If there’s one thing kids love, it’s games! If you’re looking for brain breaks, icebreakers, team-building activities, field day games, or just ways to fill the last few minutes of class, Minute To Win It games are the answer. These 60-second games involve common items found around the classroom. Whoever finishes the game first is the winner. Our list of 25 Minute To Win It games for kids features some hilarious and challenging games that will definitely be a hit with your class.
1. Chopstick Pickup
Split your class up into teams and give them each two paper plates, a set of chopsticks, and 20 pieces of candy or another small item like math manipulatives. Whoever moves the candy from plate to plate fastest is the winner! The real challenge will definitely be figuring out how to hold the chopsticks. Great for building fine motor skills!
Source: Happy Mom Hacks
2. Scoop the Snowballs
One player from each team has to scoop cotton balls into a bowl while blindfolded. Whoever scoops the most cotton balls within 60 seconds wins the game. Watch as the chaos unfolds!
Source: Kitty Groups
3. Cereal Box Puzzle
This one is sure to puzzle your students! Arrange the cut-up pieces of the cereal box into the right formation in the allotted time to win this game.
Source: Happy Mom Hacks
4. Cup Stack
Unstack then restack the pyramid of cups in under a minute! Bonus points to anyone who sings the Cup Song during this STEM challenge.
Source: Happy Mom Hacks
5. Human Ring Toss
This is one of those Minute To Win It games that’s perfect for phys ed class, field day, or as an extra-special outdoor activity. It’s just like regular ring toss but with a fun twist! You can also use Hula-Hoops instead of pool rings.
Source: Kid-Friendly Things To Do
6. Donut on a String
Tie donuts (or snack of choice) to a string and try to eat it with no hands! For an added challenge, try it blindfolded.
Source: Pinterest: Rebecca Lotz
7. Dice Stack
Kids place a Popsicle stick in their mouths and try to balance five or six dice on the end of the stick for three seconds. It’s more challenging than it looks!
Source: Math With Meaning
8. Pom-Pom & Straw Challenge
Use the straws to blow pom-poms across the finish line! Try to get as many across as possible to win.
Source: Paging Fun Mums
9. Stack It Up
Students move 25 pennies into a stack using only one hand!
Source: Happiness Is Homemade
10. Baby Rattle
Fill a 2-liter bottle with items of your choice (gum balls, candy corn, beads, etc.) and tape it to another bottle. Kids try to fill the empty bottle in under a minute.
Source: YouTube: Outscord
11. Ping-Pong Tic-Tac-Toe
Use trays that will fit a Ping-Pong ball to play a fun spin on tic-tac-toe! The first player or team to get three in a row wins.
Source: Happiness Is Homemade
12. One-Handed Bracelets
Another one-handed challenge, this Minute To Win It game uses a pipe cleaner and cereal to make “bracelets” while building fine motor skills. Trying to form the pipe cleaner into a circle using one hand is definitely a challenge!
Source: Teach Mama
13. Yank the Cards
Setting up plastic cups with pieces of card stock in between, players will yank the cards out, causing the cups to fall into a tower. Each time a player makes a mistake, they must reset until all the cups fall into each other. This game is a blast!
Source: Kid-Friendly Things To Do
14. Worm Diving
Moisten a gummy worm and tie it to the “fishing line.” Dive that worm into a bowl of pretzels, and then eat the pretzel without using your hands. A delicious yet challenging game.
Source: Playtivities
15. Blow It to the Other Side
Blow the Ping-Pong balls from one soda can to the other in this Minute To Win It game. So frustrating yet so much fun!
Source: YouTube: Outscord
16. Suck It Up
Using a straw and some chocolate candies, move as many candies as possible to an empty plate. Bonus: Kids get to eat the candy at the end!
Source: Runde’s Room
17. Wrapping Presents
Just like wrapping presents, only with a twist. Each team of two has one person using only their right hand, and the other using only their left hand to wrap the present. First team to wrap the present, put a bow on it, and address it to someone wins!
Source: I Think We Could Be Friends
18. Keep the Balloon Up
This game is a children’s party classic, and adding the time element makes it that much more exciting! Work in teams or individually to keep the balloon up for 1 minute.
Source: Happy Mom Hacks
19. Traffic Yam
Using a sweet potato and a spoon, players must move the potato down the line of painter’s tape and back. This one will definitely bring on some laughs!
Source: Play Party Plan
20. LEGO Tower
Kids build a tower of LEGO as tall as they can, only with a catch: They can only use their hands to touch one brick at a time, so holding the tower still is not allowed! Prepare for lots of crashing LEGO towers!
Source: Kids Craft Room
21. Sticky Note Challenge
Stick as many Post-its as possible on your partner in a minute or less!
Source: Paging Fun Mums
22. Speedy Bowling
Set up pins (empty soda bottles or cans work too) at the end of a table, and give each student five balls to knock them over in the allotted time!
Source: Style Craze
23. Cup and Coin Stacking
Stack coins on the edge of eight cups, and don’t let them fall in!
Source: Kid Pillar
24. Bottle Flipping
Younger students are sure to love this game. The popular water-bottle-flipping challenge was made into a Minute To Win It game—what fun!
Source: Wiki How
25. Paper Toss
Ball up pieces of paper and attempt to shoot them into a recycling bin. The twist is, you have to throw the paper blindfolded! This is a perfect way to clean up paper and scraps in the classroom.
Source: Kid Pillar
If you like these Minute To Win It games, check out these 35 active math games and activities for your little learners.
