Select Page

Kan Jam!  What exactly is Kan Jam?  Well…let me tell you.  It is the simplest game that is so fun to play with your entire family!  I was introduced to this frisbee game at a friend’s house a few months ago, and I watched my children play it for hours.

After watching and figuring out the rules for play, and seeing how much the kids were enjoying this simple game, I thought to myself…why didn’t I invent this?  You know those really simple, yet awesome things you see sometimes that people invented?  Do you find yourself thinking you could’ve (and should’ve) thought of that?

I come across things like that all the time.  Simple things like the Itty Bitty Book Light.  I wanted something like that for years, then suddenly it was there.  Why didn’t I think of that?  And the game Tenzi!  So simple, but so fun!  I totally could’ve thought of that.

This list (in my head) of things like that goes on and on.  Well, now I can add Kan Jam to that list!  Still not sure what I’m talking about?  Well here goes…

Kan Jam is described as the Ultimate Outdoor Game. Play it everywhere. Great for Backyards, Barbecues, Parties, Beaches, Tailgating, Gym Class and More.  Team Members take turns throwing and deflecting the Kan Jam Disc to score points up to 21 or by throwing an exciting Instant win. 

Sounds fun, right?  Basically, each team has a Kan Jam frisbee and a “kan” with a slot in the front, and a hole in the top of it.  Make sense yet?

Here’s Mark, trying to deflect the disc into the Kan for some points! It’s not as easy as you would think!!

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to score points by throwing and deflecting the discs to cause it to hit or enter the goal (the Kan). The game ends when either team scores exactly 21 points or an “Instant Win” is scored.

You need 4 players to play the game by the rules, or you can do what we do when you don’t have enough players, and make up your own rules.  But…the rules that come with the game say you need two teams of two players.  Team partners stand at opposite goals (or Kans).  They work together to score points, and they alternate as the thrower and deflector.

Scoring

Here’s how the scoring works:

  • Dinger = 1 Point – Redirected Hit – Deflector redirects thrown disc and hits any part of the goal (the Kan).
  • Deuce = 2 Points – Direct Hit – Thrower hits the side of the goal unassisted by their partner.
  • Bucket = 3 Points – Slam Dunk – the deflector redirects the Disc after it’s been thrown, and it lands inside the goal.  This will almost always occur through the top of the goal, but may the disc can also be redirected through the slot opening on the front of the Kan.
  • Instant Win = Direct Entry – The thrower lands the disc inside the goal unassisted by his/her partner. It can enter through the slot opening on the front or through the top of the goal.

Okay…so even when I read the scoring rules, it seems a little bit confusing, and I’ve played the game before. That’s why sometimes we bend or change the rules to something simpler, all depending on who’s playing.

I had ordered this for Zach for his birthday.  We pulled in to the driveway one afternoon and he immediately spotted the big box on the porch with giant letters spelling out KAN JAM!

He was so excited!  And his birthday surprise was totally ruined!  So…we opened it and began playing.  I went shopping the next day for a gift to wrap for him!  Lesson learned…

We have played Kan Jam many times, and like I said, we often bend (or change) the rules to fit our team members.  It is much more fun when you play in teams of two (even if you have to adapt the rules a bit).  Kan Jam reminds me a little bit of Corn Hole.  We also play that a lot, and it is nice to have an alternate to that, especially now that we’re all dealing with COVID-19 quarantine.  Between Kan Jam, Corn Hole, and Bocce Ball, we are set on games to play with your family!

It’s great to have Zach on your team – he will do anything to deflect the disc into the Kan! I almost always win when he is on my team!!

As I was typing up this blog post, I decided to check out the Kan Jam Website.  I was surprised at what I found out.  Can you believe they have a Mini Kan Jam game?  Yes…a version of this game that you can play inside on a table or at your desk!

There were other games that they offered as well.  They included the following:

  • Kan Jam Illuminate Game Set – Never let mother nature tell you it’s time to stop playing KanJam! KanJam Illuminate Glow Game is the night time experience KanJam fans have been waiting for. With a 9 color LED light pod inside each light reactive goal, and a glow-in-the-dark flying disc, you can enjoy KanJam any hour of the day, especially in pitch black. The KanJam Illuminate Glow Game Set comes with everything you need to set-up for night play in minutes.
  • Kan Jam Mini Set – All of the fun and excitement of the original KanJam brought indoors.   Fast paced and exciting indoor game that’s perfect for the dorm room, basement or anywhere with a flat surface.  Great kids activity for a rainy/snow day activity for kids.  Play 2-on-2 or try the new 1-on-1 gameplay.  Set up KanJam MINI goals on table and throw the official KanJam MINI disc toward the goal.  Score points by hitting the goal directly, throwing the disc through the top of the goal, or having your partner deflect into the goal.  Score an instant win by throwing the disc through the Instant Win slot.
  • Kan Jam Splash – KanJam SPLASH isn’t your mother’s pool game. SPLASH brings all of the fun and excitement of the original KanJam game and simply adds water, making it one of this summer’s best water games.  KanJam SPLASH is highly portable and easy to set up, making it the perfect beach game.  SPLASH can be played in any body of water and will bring endless hours of fun to your summer.
  • Kan Jam Gliders – Gliders is a fun and fast-paced table-top game, and is perfect for the office break room, school cafeteria, dorm room, dining room table, or any other location, indoor or out, with a smooth surface.  KanJam Gliders is a fun combination of strategy, luck and skill as you slide the disc across the table toward the goal on the other side. 

Right now, we only own the original Kan Jam game, but Kan Jam Gliders is definitely on my list of things to buy!  It sort of reminds me of the table-top football game we used to play in school – remember the paper “footballs” you could make during math class (at least I did), and then we played the little “flick football” game at lunch.  Tons of fun!

I can also see having Kan Jam Splash at the pool this summer.  Since it is usually too hot to play outside in Texas in the summer, unless you are in the pool, I think we’re going to have to pick up Kan Jam Splash before summer gets here!

All of these games and much more are offered including extra discs, t-shirts, gloves, and more…  I’m glad my kids haven’t seen all this stuff yet.  I’m pretty sure they would insist that they needed glow in the dark discs and a pair of Kan Jam gloves!  Oh my…

Do you have an outdoor family game that you just love?  If so, what is it?  I’d love to hear all about it.  In the meantime, get yourself Kan Jam and have fun!  Let me know what you think.  Until next time…