"Minute to Win It" Games

Skill: Balance, Run
Time Required: 30
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Ensure that all safety hazards are removed from the whole activity area.
Ensure all games selected are safe.
Equipment: Equipment depends on the games that are set out for the participants.
Could have different equipment set out and participants create different minute to win it activities as a group.
Example of equipment for the example of games listed in the step by step section:
Stopwatches
Beanbags
Pylons
Breakfast cereal boxes/scissors
Popsicle Sticks
Dice
Decks of Cards
Clothes Pins
Jars
Ping Pong Balls
Plastic Cups
Objective:
Participants complete the minute to win it games.
Fundamental Skills (depends on games)

Other Skills:

Coordination
Set up:
Set out different stations for the different games and have the equipment prepared for the stations. Example of games are listed in the step by step section.
Or set out different equipment and participants create their own games.
Could divide the participants into pairs or groups of 3 for the games.
Step by Step:
1. Participants will individually, or with their group, play each game, and try to finish it before a minute is up!
2. Participants could create their own minute to win it games and have other participants play their game(s).
3. If participants/groups finish the game before a minute is up, they get 2 points.
4. Participants/groups get 1 point for participating in each game.
5. Additional rule: If participants finish the game with more than 15 seconds left, they get 3 points.
6. Example of Games:
Scrambled Breakfast
- Leaders will take a breakfast cereal box and cut the front into 16 equal pieces.
- They will scramble the pieces and place them face down.
- Participants have to put the pieces together to create the cereal box cover in less than a minute to win it!
Balancing Bean Heads
- Participants have to stack 4 beanbags on their head.
- Then they have to walk to a pylon that is 5 feet in front of them and back to the stating pylon.
- If a beanbag drops at any time, they can bend down and pick it up, and place it back on their head.
- If participants get back to the start with all the beanbags on their head within a minute, they win it!
Dicey Popsicle Sticks
- Participants will hold one end of a popsicle stick in their mouth.
- They will take dice and one by one stack them on the other end of the popsicle stick.
- Participants have to try to stack 5 dice on the end within the minute, to win it!
Suit Up!
- Participants get a shuffled deck of cards.
- Participants have to separate the deck into the 4 suits.
- To make it more difficult, participants have to put 1 or 2 of those suits in order from ace to king.
- If they separate (and order) them within a minute, they win it!
In the Hole!
- On a table, tape a plastic cup on it's side and with the opening facing the participants.
- Participants have to blow a ping pong ball on the table so it goes into the cup.
- Participants could use a straw to blow the ping pong ball.
- If they get the ball into the cup within a minute, they win it!
Clothespin in a Jar
- Place a jar on the ground with a medium sized opening.
- Participants stand above the jar and hold a clothes pin to their nose. They drop the clothespin from their nose trying to get it to go into the jar.
- Participants have to get 8-10 (up to the leaders) clothespins in the jar within a minute, to win it!
Pyramid of Cups
- Participants have to create a pyramid of plastic cups.
- They can start with 6 cups on the bottom, then 5 on the next row and so on, ending with one at the top.
- If they create their pyramid of cups within a minute, they win it!
Variations:
Create any game, using any equipment, and any creative idea!
For certain activities, could make it "Two Minutes to Win It" or another time limit.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.