How to Play 'Ding Dong Ditch'

Gather a group of friends. The fewer people you bring, the easier it will be to run away and hide without being conspicuous. However, you might find that a big group is a lot of fun. Go on foot, if possible, or bring bicycles for a quick getaway. You can all go in a car, if you have access to one, but make sure that you don't park it right in front of the target's house. With a group, all knock then run and hide together.

• If you don't want anyone to find out that it was you, make sure to bring people that can keep a secret. If one person tells, then your cover is blown! Bring close friends.

Pick a house to ding dong ditch. Target someone that you know – ideally, a friend on whom you want to play a prank. Make sure that he/she is home. Pick a house that's easily accessible and that doesn't have much in the way of security systems. Ding Dong Ditch a stranger or someone you hate once you're a pro at DDD.

• To play it safe, you'll want to pick a house that doesn't have any low windows (especially near the door), a dog, or any other hazards. It's also easier to get away if you do it at night and being woken up will annoy the occupant of the house a lot more.
• Be aware that your friend's parents might open the door instead of your friend. Assuming that you want to prank your friend and not bother anybody else: try to pick a time when your friend is home alone without his/her parents.
• Make sure that the house has a doorbell. If not, you can knock the door instead.

Plan your escape route. The most important part of the game is the "ditch." Scope out the house from a distance and decide which way you're going to run. The exact route will depend on the house, the time of day, and the number of people. If you don't plan it out, then there's a higher chance that someone will get caught.

• Consider using a getaway car. Consider hopping onto bikes to pedal away. It will almost always be easier to get away at night. Make sure you have a light on your bicycle if playing in the dark.
• If there is a long driveway or large yard in front of the house, then you might want to ditch into the bushes or jump into a neighbor's yard.
• If you are playing at night, then you have the cover of darkness on your side. Look out for motion-sensor lights. If you're playing during the day, then you'll need to pick houses with a quicker, shorter escape route.
• If you're playing with only one or two other people, then it might be most effective to all run in the same direction. This way, you can stick together and hide in a secure space. If you have a lot of people in your crew— say, more than five— then you might want to scatter after each ding dong ditch so that it's harder to track down the group.

Find a hiding spot. Scout out a secretive spot from which you can see the reaction of the person you've ding dong ditched. Pick a space that is far enough away to avoid detection, but not so far that you that you can't clearly see the doorbell owner's reaction. Hide in the bushes, or in a tree, or underneath a car.