Setup
- Place the pants in the middle of the table. Some newer versions of the game require you to attach the front and back of the pants.
- Slide the cardboard insert inside the slots in the pants. Versions older than the 1990s did not include a cardboard insert.
- Attach the two suspenders to the notches on the sides of the pants.
- Each player chooses a color and takes the four ants of their chosen color.
How to Play Ants in the Pants
Each player sets up their ants so they are aimed towards the pants. When everyone is ready, the players will count down “one, two, three, jump!”. After the countdown the game begins. All of the players play at the same time. Players can launch the ants as quickly or as slowly as they want.
To launch ants towards the pants you need to press down on the back of the ant with one finger. Once you slide your finger off the ant it will jump into the air. The faster you remove your finger, the higher/further the ant will jump.
The objective is to launch your ants so they land in the pants. When one of your ants land in the pants, you move onto your next ant.
Should an ant land anywhere other than inside the pants, you need to pick it up and try to launch it again. You will have to keep launching an ant until it lands in the pants.
Winning Ants in the Pants
The first player to get all four of their ants into the pair of pants wins the game.
If you would like to play another game, remove all of the ants from the pants. Each player takes a set of four ants. You are ready to play another game.
When you are done playing the game you need to remove the suspenders and cardboard insert from the pants. In newer versions of the game you need to remove the front and back of the pants in order to fit everything back into the box.
Components
- Pants (in some newer versions the pants come in three pieces)
- 2 Suspenders
- Cardboard Insert (versions released in the 1990s and newer)
- 16 Ants (4 of each color)
- Instructions
Year: 1969 | Publisher: Schaper, Milton Bradley, Hasbro | Designer: Marvin Glass
Genres: Children’s, Dexterity, Speed
Ages: 4+ | Number of Players: 2-4 | Length of Game: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Light | Strategy: Light | Luck: Moderate
For more board and card game rules/how to plays, check out our complete alphabetical list of card and board game rules posts.