Kick the can

This article is about the children's game. For the Twilight Zone episode, see Kick the Can.
A discarded beverage can

Kick the can (also known as kick the block,[1] guard the block,[1] can can, 40 40, pom pom, tip the can, tin can copper, and can up can down), is an outdoor children's game related to tag, hide and seek, and capture the flag, played with as few as three to as many as several dozen players. The game is one of skill, strategy, stealth, and stamina.

The game is played with a kickable object, usually a discarded empty can, sometimes with rocks inserted for noise. The game was a popular pick-up game during difficult economic times. The origin is unknown, but during the Great Depression in the 1930s the game was a popular pastime because it did not require a playing field, nor any designated equipment other than a discarded can or other kickable object.[2]

  1. ^ a b "Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 7 September 1933, page 26" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Kick the Can". Play & Playground Encyclopedia. 23 August 2012.