Jacks

Jacks, also known as Knucklebones or Fivestones, is a well-known children’s game that actually has ancient origins. Jacks is played with a tiny rubber ball and five or ten small game pieces. In the original form of the game, the pieces were ankle bones from a sheep. Today, jacks is played with pieces called knobs or six-points. If you enjoyed playing jacks when you were young, you’ll love teaching this game to your kids. Read on for a refresher of how to play.

Game Pieces

Modern pieces used to play jacks consist of six points protruding from a shared base. They are usually made of plastic or metal. The number of jacks depends on the type of game and the difficulty. Simpler versions use five jacks, while others use up to fifteen. To play jacks, you will also need a small bouncy ball. You should be able to find a jacks set at specialty game or toy stores.  Most sets include everything you need to play the game including a small pouch to hold the pieces in.

Where to Play

Jacks should be played on a hard surface. Because the game requires the ball to bounce, the game should be played on a flat, smooth surface or else your ball will end up bouncing away. Inside, hardwood or linoleum floors work well – kids won’t mind playing on the floor, either. If you have a desk or a table that is clear and large enough for your child’s arms to move across it, that may work as well. However, you should not play sitting down. If you want to play outside, a wooden table or flat paved surface can work.

Players

Jacks may be played by any number of people. You can play it alone and challenge yourself, or play in pairs or groups. Challenge your kids to beat their own records playing jacks. When they are ready to compete with each other, pair them up. If you have a lot of kids to keep entertained, make a tournament where they compete against different opponents to advance to a championship round.

Starting the Game

The first step is to decide who goes first. This is usually done through a procedure called “flipping.” Each player should place all of their jacks in their cupped hands. The players throw their jacks into the air and catch as many as they can on the backs of their hands by flipping them over. Both players then toss the jacks remaining on the backs of their hands into the air, this time flipping their hands again to catch the jacks in the opened palms. The player who catches the most jacks goes first.

How to Play

The player who goes first scatters her jacks directly in front of her on the playing surface. Then she tosses the ball straight into the air, high enough that she has enough time to pick up her jacks but not so high that it veers away. During the first round, the first player picks up a single jack. The ball may bounce once, but if it bounces twice that player loses her turn. The player must catch the ball with the jack in her hand. Once the ball is caught, the jack is transferred to the other hand. The player continues to collect the jacks one at a time, until they have all been picked up. This is the first round, otherwise known as “onesies.” The next player then plays her first round. The next round involves picking up the jacks two at a time, followed by a round in which jacks are picked up three at a time, and so on.