Here’s what you’ll need:

• 3 to 5 players
  (If there are more than 5 players, you can play
  Elimination Yard Rat. See below for details.)
  
• A grassy area, about 10' x 15'
  
• Your Yard Rat equipment

Yard Rat equipment includes:

• 5 Rat Bases
  
• 5 Rat Bats
  
• 1 Ball
  
• 1 Handy Storage Bag
  
• 1 Set of Instructions

Yard Rat was created from a game played during the Great Depression, when families stayed close to home and enjoyed the simpler things in life.

Remember running and playing outside when you were a kid? Life was simple and playing games with your friends was just plain fun. Now you can re-create those days with Yard Rat. You’ll enjoy spending quality, active time with your family and friends. Get ready for a lively game of strategy!

Object of the game

Just imagine, you are safely situated on your home base, but the Rat is trying to invade your space. Keep it well guarded. Or else, you’ll become the Rat! (Being the Rat is fun, too.) But pay attention, another player may try to steal your home base right from under your nose!

How to play

1. Find a grassy area.
   
   
2. Figure out how many people are going to play. For three players, you’ll use three Rat Bases. For four players, use four Rat Bases. For five or more players, use five Rat Bases.
   
   
3. Place all but one of the Rat Bases you’re using approximately 10' to 15' apart. For five players, you’ll be creating a square. For four players, a triangle. The remaining base is the “free” base and is placed in the middle.
   
   
4. One person is chosen as the Rat. For instance, the tallest player could be the Rat. You can use any method you like to decide who is the first Rat. The Rat begins the game with the ball and does not have a home base.
   
   
5. All other players choose one of the Rat Bases as their starting home base. Home bases will change throughout the game.
   
   
6. Each player, including the Rat, is given their own Rat Bat.
   
   
7. To begin, the Rat places the ball somewhere within the grassy area bounded by the Rat Bases and uses his/her Rat Bat to try to hit the ball into the outer ring of another player’s home base or free base. The ball does not need to stay in the base, but simply needs to cross over the outer rim. Watch out!
   
   
8. Players try to keep the ball away from their home base. Be quick!
   
   
9. This is where it gets tricky! Players use their Rat Bats to move the ball and to protect the free base and their home base. Home bases are protected by deflecting the ball away or by keeping a Rat Bat securely inserted into the center. Guard well!
   
   
10. Players may steal each other’s bases by putting their Rat Bats in the center of someone else’s home base when they’re not paying attention. This keeps the game lively and fun.
    
    
11. The ball may circulate within the area created by the bases or around the outside of the bases. If the ball travels far outside the bases, better let the Rat get it. Otherwise, someone could lose his/her Rat Base!
    
    
12. The game continues until everyone is exhausted…or until dinner is ready!

How a player gets to be the Rat

If the Rat gets the ball into the home base of another player, that person becomes the Rat.

If the Rat gets his/her Rat Bat into the center of another player’s home base, that person becomes the Rat. This is the most common way to become the Rat, so pay attention!

If the Rat gets the ball into the free base, he/she chooses someone else to be the Rat.

Elimination Yard Rat

If there are more than five players, you can play Elimination Yard Rat. In that case, the Rat sits out after a new Rat is identified. The new player steps in to guard the home base of the player that just became the Rat.

Because the game can become rowdy, here are some basic rules to follow:

1. Play nice.
   
   
2. No pushing other players off their home base.
   
   
3. No hitting other players with your Rat Bat. But, it is legal to hit another player’s Rat Bat.
   
   
4. Players may engage in a Rat Bat struggle.
   
   
5. Move the ball only with your Rat Bat. No feet or hands can be used…that would be cheating.
   
   
6. It is fair to use your feet to help protect your home base, but again, you can not move the ball with your feet.
   
   
7. For safety, use only the standard Yard Rat Bat. Other plastic bats are not as durable, and metal or wooden bats may cause injuries.

You'll get detailed instructions when the game is shipped to you!