How to Play Stilt Walking

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Stilt Walking is an outdoor balancing and coordination game in which players stand on raised foot platforms supported by long poles and attempt to walk a set course. It demands concentration, balance, and a willingness to tumble, which is precisely why children find it so compelling.

The game is played almost anywhere with a clear, flat surface: playgrounds, school fields, parks, and gardens all work well. It scales easily from informal free play between two children to organised relay races at school sports days, making it one of the most versatile pieces of outdoor equipment a family or school can own.

A little history

Stilt walking as a skill has been practised across many cultures for centuries, with documented evidence from rural France, West Africa, China, and elsewhere, often used for practical purposes such as crossing marshy ground or herding sheep. Its use as a children's playground game and competitive activity became widespread in Britain and Europe during the nineteenth century as manufactured wooden stilts became a common toy. Beyond those broad facts, the precise origins of the formalised playground game are unclear.

Setting up

1. Choose a flat, clear surface free of loose gravel, wet grass, or obstacles.
2. Mark a start line and a finish line. A distance of 10 to 20 metres is suitable for most ages; shorten it for younger or less experienced players.
3. If running a relay or obstacle course, lay out cones or chalk markers at this point.
4. Assign one pair of stilts to each player, or agree a rotation order if stilts are shared.
5. Adjust the foot-rest height on each pair of stilts to suit the individual player: beginners do better with foot rests set low, close to the ground.
6. Allow each player a short practice period to mount their stilts and find their footing before the competitive rounds begin.

How to play

1. To mount the stilts, place them upright on the ground and step up onto the foot rests one foot at a time, gripping the poles firmly at chest or shoulder height.
2. Stand upright with your weight centred over the foot rests. Lean the stilts very slightly forward before taking your first step.
3. Walk by shifting your weight onto one stilt and swinging the opposite stilt forward, mirroring a normal walking gait.
4. On the starter's signal, all players begin walking from behind the start line toward the finish line.
5. If a player steps off a stilt or falls, they must return to the start line and begin again. If a relay format is used, their team loses the handover turn and must restart from the point where the fall occurred.
6. Players must keep both feet on the foot rests at all times while in motion. Hopping, shuffling, or dragging the stilts along the ground is not permitted.
7. The first player to cross the finish line with both feet still on the stilts wins that round.
8. For a relay format, players walk to a turnaround cone, return to the start, and hand the stilts to the next teammate, who then mounts and sets off.
9. Run as many rounds as agreed. The player or team with the most round wins is the overall winner.

Winning and scoring

In a straight race, the first player to cross the finish line without stepping off their stilts wins the round. Agree the number of rounds before play begins; the player who wins the most rounds wins the game. In a relay format, the team whose final member crosses the finish line first wins that race. When scoring across multiple races, award one point per race win and set a points target (for example, first to five points) as the match winner.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a player who briefly touches a toe to the ground to regain balance has fallen. The standard ruling is clear: any contact between a foot and the ground, even momentary, counts as a fall and triggers a return to the start line. Gripping the poles and steadying yourself without touching the ground does not count as a fall. Agree this rule explicitly before play begins to avoid arguments mid-race.

In relay play, a handover is complete only when the incoming player has both feet back on the ground and the outgoing player has both feet on the foot rests and is standing unaided. If the stilts fall over during a handover, the outgoing player must re-mount from stationary before crossing the start line. Players who cross the start line before they are fully mounted must return and re-start the handover.

How to win more often

• Start with the foot rests at their lowest setting. Lower stilts are far easier to balance on and will build your confidence quickly before you move to a higher position.
• Look ahead at your destination, not down at your feet. Fixing your gaze on a point at the finish line helps your body self-correct balance automatically.
• Take shorter, more deliberate steps rather than long strides. Overreaching causes the stilt to slide and nearly always ends in a fall.
• Grip the poles firmly but not tightly: a stranglehold on the poles actually makes fine balance corrections harder. Think firm and relaxed rather than clenched.
• In a relay, slow down as you approach the handover point. A controlled, steady arrival loses a second or two but dramatically reduces the risk of a fumbled handover that costs the whole team a restart.

Variations

Obstacle Course

Set out a series of cones, hoops, or chalked lines that players must navigate around or step over while on their stilts. Players are timed individually rather than racing head to head, and the fastest clean run (no falls, no missed obstacles) wins. This variation suits mixed-ability groups because each player competes against their own previous best time.

Relay Race

Divide players into teams of two or more. Each team shares one pair of stilts. The first player walks to a turnaround marker and returns, then hands the stilts to the next teammate. Any fall requires the fallen player to return to where they fell and resume from that point. The team that completes all legs first wins.

Longest Walk

Rather than racing to a fixed finish line, players compete to see who can walk the greatest total distance without stepping off. Mark a chalk starting point and measure from there to where each player's foot first touches the ground. This variation works well on a large open space and removes the pressure of direct head-to-head competition, making it ideal for beginners.

Follow the Leader

One player acts as leader and walks a self-chosen route on their stilts: turning corners, stepping over chalked lines, or changing pace. All other players must follow the same path on their own stilts. Anyone who steps off drops to the back of the line. After a set time or distance, the leader rotates to the next player. No winner is declared; the aim is to keep the group moving as long as possible.

Stilt Walking: frequently asked questions