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Games with beverage cans

Spaghetti can transport
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With many beverage cans such as Coke, Fanta, soda, or beer cans, various games of skill and competition can be played. The procurement is simple. Either have each participant bring 5-10 empty cans from home or simply accumulate empty cans over a more extended period. In most games, the cans remain intact and are later returned to the beverage store.

Playing with objects: Games with cans

As with all games with objects, the games with cans also originate from the creative idea of what games can be developed with everyday objects. So, you don't always have to obtain expensive play equipment but can create a few ideas with little collection and organization effort and a little creativity. One of the other ideas which are perhaps similar is the Plastic Cup Games site, games with plastic cups, and/or the Cup Games site, games with cups. You can adapt any of those games. A few game ideas, however, are exceptional and very individually playable only with beverage cans. And if you are just a bit creative, you can think of even more games. If this is the case, you are welcome to send us your ideas.

Skills:

Dexterity, steady hands, speed, cooperation, and coordination are also required in these games with cans. So, to speak, everything is there, which should also apply to the excellent cross-section of the group participant(s).

Materials:

In some of the following games, only one can per game is needed; in some games, up to 10 or more cans. Furthermore, a few spaghettis, a ball, a plastic box, a funnel, measuring cups, hammer, nails, water in a water tub, a plastic plate, and paper plates are needed. The material usually results from the game description for the respective can game.

Games with tins

Sloping tins

Empty Coke or Fanta cans are placed at an angle on a smooth, flat surface. This requires a steady hand and some skill.
Floating stack of cans

A water tub with water, a plastic plate that floats, and 3-4 empty Coke cans are needed. The plate is carefully placed on the water. The task is to stack 3-4 empty Coke cans on top of each other without the stack toppling over or the plate sinking. Here, too, a steady hand is required.
Stacking cans

For this game, you need some Cola/Fanta cans and paper plates. The task is to build a tower as high as possible. Start with one can, place a paper plate on top of it, place 3 more cans on top of it, place another paper plate to build the next level with 3 cans, etc. If 10 cans are available, then the structure has 4 floors. Which team finishes the fastest?

Variation 1: whoever has more tins can build the tower up to the ceiling.

Variation 2: instead of working with "levels" made of paper plates, all cans are simply stacked on top of each other. This is not quite as stable and will probably tip over sooner.
Spaghetti can transport

A long spaghetti noodle is put through the opening loop of an empty aluminum can. On command, 2 players have to put the end of the spaghetti in their mouths to transport the can from A to B and put it down without it falling over. The game requires some coordination between the two.
Can kicker

Instead of kicking a ball into a goal, empty cans must be kicked into a basket. The number of cans that land in the basket within one minute is counted.

Variation 1: using a golf club or wooden stick, the can must pass through a course and into the goal.

Variation 2: kick the can as far as possible.

Cola cans pushing

On table one (two on top of each other, three on top of each other), Coke can(s) is (are) pushed from the lower end of the table to the upper end of the table only with the cheek. If the can falls over, the candidate must start over again.
Balancing cans

The contestant stacks one can on top of the other and must transport this stack from A to B. If a can falls down on the way, the contestant must start again.

Variation 1: he holds the first can in his hand and then stacks one can after the other.

Variation 2: he must carry at least 3 cans in one run, but he can also take more. How many cans did he move in 2 minutes?
Carry beverage cans

How many cans can a player carry at once?

Variation 1: Cans must be transported from A to B. How many cans can be transported from A to B within 2 minutes? A lot of cans are needed here.

Variation 2: the other players pile as many cans as possible into the arms of a candidate, who then has to transport the cans from A to B.

Variation 3: how many cans can a candidate pack into or under his T-shirt and sweatpants?
Shooting cans

Of course, the classic can shooting game must not remain unmentioned. On the table, 6 to 15 cans are built up to a pyramid (or the rifles stand next). Now the cans are shot from a distance of 2-5 meters. How many cans are discharged from the table?

Variation 1: try to hit the cans with a rubber band and paper staples.

Variation 2: try to hit the cans with a tennis ball.

Variation 3: try to hit the cans with an air rifle or bow and arrow. Safety precautions must be taken in this variant of the game.
Water transport

The tins are filled with water, and the water has to be transported from A to B.

Variation: if you now combine this water transport game with the game "carrying cans," then the "can carrying" player can get quite wet. Especially if you choose game variation 2 or 3.
Sitting tins

This game requires a chair or a board. One can is placed under each leg of the chair, and then a player sits on it without the chair or the cans falling over. In this game, however, some variants and levels of difficulty are possible.

Variation 1: the teammate is already sitting on a chair; the teammates lift the chair together and place the cans under the chair leg. Which team succeeds in this task the fastest?

Variation 2: it becomes more challenging or wobbly if more than one can is placed under each chair leg.

Variation 3: instead of a chair, a sturdy board is used. One can is placed at each of the four corners of the board. Instead of just one can, 2-3 cans stacked on top of each other can also be put to the task.
Squeezing or squashing cans

After this game, you will probably not be able to give the cans back and receive a deposit. The task is to crush the cans by hand. Because of the risk of injury, a glove would be helpful.

Variation 1: crush a can with both hands.

Variation 2: use a hammer to squeeze the can as small as possible.

Variation 3: squeeze as many cans as possible into a plastic freezer box (approx. 10x10x10cm) so that the lid still closes.
Water game

For this game, each group needs a hammer, a thick nail, 10 cans, 1 liter of water, tape if necessary, a measuring cup, a bucket.

The task now is for the group to hammer holes into the bottom of each can. Then all the cans are stacked on top of each other. Water is slowly poured into the top tin through the small opening. Now the water must run down through all the cans to be collected under the last can with an empty bucket (funnel or glass).

Which team succeeds in this task the fastest or could catch the most water?

Assistance: the cans could be held together and fixed with tape. Or each can is held by a teammate so that the water can flow from the top to the bottom as quickly and with as little loss as possible. Make sure that only the water that flows out of the lowest can is counted.