The seeker begins close to where the can/item has been set up. Their eyes should be closed as they count to the number decided beforehand. All other players should find a hiding spot while the seeker is counting. When the seeker finishes counting, they can search for the other players. For the seeker to catch someone, they have to call out the hider's name and hiding spot. Then the hider and the seeker race back to the can. If the seeker arrives first, the hider is in jail. If the hider gets there first, they must kick the can. There are many variations of Kick the Can. One of the most common has the seeker running to tag players out after calling out their name and location. Hiders should still try to kick the can. After the can is kicked, the hider runs to find a new hiding place while the seeker gets the can and places it back where it was. All jailed players are freed when a hider kicks the can.  Since a hider kicking the can releases jailed players, the seeker should be strategic in guarding the can. Try to keep an eye on it to prevent hiders from sneaking up on it. Depending on your house rules, sometimes the seeker only needs to set up the can again before searching, other times the seeker counts again before the game continues. The last hider is winner. You might want to set an overall time limit for each round of the game so that the seeker doesn't have to search for too long. Set a 15 or 30 minute timer or use an alarm on your phone. Some versions of the game go until the seeker catches all hiders. In this case, the seeker is considered the winner.
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One-sentence summary -- Hide while the seeker counts. Go to jail when caught by the seeker. Reset the game when the can is kicked. Play until only one hider remains.


Even if people are mean to you, be nice to everyone at school. Don’t gossip or start rumors. When you talk to people, be polite and kind. If you are nice to everyone, no one can say anything bad about you. Smile at people and don’t avoid making eye contact. Vent out all your painful emotions. All the things you want to say out loud but may feel to scared or shy to say, write them down. Write down what is happening and how you are feeling.  You can write all of your painful feelings out on a paper and then burn it safely. Especially if you are shy, having a journal to express your feelings can be helpful. Exercise is a great way to bust stress and help you feel good about yourself. If going to the gym isn’t your thing, there are plenty of things you can do to move and sweat. Jump on a trampoline, take your dog for a walk, or ride your bike.  You can also dance, ice skate, or do tae-bo. Do things that interest you and that you enjoy! Learn a new skill. Learning something new can increase your confidence as well as show you your progress as you keep working with it. While it may feel like nobody likes you, you can try to join different clubs or teams to make friends that share similar interests as you. This can be at school or outside of school. Look into different clubs at school such as drama club, yearbook, poetry club, and activities like music or sports. Outside of school you can join like karate, dance, and spiritual organizations.  Think about what may interest you, then go check it out. You may feel weird or out of place at first, but give it a shot. Sometimes the hardest part is going to your first meeting. You might feel really anxious or tell yourself all kinds of stories that no one will like you or that you’ll be ignored. Don’t listen to any of it! Just go one time, and give it a try. Remember that all the people there share that same interest. Try getting to know other club members by asking them, “When did you first get into photography?” or, “How long have you done karate?” or, “Who’s your favorite poet?” Instead of dwelling on thoughts that nobody likes you or that people are mean to you, change your perception. There’s no need to replay negative situations in your head over and over. By focusing on the past on your negative experience, you actually empower the people that hurt you. Instead, empower yourself by creating positive thoughts about yourself.  It may be easy to get stuck on a loop of when people rejected you. (“What did I do? What could I have done differently? Why were they so mean?”) but get off that loop as soon as possible. These people do not define who you are, and their opinion is only an opinion, not a fact. . Think about the positive qualities you possess (like being kind, compassionate, caring, and generous) and your unique abilities (such as being a great dancer and big brother).
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One-sentence summary --
Be nice to everyone. Write in a journal. Increase your confidence. Join sports or clubs. Focus on positive experiences.