Kick the Can Game: Rules, Fair Picks and Variations
Kick the can is an old outdoor game that mixes hide and seek with tag. One player is “it” and guards an empty can in the middle of the play area. Everyone else hides. When “it” spots someone, they race back to the can to capture them, but any free player who sneaks in and kicks the can sets all the prisoners free. All you need is a tin can and somewhere with good hiding places. Here are the rules, a fair way to choose who is it, and some variations.
What you need
- An empty tin can, a plastic bottle or a ball. Remove any sharp edges, or use a plastic container for young children.
- An open area with hiding places around it, such as a garden, a park or a quiet cul-de-sac away from traffic.
- A marked spot for the can, and a jail area next to it.
- At least four players; six to fifteen is ideal.
Rules
- Put the can on its spot in the middle of the play area.
- One player is chosen to be it. A free player kicks the can as far as they can to start the game.
- It fetches the can and puts it back on its spot, then counts out loud, for example to 30 or 50, while everyone else hides.
- It then goes looking. When it sees a hider, it calls out their name and where they are, such as “Sam, behind the shed!”, then runs back and taps the can with a foot.
- If it taps the can before the named player gets there, that player is captured and goes to jail.
- At any time, a free player can run in and kick the can. Every prisoner is then freed and runs off to hide again, while it fetches the can, puts it back and counts again.
- The round ends when it has captured every player. The first player captured is usually it in the next round.
Agree the boundaries before you start, and how far the jail is from the can. A guard who stands right on top of the can makes the game dull, so many groups have a rule that it must move a few steps away while searching.
A fair way to choose who is it
The classic ways to pick who is it are Hide and Seek Rules: Counting, Variations and Safety and rock paper scissors. Counting-out rhymes are fun, but a quick counter can steer them. Rock paper scissors with the whole group is fair, but it gets slow. In each round everyone throws at once, and a round only decides something when exactly two of the three shapes appear: the players on the losing shape are then left to play on. The table shows how quickly a group round decides anything:
| Players | Chance a round decides | Average rounds needed |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 66.7% | 1.5 |
| 4 | 51.9% | 1.9 |
| 5 | 37.0% | 2.7 |
| 6 | 25.5% | 3.9 |
| 8 | 11.6% | 8.6 |
| 10 | 5.2% | 19.3 |
With three or four players, rock paper scissors is quick. With eight players it takes about eight or nine throws on average before even the first round is decided, and with ten it can take nearly twenty. For a bigger group, put every name into the Random Name Picker and spin once. Everyone has the same chance, and the game starts in seconds. With “remove and spin” switched on, you can also make sure everybody gets a turn as it before anyone goes twice.
Variations
- Ghost in the graveyard: a night version where it hides instead, and the others search; whoever spots it shouts and everyone runs home.
- Two guards: with a big group, two players are it together and guard the can as a team.
- Ball instead of a can: softer and quieter, useful in small gardens or at school.
- Limited kicks: each free player may kick the can only once per round, so the game cannot go on forever.
- Team version: players form two teams, one hiding and one guarding, and swap at the end of each round, in a similar spirit to capture the flag.
Safety
- Play well away from roads and parked cars, and set clear boundaries before the first count.
- Use a can without sharp edges, or a plastic bottle; kick it with the side of the foot, not a full swing near other players.
- No hiding in sheds, cars or anything that locks or shuts.
- At dusk, give younger players a torch or play in a smaller area.
FAQ
How do you play kick the can?
One player is it and guards a can while the others hide. When it spots a hider, it calls their name and taps the can to capture them. A free player who kicks the can frees all the prisoners.
How many players do you need for kick the can?
At least four, but it is best with six to fifteen players and a garden or park with plenty of hiding places.
How do you choose who is it in kick the can?
With a small group, play rock paper scissors or a counting-out rhyme. With a bigger group, put all the names into a random name picker and spin once.
Who is it next in kick the can?
Usually the first player captured in the round becomes it for the next round. Some groups prefer to pick the next it at random so nobody is stuck as it all evening.