How to Play Kick the Can With Your Friends

While playing 'kick the can', the can need not be an actual can. It could be any designated object that can be placed in the center of the play area to be kicked every time the game reaches a turning point.

Spending a fun-filled evening with friends is something that all kids look forward to. Why kids, even adults love to unwind with those who are fun and great company to be with. As far as kids are concerned, enjoying the outdoors is a perfect way to let your child refresh his/her mind after a day of school work.

Outdoor activities and games are essential to a child's life as they are silent teachers of lessons that go beyond the confines of a classroom.

'Kick the can' is a classic outdoor game. It is a great game to learn teamwork, garner good sportsman spirit, and even develop leadership traits.

These must-have ideals in life are instilled in kids by interacting with other kids and socializing with them for a cause. So, without further ado, here's how to play kick the can. Go through the rules of this game with your child so that the playtime is fair and enjoyable.

Gather all your friends together to play this game. More the number of friends, more fun this game becomes. After all, there is a reason why they say more the merrier!

Select a can to serve as the most important part of this game. If you cannot find a can, then pick an object that can serve as a can or one that can be kicked.

Demarcate the play area and lay down the periphery that will be used while playing the game. This is an important step which must not be missed. If an area is not demarcated, the players will get ample of scope to hide in inaccessible or far off areas, which will make the game never-ending.

Out of the group of kids willing to play the game, pick one as denner who will search for other kids. There are various methods of picking the denner. You can rely on a round of rock, paper, scissors, or '1,2,3 or not then denner!'. Then the denner will seek all those who hide.

Place the can roughly in the center of the play area. Next the denner should close his eyes and count to a hundred so that the other kids get enough time to hide. Once the counting is over, he has to find everyone who is hiding. Likewise, when denner is searching, all the other hiding kids have to move around in a stealthily manner to prevent being caught.

As the denner seeks out all those in the hiding, prevent making any big moves. This will help you be in the hiding for a longer time.

When the denner spots someone, he or she will dash to the can, place one foot on it and call out 'I spot... the spotted kid's name'. The kid whose name has been called out will have to come out of the hiding, and be 'jailed'.

As the denner goes around searching, and a hider is 'jailed', the other players in hiding have to try to free their 'jailed' fellow hider, by sneaking up and kicking the can before denner notices or spots him/her. However, if the seeker finds the others in the meanwhile, the game ends. But, if the jailed person is freed, then the game begins all over again.

These were the eight simple rules of playing kick the can. Playing this game in the night or after the sun goes down can be fun, but dangerous when kids are involved. Thus, ensure all the safety measures are met with, and the play area is safe and protected. Lastly, do remember to play the game fair and square!