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Kick the can

Kick the can is a classic children's outdoor game that blends elements of hide-and-seek and tag, typically played by groups of three or more players using an empty metal can or similar kickable object as the central prop.^[1]^[2]^[3] In the game, one player designated as "it" guards the can in a central location while the others scatter to hide within a designated playing area, often a yard or street.^[1]^[3] "It" must then search for the hiders and, upon spotting one, return to the can, place a foot on it, and call out the hider's name or location to send them to "jail"—a predefined spot like a porch or tree base.^[1]^[2]^[3] Captured players remain in jail until a free hider successfully kicks the can over (often shouting a phrase like "olly olly oxen free") while "it" is away searching, freeing all jailed players to hide again; however, if "it" reaches the can first, the kicker is also jailed.^[1]^[2]^[3] The game continues until all but one player are jailed, at which point the last free hider becomes the new "it," or it may end when dusk falls or players are called home.^[1]^[3] The origins of kick the can are unclear, though it evolved as a variation of the ancient game of hide-and-seek, which was first recorded in Greece in the 2nd century.^[3] It gained widespread popularity in the United States during the Great Depression era of the 1930s, when inexpensive, unstructured outdoor play was common among children, requiring no equipment beyond a discarded can.^[2]^[3] By the mid-20th century, the game had become a staple of American childhood street games, adaptable to various group sizes and ages, though its play has declined since the 1960s due to increased structured activities, screen time, and suburban development limiting open play spaces.^[1]^[2] Variations of the rules exist regionally, such as using a ball instead of a can, designating teams, or incorporating additional challenges like timed searches, but the core mechanics of hiding, tagging, and freeing via kicking remain consistent.^[1] The game promotes physical activity, strategy, and social bonding, and it has appeared in popular culture, including a 1962 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "Kick the Can," which uses it as a metaphor for recapturing youth.^[1]

History

Origins

Kick the Can emerged as a folk game in the United States during the early 20th century, evolving from earlier tag and hide-and-seek variants such as Pom-Pom-Pullaway, a chasing game documented as early as 1898 in Western Massachusetts.^[4] No single inventor has been identified, consistent with its status as an oral-tradition playground activity passed among children without formal documentation or authorship.^[5] Anecdotal evidence places its play among both rural and urban youth in the Midwest and Northeast, where it was enjoyed in streets, alleys, and open spaces despite occasional conflicts with adult authorities. A photograph from ca. 1908-1921 depicts boys playing "kick the can" in New York City's tenement alleyways, an activity so prevalent that it led to arrests under Progressive Era ordinances regulating public play.^[6] The game's transatlantic folk roots are suggested by parallels to British variants like Tin Can Tommy, a similar hiding and kicking pursuit documented in English playground lore by the mid-20th century but likely predating that record.^[7] These early references in American playground literature around 1900–1910 highlight Kick the Can's spontaneous development from simple, equipment-minimal pursuits that combined evasion, pursuit, and object manipulation.^[8]

Evolution

During the early to mid-20th century, Kick the Can emerged as a staple of unstructured children's play in the United States, particularly in urban neighborhoods and schoolyards, where it thrived amid the "golden age of free play" from 1900 to 1950.^[9] The game spread widely through word-of-mouth among children, migration patterns during the Great Depression, and depictions in popular media such as radio shows and early films that romanticized street games, making it a common activity in American summer camps and after-school settings by the 1920s and 1930s.^[5] By the 1960s and 1970s, Kick the Can experienced a marked decline in popularity, attributed to the rise of television—which drew children indoors for hours daily—the dangers of traffic in suburban areas that limited street play, and the shift toward organized sports that structured leisure time under adult oversight. This erosion of free-range outdoor games contributed to a 25% drop in playtime for young children between 1981 and 1997, as unstructured activities like Kick the Can gave way to scheduled activities and electronic entertainment.^[9]^[10] The game's dissemination beyond the U.S. accelerated in the mid-20th century, introducing variations to Europe (such as "Kick the Tin" in Britain and similar tag-hide games in Germany and France), Australia, and parts of Asia, where local adaptations incorporated regional materials and rules while retaining core elements of evasion and release.^[11]

Gameplay

Basic Rules

Kick the Can is a classic outdoor game typically played by 3 to 10 participants, with one player designated as "it" who acts as the seeker and guardian of the can.^[12]^[13] The game requires an open play area, such as a yard or park, where players can hide and move freely without hazards.^[12] To set up, an empty metal can—or a similar kickable object like a bucket—is placed upright in a central "home base" location, often marked as a safe zone near the can itself, which serves as the jail for captured players.^[12]^[13] The player designated as "it" stands near the can while the other players scatter to hide. "It" then closes their eyes and counts aloud to a predetermined number, usually between 20 and 50, giving the hiders time to find concealment.^[12]^[13] Once the count ends, "it" begins searching for the hidden players while guarding the can at home base.^[12] Upon spotting a hider, "it" must return to the can, announce the player's name and precise hiding location (e.g., "I see Alex behind the tree"), and if accurate, the named player must go to jail in the safe zone near the can without being touched.^[12]^[13] Captured players remain in jail until freed. A key mechanic allows non-captured players to free those in jail by sneaking back to home base and kicking the can away from its position before "it" can return and identify the kicker.^[12] If a player successfully kicks the can, all jailed players are immediately freed and must scatter to hide again, while "it" retrieves the can, counts to 10 or 20, and restarts the search.^[12]^[13] However, if "it" reaches the can first and calls out the kicker's name correctly, the kicker joins the others in jail. The objective for the hiders is to avoid capture and repeatedly free teammates by kicking the can, ideally without all being jailed.^[12] "It" wins the round if every player is successfully sent to jail.^[13] The game continues, with the same "it" retrieving the can, counting to 10 or 20, and resuming the search, until all players are captured. A new round then begins with a newly chosen "it" (such as the previously last captured player or by group agreement).^[12]^[13] The game can continue for multiple rounds until players decide to stop, often determined by time or agreement.^[12]

Equipment and Setup

The primary equipment for a standard game of Kick the Can is an empty tin can, typically 3 to 5 inches tall, such as a rinsed soup or coffee can, which serves as the central object to be kicked.^[14]^[15] For safety reasons, particularly to avoid sharp edges on metal cans, alternatives like a plastic bottle, foam ball, or soft ball may be used instead.^[16]^[17]^[18] No additional tools or specialized items are required beyond this kickable object.^[12] The game is played outdoors in open spaces such as backyards, streets, playgrounds, parks, or fields, where natural boundaries like trees, fences, or sidewalks define the play area.^[12] Larger groups necessitate bigger spaces to accommodate hiding and running, while smaller groups can use more confined areas.^[19] To set up, players select a flat, open spot as the home base and place the can upright in its center; a nearby designated area, such as a small fenced-off zone or marked spot, serves as the jail for captured players.^[12] The ground should be even and free of hazards like rocks or uneven terrain to minimize risks of falls or injuries from the can.^[16] Suitable for children ages 5 and older, the game accommodates groups of 4 or more players, with appropriate footwear like sneakers recommended for safety on varied surfaces, though barefoot play is possible on soft grass.^[20]^[19]

Variations

Traditional Variations

Traditional variations of Kick the Can emerged in various regions, adapting the core mechanics of hiding, seeking, and kicking to local environments and preferences before the 1980s. These folk adaptations often tweaked rules for fairness, safety, or play style while retaining the game's emphasis on stealth and speed. The British "Kick Tin," documented in UK scouting resources, utilizes a tin can in confined spaces like alleys with defined boundaries to limit the playing area.^[21] Played often in urban settings, this adaptation suits smaller groups. One player acts as the Guardian who places the can in a circle; a player kicks the can out to start hiding, and the Guardian replaces it before searching. When spotting a hider, both race to the can—the first to kick it wins (hider hides again if successful, otherwise becomes a prisoner near the circle). Prisoners can be rescued by another player kicking the can unnoticed, emphasizing strategy over simple elimination. In Australia, "Kick the Tin" incorporates elements observed in institutional play, where kicking the tin signals the start of hiding, and players scatter to conceal themselves.^[22]

Modern Adaptations

In the 21st century, Kick the Can has seen digital adaptations that blend traditional gameplay with online multiplayer elements. The "KickTheCan-Online" mobile app, released in 2022, allows players to participate in virtual versions of the game where participants can transform into objects to hide and revive jailed players by "kicking" a digital can, enabling remote play while preserving the core mechanics of hiding, tagging, and freeing teammates.^[23] Modern equipment innovations have enhanced nighttime play through glow-in-the-dark variants. Starlux Games' "Cosmic Kick the Can," introduced in 2023, replaces the traditional metal can with a soft, light-up silicone ball featuring color-changing modes, allowing the game to extend into evenings while maintaining the strategic elements of defense and invasion in outdoor settings.^[24] Inclusive adaptations have made the game accessible to players with disabilities in physical education contexts. Organizations like Playworks recommend modifying tag-based games by providing extra time for movement to wheelchair users and ensuring tags contact the body rather than the chair to promote fair participation.^[25] Since the 2010s, Kick the Can has been integrated into school physical education curricula to foster strategy, teamwork, and physical activity. Playworks incorporates the game into recess and playground programs, using it to teach spatial awareness and cooperation in group settings, often with multiple "finders" for larger classes to balance play dynamics.^[12] Online communities have emerged to share contemporary variants and organize virtual discussions. Platforms like Reddit's r/GenX subreddit feature threads where users reminisce about childhood play and discuss rules, sustaining interest in the game among adults.^[26]

Cultural Impact

In Popular Culture

Kick the can has appeared in several films as a metaphor for recapturing youth and innocence. In the 1983 anthology film Twilight Zone: The Movie, directed by Steven Spielberg among others, the segment "Kick the Can" features elderly residents of a nursing home who magically revert to children by playing the game, emphasizing themes of aging and vitality.^[27] This segment is a remake of the 1962 Twilight Zone television episode of the same name, written by George Clayton Johnson, where an old man inspires his fellow retirees to play the game in hopes of restoring their youth.^[28] The game also features prominently in the 2020 Netflix series Alice in Borderland, adapted from the Japanese manga, where a deadly version of kick the can serves as a high-stakes challenge in a dystopian setting, blending childhood play with survival horror.^[29] In literature, kick the can evokes nostalgic portrayals of childhood freedom and small-town life. Ray Bradbury's 1957 novel Dandelion Wine includes the game as part of the protagonist Douglas Spaulding's summer rituals in 1928 Illinois, symbolizing the unbridled joy of youth amid everyday discoveries.^[30] The game inspired titles for several works, such as Jim Lehrer's 1988 novel Kick the Can, the first in his One-Eyed Mack series, which follows a teenage drifter's adventures in 1950s America, using the game's improvisational spirit to frame themes of rebellion and growth.^[31] Similarly, Anne Cameron's 1991 novel Kick the Can centers on a young girl's journey toward independence in rural Canada, drawing on the game's simplicity to highlight resilience and self-reliance.^[32] Television episodes have used kick the can to explore nostalgia and social dynamics. Beyond the original Twilight Zone episode, the 2015 HBO series Togetherness features the game in episode 4 of season 1, titled "Kick the Can," where adults revive childhood play during a gathering to combat midlife stagnation and foster reconnection among friends.^[33] The game's appearance in Alice in Borderland extends its media footprint, appearing in season 3 (2025) as a perilous game that tests strategy and teamwork, underscoring its adaptability as a cultural touchstone for innocence under threat.^[29] In music, kick the can has inspired tracks that reflect on fleeting youth and delay. Indie rock band Moss Icon's "Kick the Can" from their 1994 album Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly captures the raw energy of adolescent games through post-hardcore intensity, symbolizing ephemeral freedom.^[34] More recently, Brent Cobb's 2023 country song "Kick the Can" from the album Southern Star uses the game as a metaphor for prolonging simple pleasures like messing around with friends before adulthood's demands take over.^[35] As a symbol of lost childhood amid urbanization, kick the can represents unstructured street play that fosters community and safety in dense neighborhoods. Urban theorist Jane Jacobs, in her 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, discusses how such informal games on sidewalks build social bonds and teach children urban navigation, though she focuses on broader play rather than naming specific games; this idea has influenced essays on how modern development erodes these spontaneous activities.^[36]

Legacy and Popularity

Kick the Can continues to enjoy niche popularity among children in the United States, particularly in suburban and rural areas where open spaces facilitate outdoor play, though overall participation in unstructured games has declined amid rising screen time. According to the Aspen Institute's Project Play 2021 report, while organized sports saw fluctuations during the COVID-19 pandemic, unorganized outdoor activities like biking and walking increased temporarily.^[37] The game offers significant health benefits, promoting physical activity through running, hiding, and strategic movement, which enhances cardiovascular fitness, coordination, and motor skills in children. It also fosters social skills like teamwork and quick decision-making during play. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends outdoor games like Kick the Can as effective alternatives to screen time, noting that such activities support mental health by reducing stress and improving focus, with endorsements for daily unstructured play dating back to their 2015 policy statements on the importance of play.^[38] Preservation efforts by nonprofits have helped sustain the game's relevance in modern communities. Playworks, a national organization founded in 1996, actively documents and teaches Kick the Can in school recess programs across urban and low-income areas, emphasizing its role in building inclusive play environments and reviving traditional games for new generations.^[12] Globally, Kick the Can and its variations are played in at least a dozen countries, including the United States, United Kingdom (as "Kick the Tin"), Germany, France, and the Netherlands, reflecting its adaptability as a folk game. While not individually listed, such traditional children's games contribute to UNESCO's broader recognition of intangible cultural heritage elements like tugging rituals and other communal play forms, with discussions on preserving outdoor folk games gaining traction since the early 2010s.^[11]^[39] Despite these positives, the game faces challenges from urban decline, where limited green spaces and safety concerns have reduced outdoor play opportunities for city children by up to 50% compared to previous generations. Digital adaptations, such as the mobile app "KickTheCan-Online," have emerged to boost accessibility, allowing virtual play that simulates the game's mechanics for indoor or space-constrained settings.^[40]^[41]

References

[1]
Sage Reference - Encyclopedia of Play in Today's Society
Kick the Can is played in various ways. The basic rules of this game are easy to learn and allow multiple age groupings to play together. One child is. “it,” ...
[2]
Kicking It with 'Kick the Can Down the Road' - Merriam-Webster
For the game of Kick the Can, all you needed was an old can, one player to be “It,” and a bunch of other players to hide. It's job was to guard the can ...
[3]
How to Play Kick the Can game - Reward Charts
Kick The Can History. The exact origins of this long beloved game are lost in history. Its earliest variant, Hide and Seek, was first recorded in Greece ...
[4]
https://www.daredictionary.com/view/dare/ID_00044710
[5]
The History of Kick the Can | FamilyTree.com
Kick the Can is a very old children's game, and no one seems to know for certain exactly where or when it originated.Missing: 1900-1920 | Show results with:1900-1920
[6]
Urbana Courier-Herald, 6 September 1913 — STREETS AS ...
... kick the can , potsey , shinny , cowboys and Indians , marbles and writing on sidewalks . Keep Your Children Content . Do you teach your . children that the ...
[7]
https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/263/oa_edited_volume/chapter/2259921
[8]
8. Outdoor Play in Wartime Japan - Project MUSE
Can kicking (kan keri), recalled by Maeda, is clearly the game known as tin can tommy in England and by various names, including kick the can in the United ...
[9]
The history behind 3 classic outdoor games | Play N Learn
Jul 12, 2017 · According to reference.com, this game originated from a Greek game called “apodidraskinda.” It was mentioned for the first time by a second ...Missing: 1900-1920 | Show results with:1900-1920
[10]
[PDF] The Decline of Play and the Rise of Psychopathology in Children ...
Over the past half century, in the United States and other developed nations, children's free play with other children has declined sharply.
[11]
The Decline of Children's Play—and the New Alternatives
Jul 22, 2025 · Kick the can was another victim. The game had been immensely popular ... change by the twenty-first century. By 2012, 73 percent of all ...
[12]
Playing `Kick the Can' - CSMonitor.com
Jan 8, 1991 · In Britain (where I live) it has been given all kinds of local names - things like ``Tin Can Tommy'' and ``Kicky-Off-Choff-Choff'' and ``Tin ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[13]
Kick the Can | Playworks
Sep 3, 2010 · If the finder kicks the can, the hider is captured and must stand in the holding zone until released. All hiders may sneak up and kick the can at any time ...
[14]
[PDF] Kick the Can - KaBOOM!
In Kick the Can, one person kicks a can, others hide. "It" counts to 50, then finds players. Caught players can be freed by tagging or kicking the can.
[15]
15 DIY Backyard Games for Kids | Clif Bar | Journal
Kick the can is a fun cross between tag and capture the flag. This game is best when there is a group of five or more kids. To play, set an empty can (think ...
[16]
Kick the can - The Game Gal
Jun 9, 2012 · Kick the can is a fun outdoor neighborhood game for kids; it's like a cross between tag and hide and seek, with a twist.
[17]
How to Play Kick the Can – Scouter Mom
The goal for the hiders is to sneak out and kick the can without getting tagged. ... Use a plastic container instead of a metal can to avoid sharp edges. ... This ...
[18]
Kick the Can - A classic outdoor challenge for kids - Party Games 4 ...
Nov 28, 2020 · The Kick the Can game is a legendary outdoor activity that blends ... A plastic bottle, foam ball, or even a cardboard box works. As ...
[19]
How to Play Kick the Can - Coffee Cups and Crayons
Sep 2, 2013 · Kick the Can: Outdoor Game for Kids! All three of my kids have been ... You can even play with a soft ball–there's no wrong way to play!
[20]
The 8 Best Neighborhood Games - Scholastic
Kick the Can This game has a serious history, but it's easy to play: All you ... children's book favorites. See More. School Success. The Guide to ...
[21]
21 Fun Playground Games for Kids | Park N Play Design
Aug 26, 2022 · Kick the Can. This playground game is perfect for hot summer days. All you need is a can and some friends. It's best played with kids ages six ...
[22]
[PDF] The MacScouter's Big Book of Games - Troop 344 Home
This is a game which has been commercialized in England. One member ... Kick Tin. Type: Pack. Equipment: An old beer can (or similar). Area ...
[23]
Kick the tin - ABC Radio National - ABC News
Nov 12, 2009 · 'Kick the Tin' was the name of a game played at the home, where children had to run and hide after a tin was kicked. Doris compares her life to ...
[24]
Capture the Flag, Red Rover, Kick the Can and other kids games to ...
Aug 24, 2009 · Capture the Flag, Red Rover, Kick the Can and other kids games to play outside ... A time limit is set. The person with the most bugs wins.<|control11|><|separator|>
[25]
KickTheCan-Online - Apps on Google Play
Even if it turns into an object and hides, it can be revived by kicking the can even if the tag catches it! Updated on. Jul 19, 2022.
[26]
Cosmic Kick the Can – Kick and Race to Outer Space! - Starlux Games
In stock Rating 4.6 (37) With the added glow-in-the-dark and soft “can” the game rises above the literal cans we kicked.For parents who want their children to put their phones down and ...
[27]
Adapting Games for Students in Wheelchairs - Playworks
Mar 9, 2016 · Playworks is proud to present tips from Bob Lujano for adapting games to make play possible for students with special needs.
[28]
Who remembers playing kick the can? : r/GenX - Reddit
Sep 7, 2025 · As mentioned, any "free" players could release all prisoners (who would run and hide in a new place) by sneaking to kick the can; the round ...Missing: modern adaptations<|control11|><|separator|>
[29]
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) - IMDb
Rating 6.5/10 (43,821) One day he will live in World War II, be hunted down by the KKK and get attacked in the Vietnam War and feel the effects of his hatred. Segment 2 ("Kick the Can ...Full cast & crew · Trivia · Plot · User reviews
[30]
"The Twilight Zone" Kick the Can (TV Episode 1962) - IMDb
Rating 7.5/10 (3,034) In 'Kick the Can', Charles Whitley in a rest home plays child's games to find youth, while his friend and superintendent want to stop it.Full cast & crew · Ernest Truex · A Piano in the House
[31]
Kick the Can (Netflix) | Alice in Borderland Wiki - Fandom
Sep 25, 2025 · Players have to kick the can and then return it to the original spot. The game is introduced as a semi-final challenge, and completing the game allows the ...Overview · Rules · Strategy<|control11|><|separator|>
[32]
Dandelion Wine Book Review | Ray Bradbury - Readers Lane
Dec 31, 2016 · He records the first trip to the soda shop, the first round of kick the can, the day he gets his new tennis shoes, his wild strawberry and ...
[33]
Books - Kick the Can: Lehrer, Jim: 9780399133503 - Amazon.com
30-day returnsFrom Library Journal. Set in early 1950s Kansas, Texas, and thereabouts, this is the picaresque tale of the vagabond teenaged son of a Kansas state trooper.
[34]
https://www.discogs.com/release/1158266-Moss-Icon-Lyburnum-Wits-End-Liberation-Fly
[35]
"Togetherness" Kick the Can (TV Episode 2015) - IMDb
Rating 7.8/10 (276) Michelle organizes a day of fun with old friends; Michelle challenges a group of hipsters to a game.
[36]
I need songs similar to this one (Kick the Can- Moss Icon) : r/Emo
Aug 26, 2024 · I need songs similar to this one (Kick the Can- Moss Icon).
[37]
[PDF] Death and Life of Great American Cities
Jane Jacobs was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Toronto. In addition to The Death and Life of Great. American Cities, she is the author of ...
[38]
Playing Outside: Why It's Important for Kids - HealthyChildren.org
May 13, 2024 · Playing outside is good for kids in so many ways. There is scientific evidence that playing outside improves health, and children of all ages love it.
[39]
Tugging rituals and games - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Tugging rituals and games are often organized in front of a village's communal house or shrine, preceded by commemorative rites to local protective deities.
[40]
Children spend only half as much time playing outside as their ...
Jul 27, 2016 · The research found, on average, children were playing outside for just over four hours a week, compared to 8.2 hours a week when the adults questioned were ...
[41]
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.KGA.KickTheCan