Kicking the can

Kicking the can

Kicking the can (or kicking the bucket) was a game played by boys during school recess. Despite its name, no mayhem was involved. A circle a few feet in diameter was drawn in the dirt, and the “it” person stayed in the circle with his foot on a can or old bucket while everyone else hid anywhere on the school grounds except in the school building itself. “It” looked around, and anyone he could see was “captured” and placed inside the circle. When all the obvious people were captured, he then had to leave his can and move away from the circle to look for the other participants. If one of those not captured could run up and kick the unattended can out of the circle, everyone in the circle was set free. If, however, “It” could dash back and get his foot on the can before it was kicked out of the circle, the would-be kicker was captured and had to stay inside the circle. The game ended either when everyone was captured or when recess was over.