Sure, toys are great to keep kids busy until… well, until they are no longer interesting. And – unfortunately – that usually takes less than a minute. But today, we come to the rescue! If you are a parent, a teacher, or if your sister`s children are coming over for the weekend, we have prepared some easy ‘minute to win it’ games for kids, that will definitely keep them entertained!
*Extremely important note: The great thing about these funny activities for kids is that they are not only meant to make them laugh. They can be educational as well, while also challenging their response reaction and strategic thinking. We have created a list of the best ‘minute to win it’ games for kids, that can be played both as outdoor or indoor team building activities, in campings, during holidays, or for special occasions such as Christmas or Halloween. Stick with us and keep on scrolling!
Holiday ‘minute to win it’ games for kids
1. Toilet paper pull
Imagine the following scenario: outside it`s raining cats and dogs, and you`re inside, with a bunch of energetic kids. They have reached their TV limit for the day and all the LEGO has become boring. FaceTime games are not an option, since you do not have enough devices. So, what do you do?
Freaking out is not an option! Take a big breath and relax. We`ve got you. ‘Toilet paper pull’ is a great game to entertain children.
What do you need?
- Two rolls of toilet paper
- A heavy object at their end, to keep them set.
How does it work?
- You unwind the toilet paper rolls and place the heavy object/objects at the end.
- Then, the players have to roll their toilet paper back up.
- Whoever tears or tips the paper is out.
- The first kid to reach the object at the end of the toilet paper, wins.
2. Cup stack
This is a great way to challenge kids` ability to stay focused under pressure.
What do you need?
- 15 paper cups. You can use whatever you have at hand.
How does it work?
- In one minute, the players have to build a pyramid by using all the cups available.
- Make it more challenging by disassembling it to create a single stack, or by checking how many times they can assemble and disassemble the stack in 60 seconds.
*Tip: ‘Cup Stack’ is one of the ‘minute to win it’ games for kids that are easily adaptable for different age groups. You can customize the tower`s complexity and you can change the number of cups used during the game.
3. Whipped cream face targets
Brace yourselves because… a lot of mess is coming! And do not freak out about the cleaning part. If you do things well enough, we guarantee you that players will be so thrilled and thankful, that they will be excited to help you when all the fun is over.
What do you need?
- Whipped cream. You can go get some or even prepare it at home.
- A few bags of marshmallows, depending on how many participants you have got.
How does it work?
- All the kids have to cover their faces in whipped cream.
- After that, ask them to pick up with their face as many marshmallows as they can, in 60 seconds.
- The one with the most sweets on his/her face wins the game.
*Tip: You can turn this into a funnier ‘minute to win it’ game for kids, by pairing them up. Ask them to throw marshmallows at each other`s faces, and see which team gets the most in the end.
4. Cereal box puzzler
Puzzles develop memory skills, as well as the ability to plan, test ideas and solve problems. ‘Cereal Box Puzzler’ is an easy ‘minute to win it’ game for kids, that adds up to their personal development process.
What do you need?
- A box of cereals
- A pair of scissors
How does it work?
- Cut the front off of a cereal box.
- Then, cut that into pieces. If you need extra help and the youngsters can use scissors safely, get them involved.
- Make the players recreate the front of the cereal box before the time is up.
*Tip: You can make it more difficult by creating smaller pieces. Feel free to adjust their number or the shape of the edges of each piece, according to how hard you want to make the puzzle.
5. Bigfoot bumble
This is a fantastic outdoor ‘minute to win it’ game for kids. It puts them to work and it involves a lot of creativity.
What do you need?
- A cardboard
- A pair of flip flops
- Some glue
- Tape
- 2 Ping-pong balls
How does it work?
To play this game, you have to create the setting first. You can do this by yourself, or you can ask the kids to come to your aid. They will most likely get excited about playing the handyman part.
- First, take the cardboard and use some scissors to cut a giant pair of Bigfoot feet.
- Then, use the glue to set a flip flop to the center of the cardboard.
- Stick a ping-pong ball on each toe by using double-sided tape.
- Start the timer and see how far they can go in one minute without losing a ball. If one ball falls off their foot, they have to go back to the starting point.
*Tip: You can adapt it for single players, as well as for team players. Teams can race between two set points.
6. Spoon balance
You can not imagine how much fun you can have with only one spoon! To get an idea of what we are talking about, we are introducing you to the ‘Spoon Balance’ – one of the best ‘minute to win it’ games for kids.
What do you need?
- One spoon for each player
- Items to put on the spoon (eg. Skittles)
How does it work?
The participants must hold a spoon between their teeth, and from here the options are infinite. In one minute, you can:
- see how many of a single item they can balance on their spoon;
- have team members race between two points without dropping their item(s);
- see how far they can race with items on their spoons.
7. Kernel hunt
How sharp are the kids you are dealing with? Test them with the ‘Kernel Hunt’ game!
What do you need?
- A bag of corn kernels
- A bowl
- A marker or a pen
- A pair of chopsticks
How does it work?
- Put all the corn kernels in a bowl.
- Pick one and paint it, then put it back in the bowl and mix them up.
- The challenge is for the player to find and remove the painted corn kernel in less than a minute. But here’s the trick: they have to do it by using chopsticks!
- Whoever does it the quickest wins the game.
8. Don`t blow the joker
We could not skip a ‘minute to win it’ game for kids involving a card deck.
What do you need?
- A deck of cards
- A bottle. It should be stable, so go for one made out of glass. If it`s a plastic one, it should still have some liquid in it.
How does it work?
- Place the deck of cards on top of the bottle.
- Make sure that the joker is at the bottom of the stack. You can choose any other card to be the special one.
- In 60 seconds, players must blow all the cards off the bottle, but leave the predetermined one there.
- The quickest participant wins.
‘Minute to win it’ Christmas games for kids
We have come up with some ideas for the kids’ winter holiday as well. You surely have lots of cookies in your house. How to make use of them in 60 seconds? By playing ‘minute to win it’ Christmas games for kids!
9. Cookie face
We hope that you still have room for dessert!
What do you need?
- Whatever cookies you’ve got at your fingertips
How does it work?
- Players place a cookie on their forehead.
- Then, they try to move the cookie to their mouths.
- The goal is to take a bite, without using their hands. If it falls off, they have to start all over again.
10. Chocolate Unicorn
Did you know that a large forehead is a sign of high intelligence? And if you are a kid and you are about to play ‘Chocolate Unicorn’, it also increases your chances of winning this easy ‘minute to win it’ game!
What do you need?
- A few packs of Oreos would be great, but any other round Christmas cookies will do the trick.
How does it work?
- Stack as many cookies as possible on your forehead in one minute, without letting them fall off.
*Tip: This game is suitable for pairs or teams as well. You can have one person leaning back, while another one stacks the cookies on his/her forehead.
Halloween ‘minute to win it’ games for kids
If your youngster has been going trick or treating, you `ve definitely got some candies stocked in your home’s secret drawer. Use them whenever you want to play a ‘minute to win it’ game and to sweeten things up!
11. Suck Up The Skittles
‘Suck Up The Skittles’ is one of the great Halloween ‘minute to win it’ games for kids. It is all about coordination.
What do you need?
- A bag of skittles
- A few straws
How does it work?
- Place all the candies on the table.
- Every player receives a straw. By using it, they have to suck up and move as many Skittles as possible, from one place to another.
- The winner is the one who manages to move the most Skittles, in one minute.
*Tip: Turn this individual Halloween ‘minute to win it’ game into a team play, by splitting the kids into two groups. 60 seconds equals one round. Make them pass the hat from one to another at the end of every minute.
12. Dipping, tipping tails
‘Dipping, tipping tails’ is all about movement. If you are stuck with a bunch of energetic kids, this should be your go-to ‘minute to win it’ game.
What do you need?
- If you are playing this game indoors, you can use a lollipop or any other slightly weighty object. If you are playing it outdoors, you can replace the object with a sponge.
- 10-15 paper cups
How does it work?
- Tie the object around the player’s waist. It should be dangling at the back like a tail. If you are playing ‘Dipping, tipping tails’ outside, you can use a sponge. Soak it first, to make it heavier.
- Lay the paper cups randomly on the ground.
- The player has to knock over as many cups as they can, before they run out of time.
What are ‘minute to win it’ games for kids?
These are a great way to keep children entertained, while also challenging their dexterity, creativity, strategic thinking, and speed of reaction – all of them, under pressure and against the clock. You can play them in team buildings, indoors or outdoors, as long as you`ve got all the materials you need.
How to play ‘minute to win it’ games for kids?
Household objects and timers are a must. Usually, these entertaining activities involve items such as spoons, cups, bowls, candies, cards, and the list can go on. To time the game, you should also consider a stopwatch. The great thing is that these objects are easy to get, so you will be able to set things in motion pretty fast.
Keep an eye on Team Building Games and banish boredom!
