King of the Hill puts all the action in the middle. A single zone at the centre of the field is worth points for as long as your team holds it, so both teams have to commit, attack and defend at the same time.
With respawns and a score instead of eliminations, it keeps every player busy for the whole round and works well for large groups.
At a glance
| Players | 6 to 24, in two teams |
| Ages | 9 and up, supervised |
| Field | Birthday-party size or full field |
| Round length | 6 to 10 minutes |
| Gear | The core kit plus cones to mark the hill and a timer |
Setting up the field
Mark a square zone, the hill, in the middle of the field with cones, and put one bunker inside it. Arrange the rest of the cover symmetrically around it, leaving clear lanes for attackers to approach from the flanks.
Setup: the hill in the middle
How to play
1. Race for the hill
On the whistle, both teams advance. The referee starts the clock once either team has a player inside the hill.
2. Score while you hold it
Every 15 seconds that only your team has players inside the hill earns a point.
3. Hits send you to respawn
A hit player walks to their own back line, touches it and rejoins.
4. Most points wins
When time runs out, the team with the most points wins.
Hold the hill to score
Respawn: touch your back line
Rules that keep it fair and safe
- No shooting inside the agreed minimum distance; the hill gets crowded, so tag-calls at close range count instead.
- A contested hill, with players from both teams inside, scores for nobody.
- Respawning players walk back by the sideline with a hand up.
- The referee keeps the score and calls it aloud after every point.
Variations
Moving hill. The referee moves the hill to a new spot every two minutes.
King only. One player per team is the king, and only a king inside the hill scores.
Get the gear for this game
King of the Hill needs the core kit, cones for the hill and a timer. Our birthday and full-field kits are a good fit for the bigger groups this game suits.
