How to Play Knock Down Ginger

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Knock Down Ginger is a traditional outdoor playground and street game played by two to six children. One player acts as the door-knocker, rapping on a door or gate and sprinting away before it opens, while the player designated as 'it' tries to catch them before they reach a agreed safe zone.

Its appeal is simple: it costs nothing, needs no equipment, and delivers an immediate rush of adrenaline. It is most commonly played on residential streets, in cul-de-sacs, or around school playgrounds where there are walls, gates, or railings to knock on and enough open space to run.

A little history

The game is known by a variety of regional names across the UK and Ireland, including Knock and Run, Knock Knock Ginger, and Chap Door Run. Its origins are unclear, though it is widely documented as a British and Irish street pastime dating back at least to the nineteenth century, and the name 'Knock Down Ginger' appears in early twentieth-century accounts of London street games. Beyond that, the precise etymology of 'Ginger' in the title is not firmly established.

Setting up

1. Agree on the playing area: identify one or more doors, gates, or walls that will serve as the knock points.
2. Agree on a safe zone: a clearly defined spot at least 10 to 15 metres from the knock point where caught players cannot be tagged.
3. Choose one player to be 'it' by any agreed method (coin toss, dip, or volunteer).
4. All other players gather at the starting point, at least 5 metres back from the knock point.
5. Agree in advance how many rounds will be played and whether caught players swap roles or sit out.

How to play

1. The player designated 'it' stands at the safe zone or counts to ten facing away from the knock point while the other players approach the door or gate.
2. One nominated knocker (or all players together, depending on the variant chosen) raps loudly on the door, gate, or wall at least twice.
3. Immediately after knocking, all players sprint away from the knock point toward the safe zone.
4. The 'it' player turns and gives chase as soon as they hear the knock, or as soon as their count reaches ten.
5. Any player tagged by 'it' before reaching the safe zone is caught.
6. A player who reaches the safe zone without being tagged is safe for that round.
7. Once all players are either caught or safe, the round ends.
8. The caught player (or, if multiple are caught, the first one tagged) becomes 'it' in the next round.
9. If no one is caught, the same 'it' player continues into the next round.
10. Play continues for the agreed number of rounds.

Winning and scoring

The player who has been 'it' the fewest times across all agreed rounds is the winner. If scoring is preferred, award one point to each player who reaches the safe zone uncaught per round; the player with the most points at the end of all rounds wins. In informal play, the last player to avoid being caught across the session is simply declared the winner.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns whether the 'it' player may move before hearing the knock. The standard ruling is that 'it' must not turn or step forward until the knock is clearly audible; any player who turns early must return to the start position before giving chase. If 'it' tags the same player twice in a row due to a disputed touch, the tag stands only if a second neutral player witnessed it.

A player who knocks so softly that no sound is made has not completed a legal knock and must return to the knock point to try again, giving 'it' no right to move yet. If a player trips or falls while running, they may be tagged while down; there is no automatic safety rule for falling. The boundary of the safe zone should be agreed before play begins and treated as absolute: a player with one foot inside is safe.

How to win more often

• Knock hard and loud: a clear knock gives you a fraction more distance before 'it' reacts, which matters over a short sprint.
• Do not run in a straight line directly to the safe zone if 'it' is positioned to cut you off. A slight arc can add a vital metre of separation.
• Watch where 'it' is standing before you knock. If they are leaning toward one side, bias your run to the opposite direction.
• If playing in a group, stagger your departure from the knock point slightly. Running at the same instant creates a pack that is easier for 'it' to intercept; a split-second gap spreads the chase.
• When you are 'it', position yourself close to the centre of all likely running lines rather than directly behind the knock point. This reduces the maximum distance any runner has to cover before you can cut them off.

Variations

Knock and Run (single knocker)

In this variant only one player knocks per round, chosen by a quick group decision or by whoever was caught last. All other players still run as soon as the knock lands. This puts more pressure on the nominated knocker and makes the role feel higher stakes.

Multiple Doors

Two or more knock points are agreed in advance. Players split into pairs, each pair responsible for knocking at a different door simultaneously. The 'it' player must choose which group to chase, giving runners at the ignored door a free pass to safety. This works best with five or six players.

Tiggy Knock

Any player caught by 'it' does not become 'it' themselves but instead joins 'it' as a second chaser for all subsequent rounds. The game ends when all players are caught. The last player to be tagged is the winner. This variation shortens the game considerably and suits younger players.

Timed Sprint

A five-second head start is given to runners after the knock before 'it' is allowed to move. This levels the playing field when one player is noticeably faster than the others, and is particularly useful when older and younger children are playing together.

Knock Down Ginger: frequently asked questions