“Watch the ants jump!”
Released in 1969, Ants in the Pants is a simple action game designed for young children. Built around a single physical challenge rather than strategy, the game asks players to propel small plastic insects into a freestanding pair of oversized pants. Its accessibility and short playtime helped it remain popular with preschool-aged players for decades.
GAMEPLAY
The game is often compared to Tiddlywinks, though Ants in the Pants substitutes a themed target and moulded plastic pieces for flat discs. The playing surface consists of a pair of upright plastic pants, complete with suspenders, positioned as the central target.
Two to four players each begin with four ants, colour-coded red, yellow, blue, and green. The ants are made of flexible plastic and are launched by pressing down on the tail, causing them to spring into the air. On each turn, players attempt to flip their ants into the open waist of the pants. The first player to land all four ants inside is declared the winner. A typical game lasts approximately ten minutes.
IN THE BOX
A complete game included the plastic pants target with suspenders and 16 plastic ants in four colours. Instructions were printed separately.
Over time, the Ants in the Pants license passed from Schaper to Tyco Toys and later to Milton Bradley, which is now part of Hasbro.
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