24 Kid-Friendly Minute to Win It Games

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When you are short on time and want to keep kids engaged with quick games, you must give a try to Minute to Win It games. These games are fast-paced challenges and need to be completed under a minute. They are great for birthdays, playdates, or even classroom fun. They enjoy them as they are competitive in a fun way and silly too. And the best part is that as a host, you don’t need to have a lot of supplies.

Easy Minute to Win It Games

Cookie Face

I can’t tell you how much everyone loved this one when we played. It’s guaranteed laughter. Each player puts a cookie on their forehead and has to wiggle their face until the cookie lands in their mouth, NO HANDS ALLOWED.

At a sleepover, we played this, and some were the funniest expressions, when they tried to slide off the cookie. It was so much fun to watch.

Mom Tip: Use Oreos or another round cookie; they slide better.

Ping Pong Toss

This game is all about aim and patience. Set up plastic cups in a triangle formation (like bowling pins) and have players bounce ping-pong balls into the cups. The goal is to get as many in as possible within a minute.

One time, my nephew got zero balls in for 50 seconds, then suddenly, he got three in a row just before time ran out. The whole room was in cheers.

Mom Tip: Make it easier by placing the cups closer or using larger cups.

Marshmallow Scoop

This one is hilarious and tricky. Give the player a spoon in their mouth and have them transfer as many marshmallows as possible from one bowl to another, NO HANDS.

The first time we played, everyone kept dropping marshmallows before they even reached the second bowl, and there were bouncing marshmallows everywhere.

Mom Tip: If it’s too hard, let them use their hands to hold the spoon handle.

Pencil Flip

A simple but surprisingly challenging game. Players start with one pencil balanced on the back of their hand. They have to flip it into the air and catch it, then keep adding pencils. If you didn’t get it, here is how it’s done.

It’s good to play at a school event; some will be able to do it with more pencils. while some may not even flip one without it flying across the room.

Mom Tip: To simplify, keep it with only 1 pencil and count how many times they were able to do it in 1 minute.

Balloon Keep It Up

The goal is simple: Keep the balloon in the air for one full minute using just one hand. But trust me, everyone starts running, diving, and spinning, trying to keep that balloon up.

At my niece’s birthday, we made it harder by adding two balloons, and one player ended up tangled in both.

Mom Tip: To make it difficult, you can go for two or three balloons at the same time.

Cup Blow Race

This one is so funny. Place an upside-down plastic cup on a table and have players blow air through a straw to push it across to the finish line. Sounds easy, right? Not when your cup keeps spinning the wrong way.

One time, someone was blowing so hard that his cup just spun in circles.

Mom Tip: Use lightweight cups and have a clear finish line marked with tape.

Team-Based Minute to Win It Games

Oh, team-based Minute to Win It games are my favorite. They bring out team spirit, laughter, and a little friendly competition. These are perfect for school events, birthday parties, or even family gatherings.

Spoon Relay

This one is a classic balance game. Split the players into teams. Each player gets a spoon and a small ball (like a ping pong ball). They must walk across the room and pass the ball to their teammate’s spoon, without dropping it.

At my son’s birthday, we made it extra tricky by making them walk backward. One little girl was so careful, but right when she was about to pass the ball, plop. It fell. Everyone cracked up, and she was determined to try again.

Mom Tip: To make it easy, let them hold the spoon with their hands. To make it difficult, make them hold the spoon in their mouth for an extra challenge.

Cup Pyramid Race

Each team gets a stack of plastic cups. The first player runs to a table and builds a pyramid (3-2-1 formation), then rushes back to tag the next teammate. That player must take it down and rebuild it. The first team to finish wins.

At a school event, one team’s cups kept falling just as they finished. The whole room was screaming, “GO, GO, GO.” The pressure made it even more fun.

Mom Tip: To simplify, use fewer cups so they don’t get frustrated.

Straw Race

Each team gets 1 ping pong ball and paddles. You can use a small, sturdy paper plate as a paddle. The players have to drop the ball in a bucket at the end by passing the ball through the paddle. The ball should not fall at any time, and the ball cannot be touched with the hands.

Mom Tip: Use a big paper plate to make it more difficult.

Pass the Hula Hoop

All team members stand in a line holding hands. The goal? Pass a hula hoop from one end of the line to the other, WITHOUT letting go of hands.

Watching everyone duck, twist, and wiggle to get through the hoop is HILARIOUS. One time, my nephew got stuck in the middle of the hoop and just stood there laughing until his team pulled him through.

Mom Tip: Make it harder by adding two hula hoops going in opposite directions.

Mummy Wrap

One player in each team is the “mummy”, and their teammates must wrap them up in toilet paper as fast as possible. The first team to completely wrap their mummy wins.

We played this at a Halloween party, and by the end, some looked more like spaghetti than mummies, but they had a blast.

Mom Tip: Use crepe paper instead of toilet paper if playing outside; it won’t rip as easily in the wind.

Challenging 1 Minute Games

Let’s check some challenging & skill-based games. These games test focus, coordination, and a little bit of luck, and they bring out some of the funniest moments.

Ring Toss Relay

Set up bottles or cones in a line. Divide players into 2 teams. Each player must run to the line and try to toss a ring over the targets, and return to tag the next player. If they are unable to toss at the target, they have to keep trying. Whichever team lands all the targets with the ring wins.

At my nephew’s birthday, one player was just not able to ring the target, and the whole team was waiting to tag while the other team won.

Mom Tip: Cones are better than bottles; in case you use bottles, fill them halfway with water to avoid them falling.

Shoe Kick

Each player stands on one foot, flicks their shoe off their other foot, and tries to launch it as far as possible. Whoever kicks their shoe the farthest wins.

At a school event, one girl kicked her shoe straight up in the air, and it landed right back on her foot. Everyone lost it laughing.

Mom Tip: Play outside or in a big room so no one gets a shoe to the face.

Sticky Note Face

Each player starts with a stack of sticky notes and must stick as many to their face as possible in one minute. No hands allowed after placing.

At a family game night, my husband thought he had 20 sticky notes on, but when time ran out, half had fallen to the floor. Everyone couldn’t stop laughing.

Mom Tip: Use super sticky notes or press them down hard so they don’t fall off too quickly.

Snack-Based Minute to Win It Games

Everyone loves candy and snack-based Minute to Win It games because they get to eat the treats afterward

Gummy Bear Chopsticks

Each player must pick up gummy bears using chopsticks and transfer them from one bowl to another, no fingers allowed.

At a family game night, my daughter couldn’t stop giggling because her gummy bears kept slipping away. Meanwhile, my nephew had a strategy; he squished them a little to help them stick to the chopsticks. Smart move.

Mom Tip: Use marshmallows for beginners, as they’re easier to pick up. For pros, use tiny jelly beans.

Oreo Stack

Each player has one minute to stack as many Oreos as possible without them falling over. The tallest tower wins.

At a sleepover, someone built a tower of eight Oreos, but right at the last second, it collapsed. The whole room screamed and laughed at the same time.

Mom Tip: Make it harder by having them build on their forehead.

Marshmallow Tower

Each player gets toothpicks and marshmallows and must build the tallest tower possible.

At a family BBQ, my son made a tower so wobbly it looked like it was dancing. Meanwhile, my niece built a solid base first, and hers stood strong. She won easily.

Mom Tip: Use bigger marshmallows to make it easier, and give mini marshmallows for an extra challenge.

Action-Packed Minute to Win It Games

These action-packed Minute to Win It games are perfect for high-energy time. These games get everyone jumping, running, shaking, and laughing, which means lots of fun and maybe a little chaos (in a good way). 

Hopping Hoop

Each player must hop on one foot while trying to land a small ball into a hula hoop on the floor. They keep going until they make it in or time runs out. It gets more difficult after each hop, trying to stay balanced and aiming a ball at the hoop.

Mom Tip: To simplify, let them hop on two feet instead of one.

Paper Plane Fly-Off

Each player folds a paper airplane and has one minute to see whose plane flies the farthest. It’s not easy to fold the right way under time pressure, and that’s where it gets more fun.

Mom Tip: Use colored paper to differentiate the plane of each player.

Sponge Water Relay

Players must soak up water with a sponge, run to the other side of the yard, and squeeze it into a cup. The team that fills its cup the fastest wins. Once we played this at a summer party, my nephew squeezed the sponge while running back to the cup only to realize it at the cup.

Mom Tip: Play this outdoors, and on a hot day, it’s a great way to cool off.

Lego Tower Challenge

Each player gets a pile of Legos and must build the tallest, most stable tower in one minute.

At a sleepover, my nephew rushed too fast, and his tower collapsed in the last five seconds. Another player took her time and won with a perfectly balanced tower.

Mom Tip: To simplify, use Duplos or wooden blocks.

Pom-Pom Blow

Each player gets a pom-pom and must blow it across the table using only a straw. First to the finish line wins.

At a playdate, my son blew too hard and sent his pom-pom flying onto the floor.

Mom Tip: You can use cotton balls if you don’t have pom-poms.

Balloon Pop Race

Each player gets a balloon and must pop it, but they can only use their hands, feet, or sit on it.

At a backyard party, one girl sat on her balloon, but it wouldn’t pop. She ended up bouncing up and down until she finally got it.

Mom Tip: Blow up the balloons ahead of time so they’re easier to pop.

Sock Race

Players must put on as many pairs of socks as they can in one minute.

At a family game night, my son got 10 pairs on but couldn’t stand up afterward because his feet were too big. We laughed SO hard.

Mom Tip: Use big, stretchy socks so they’re easier to pull on quickly.

These games seem simple and at times silly too, but are super fun to play with a crowd and may not be as easy as they seem.

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