Kick the Can - How to play - game rules

Kick the Can.

Kick the Can is a collective game that is played outdoors. The goal of this game is to find all the hidden children while protecting his ball, “the Can”. This game is also known as kick the block, guard the block, can can, 40 40, pom pom, tip the can, tin can copper, and can up can down…

Game sheet

number of players: from 5 children
age: from 6 years old
material: a ball or an empty can, a large play area filled with hiding places.
Played outdoors
Duration: 20 minutes

How to play Kick the Can

Mark off a play area that children will not be allowed to leave.

In the middle of this area, draw a circle or put a hoop in which you will place a ball. Next to it, mark out a small space that will be the jail.

A child will be chosen to be “It” and will have to guard the ball (the Can).

At the beginning of the game, a player other than “It” will have to kick the ball. The “It” will then have to hurry to retrieve the ball and bring it back to the center of the circle. During this time, all other children must hide.

Then “It” places the ball at the center of the circle. He must then look around and search for the hidden children. It then tries to find each of the players, always keeping a watchful eye on the ball.

When he has seen a hider, he must come back to put his foot on the ball and calls out the child’s name and the place where he was seen. “It” moves around to find the other players, but only has to call out to them by putting his foot on the ball.

All children spotted are trapped and must sit in the “jail” area. In order to be released, another player must succeed in kicking the ball again without being tagged by the “It”. This one will then have to go back to get the ball and everyone is then released and goes back to hide.

The “It” child must look for the hidden children while protecting the ball.

The other children must hide but also free their friends.

The game stops when all the players have been found or after a time set by the adult.