand facing each other about 10 metres apart. One team calls out 'Red Rover, Red Rover, send [player name] on over!' — the named player from the opposing team charges the line, trying to break through the linked hands. Success brings a player back; failure joins the opposing team. Last team with players wins.

Quick facts

Category

Playground Games

Type

Team sport

Players

8–30

Where played

outdoor

Country of origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Estimated origin

19th-century England — spread across the Anglosphere

Olympic

No

Popularity

global

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified