Escargot is French for snail. It is both a popular food and a game. Escargot is a lot like American hopscotch, except that it is in a spiral rather than a straight line. The spiral is why it is called snail, because it looks like one. It is a perfect game for a sunny day with a bunch of friends, and all you need is some chalk to play.
• The first step is to draw a spiral with the chalk. It can be as large or as small as you would like. The larger it is, the more challenging it will be.
• Next, separate the spiral into segments. They should all be about the same size and big enough for a foot to fit in.
• The segments should be numbered, with the outside space as one and increasing toward the center.
• The very last segment on the inside should be labeled home.
• One person plays at a time.
• Like hopscotch, the player hops on one foot on each square all the way through the spiral and back.
• You cannot switch feet.
• You must stay inside the squares and off the lines or you lose a turn.
• If you make it out, then you pick one square and put your initials in it.
• The next player does the same thing, but must skip over the boxes that have initials in them.
• You can rest on two feet on boxes that have your own initials.
• The game is over when it is impossible to make it through the spiral.
The American version is similar, but there are a few key differences. The American version is usually boxes drawn in a straight line with some double boxes built in to rest. It can also be as long as you want, but no smaller than 10 boxes. Also, in American hopscotch, it is okay to switch legs and after you complete the game, you do not initial it. In some American versions, rocks are thrown on to the squares and players must skip whichever square the rock falls in for their first turn and pick it up on their way back.
For more information, visit:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2318315_play-french-hopscotch.html
http://aroundtheworldactivities.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/escargot-france.pdf
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1070054/escargot
