How to Play the Ancient Game of Fivestones

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Learn to toss, catch, and pick up stones without dropping any

Co-authored by Jeremiah Thomas and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: October 28, 2025

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• Classic Rules
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• Simplified Version
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• Game History
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• Video
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• Tips

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Fivestones is an ancient game that many different cultures have enjoyed throughout time, and you can, too! All you need is 5 small objects that you can toss and grab comfortably. The aim of the game is to throw a “stone” and grab others while it’s in the air, but it gets more challenging as the game goes on. We’ll tell you how to play a traditional game and a simplified version, and fill you in on the history of this certified classic.

5 Stones Quick Guide

• Number of Players: 1+
• Things You Need: 5 small objects, like jacks, hackysacks, or pebbles
• Object of the Game: Take turns tossing a stone in the air and using the same hand to pick stones up off the ground before you catch the first stone.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Classic Five Stones Rules & Gameplay

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1. 
   1
   Gather 1 or more friends and sit in a circle, or play by yourself. Usually, Five Stones is played with at least 2 players, and there’s no limit to how many people you can play with, so grab all your friends. Tell everyone to sit in a circle, either on carpet or outdoors. Or, if you just want to challenge yourself, go ahead and play alone. It’s fun either way!

   • Avoid playing this game on hardwood floors, since it can damage them.
   • Also, decide who goes first. Let the oldest go first, or play Rock, Paper, Scissors for it.
2. 
   2
   Collect 5 “stones” to use in the game. Your stones can be actual rocks, as long as they’re all about 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm). Or, use any similarly sized object, like jacks, dice, beads, crumpled paper, or whatever trinkets you have around. You only need 1 set of 5 stones, since all players will share them.

   • It’s best if the stones aren’t able to roll around, since they’ll have to stay put on the ground as you play.
   • Traditionally, the game is played with small, soft bags filled with rice or seeds, like hackysacks.
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3. 
   3
   Take turns tossing a stone in the air and collecting others from the ground. The first round is simple. The first player tosses the stones onto the ground in front of them, then takes 1 stone in their hand. The player then tosses the stone into the air and uses the same hand to pick 1 stone up off the ground before they catch the first stone, so that they have 2 stones in their hand. Then, they throw 1 stone in the air and pick up another stone, and continue doing this until all 5 stones are in their hand. Remember: You can only use 1 hand!

   • If a player drops a stone during their turn, they have to wait for everyone else to try the round before they can try again. Everyone who beats a round advances to the next round while the rest of the players keep trying.
   • Take turns playing this first round until every player has had a chance. The remaining players move on to the next round.
4. 
   4
   Play the second round by gathering more stones with each throw. The second round is a lot like the first, but a little harder. Now, each time the players throw a stone into the air, they pick up 2 stones at a time until they hold all the stones in one hand. Then they repeat it again, picking up 3 stones at a time, and then the last stone, or 1 stone, and then the last 3. After, they try to pick up all the stones in 1 go.

   • This round finishes by throwing 1 stone in the air and dropping the rest to the ground before you catch it. Then, throw it in the air again and sweep all the rest of the stones back into your hand before you catch it.
   • Remember: if you drop a stone, you have to wait to try again! Go slowly and aim for accuracy, not speed.
5. 
   5
   Beat the third round by swapping the stones between the ground and your hand. Now things are getting really tricky! For this round, a player picks up 2 stones. They throw 1 into the air, and swap the other stone still in their hand for a stone that’s on the ground. The player repeats this until all the stones on the ground have been swapped.

   • Keep track of which stones you’ve swapped in your mind, but you’re not allowed to move them aside once they’ve been swapped.
6. 
   6
   Pass the fourth round by using both hands to catch stones. In this round, hold 2 stones in your hand. Throw them into the air, and use the same hand to pick up a stone. When the airborne stones fall, catch 1 in each hand, so that you have 2 stones in 1 hand and 1 stone in the other. Throw the 2 stones into the air, pick up a stone, then catch the falling stones in separate hands until all the stones are off the ground and you have 2 stones in 1 hand and 3 stones in the other.

   • This round really tests your hand-eye coordination. The trick is keeping your focus on your first hand while only using the other hand to catch 1 stone at a time.
7. 
   7
   Beat the final round by sweeping all the stones during the toss. The last round is simple: ask another player to choose a stone. Then, take that stone and toss it into the air, and while it’s in the air, sweep all the stones on the ground into your hand before you catch the first stone. Easy! Finally, the winner of the game is whoever is first to complete this last round.

   • If more than one player beats this last round on the same turn, the tied players start again from round 1.
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Section 2 of 3:

Playing Simplified Five Stones

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1. 
   1
   Gather 1 or more friends and find 5 stones to play with. This version of the game can be played by yourself or with a group of as many people as you like, all sitting in a circle. It’s a faster, simpler version that’s great for practice or for younger players. Also, find 5 “stones” to play with. These can be rocks, jacks, hackysacks, beads, crumpled bits of paper, or anything that’s about 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) big.

   • Ask the oldest player to go first so they can demonstrate for the younger players.
   • This version of Five Stones is a lot like playing Jacks, but without the ball.
2. 
   2
   Place all 5 stones on the ground in front of you. The first player holds all of the stones in their hand. Then, they toss them on the floor to start the round. Try to keep them close together so they're easier to retrieve later.
3. 
   3
   Pick up a stone and toss it up in the air while you grab one from the ground. Use your dominant hand to pick up the stone. Try to toss it straight up in the air so it’s easier to catch on the way down. As it’s in the air, use that same hand to pick up a stone from the ground. Then, catch the falling stone. You can only use 1 hand!

   • If you aren’t careful, the stone might accidentally curve away from you and fall too far away for you to catch it.
4. 
   4
   Toss a stone again, and pick up another until you hold all the stones. Using the same hand, toss 1 stone in the air and pick up a second stone. Repeat this and pick up a third stone, then a fourth, until you hold all the stones in 1 hand. This is when your turn ends. Pass the stones to the next player.

   • If you drop a stone, you’re eliminated from the game!
5. 
   5
   Pick up more stones each round until you’re picking up 4 stones. Each turn, throw 1 stone in the air and try to pick up 1 more stone at a time. You started by picking up 1, so now pick up 2 before you catch the first stone. Then, on the next turn, pick up 3, then 4, until you’re sweeping all the stones into your hand at once. Every player who can pick up all the stones this way wins!

   • This version is designed to give everyone a chance to win, but it might take longer for some players, so be patient and encouraging.
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Section 3 of 3:

The History of Five Stones

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1. 
   Five Stones is an ancient game from many different cultures. There’s no single history of Five Stones, because it’s a simple game that many different cultures have made separately, and many different cultures have their own versions, like Jacks or Knucklebones. Knucklebones, which is played with—you guessed it—knuckle bones, was mentioned in the Iliad and the Odyssey, epic Greek poems, in the 8th century B.C. It’s said that Greek soldiers taught it to each other during the Trojan War.

   • Five Stones specifically was probably created in Central Asia more than 2000 years ago!
   • In Europe, the game is traditionally played with 6 large seed pods. In Egypt, kids used apricot cores. In Japan and China, kids used small bags filled with rice. Jewish children traditionally used regular animal bones.

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Tips

• When you're good at the game, try adding in a clap or a knee slap before picking up the stones.
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• If playing with 5 stones is too hard, remove a stone and play with 4, or even 3.
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