
100+ Minute to Win It Games for Groups
Luci McQuitty HindmarshCompartir
This list gives you over 100 Minute to Win It games using stuff you've probably got in your cupboards right now or can easily get hold of. Each game takes 60 seconds to play, take minimal time to set up, and works for everyone from your competitive dad to your shy cousin.
I've organised the games by type (cup games, balloon games, food games) so you can quickly find what works for your space and crowd.
Plus, you'll get the setup tips that actually matter and the troubleshooting tricks I wish someone had told me before my first attempt.
Why I LOVE Minute To Win It Games (And You Will Too!)
The 60-second time limit is the secret ingredient here.
Nobody has time to get bored. Everyone wants to try because "it's just one minute." And the person who's terrible at party games? They're only terrible for 60 seconds, then it's someone else's turn.
You're working with everyday items. Plastic cups. Coins from your change jar. That pack of balloons from last year's birthday.
The rules fit in one sentence. The rounds move fast enough to run 10 different games in an hour. And the time pressure creates just enough chaos to make it fun.
100+ Minute To Win It Games That Guarantee Fun
Pick around five games from this Smorgasbord of games for game night or party fun. Set a timer. I bet your guests won't be able to resist getting competitive over these 60 second challenges.
Cup Stacking Games
Grab those red solo cups from your cupboard. You'll need about 50 for most of these.
Classic Pyramid Stack
Stack 36 cups into a pyramid, then unstack them back into a tower. Both directions, 60 seconds total.
Cup Flip Race
Line up 10 cups at the table edge. Flip each one upright by flicking the bottom with your finger. Once all 10 are flipped, flip them back.
Moving Tower
Start with 10 stacked cups. Move the top cup to the bottom, one at a time, until you've cycled through twice.
Blow the Cup
Use a straw to blow a plastic cup from one end of the table to the other.
Cup Catch
Toss a cup in the air. Catch it on top of the cup in your other hand. Keep stacking until time's up.
Coin and Penny Challenges
Empty your wallet. That's all you need for these five.
One-Handed Tower
Stack as many pennies as possible using only one hand. Other hand stays behind your back.
Penny Drop
Hold your arm straight out. Drop pennies one at a time into a glass on the floor.
Rolling Coins
Roll a coin across the table and into a cup at the far edge.
Penny Pitch
Stand 6 feet back. Toss pennies into small cups. Give each cup a different point value if you want.
Quarter Bounce
Bounce quarters off the table and into a shallow bowl.
Balloon Games
One pack of regular balloons from the dollar store. That's your entire budget.
Three Balloon Float
Keep three balloons in the air for the full minute. One touches the ground? You're out.
Balloon Tennis
Use paper plates as paddles. Keep a balloon in the air by hitting it back and forth.
Balloon Balance
Balance a balloon on your head while walking across the room.
Sitting Pop
Pop as many balloons as possible by sitting on them. (Fair warning: this one gets loud.)
Balloon Waddle
Hold a balloon between your knees. Waddle across the room without dropping it.
Ping Pong Ball Games
A bag of ping pong balls costs about $3 and unlocks at least 10 different games.
Bounce In
Bounce ping pong balls across a table into cups at the far end.
Junk in the Trunk
Tie an empty tissue box to your waist with a belt. Fill it with 8 ping pong balls. Shake them all out without using your hands.
(This one looks ridiculous. That's why it's brilliant.)
Pyramid Pong
Set up plastic cups in a pyramid. Toss ping pong balls and try to land one in each cup.
Spoon Bounce
Bounce a ping pong ball off a spoon and into a cup.
Blow the Ball
Use a straw to blow a ping pong ball across a table without it falling off the edges.
Food Games
Save these for the end of your party. You'll understand why in a minute.
Cookie Face
Place a cookie on your forehead. Get it to your mouth using only your facial muscles. No hands.
Marshmallow Toss
One person holds a cup on their head. Their partner tosses mini marshmallows from 8 feet away.
Chopstick Pickup
Use chopsticks to transfer M&Ms from one bowl to another.
Donut on a String
Hang donuts from strings at face height. Eat the whole thing without using your hands.
Cereal Scramble
Dump cereal on a table. Sort it by shape or colour into separate bowls.
Balance and Coordination Games
These separate the steady hands from everyone else.
Spoon Balance
Balance a spoon on your nose for the full 60 seconds.
Book on Head
Walk across the room and back with a book balanced on your head.
Egg and Spoon Race
Carry an egg on a spoon from one end of the room to the other. (Use hard-boiled eggs if you value your floors.)
Feather Float
Keep a feather in the air by blowing on it. Can't touch it with your hands.
Cup Pyramid Walk
Build a pyramid of 6 cups. Carry it across the room without it collapsing.
Paper and Office Supply Games
Raid your desk drawer. You've got everything you need.
Sticky Note Toss
Throw sticky notes at a target on the wall. See how many stick.
Paperclip Chain
Link paperclips into the longest chain possible.
Rubber Band Stack
Stack rubber bands over a bottle until they reach the top.
Post-It Cover
Cover a section of wall with post-it notes as fast as you can.
Card Catch
Throw playing cards into a large bowl from 6 feet away.
Speed and Sorting Games
Perfect for people who find organised chaos oddly satisfying.
Sock Match
Dump out a basket of unmatched socks. Find and pair as many as possible.
Jelly Bean Sort
Sort a mixed pile of jelly beans by colour into separate cups.
Dice Stack
Stack dice on top of each other using only one hand.
Button Sort
Sort a jar of mixed buttons by colour or size.
Puzzle Speed
Complete a 25-piece puzzle. (Yes, they make them that small.)
Household Item Games
Look around your house. You've already got what you need.
Toilet Paper Unroll
Unroll an entire toilet paper roll using only one hand.
Tissue Box Empty
Pull every tissue out of a box, one at a time.
Mummy Wrap
Wrap a teammate in an entire roll of toilet paper.
Cotton Ball Transfer
Put petroleum jelly on your nose. Use it to transfer cotton balls from one bowl to another.
(Sounds weird. Plays great.)
Spaghetti Pick-Up
Hold uncooked spaghetti in your mouth. Use it to pick up penne pasta and transfer to a cup.
Tossing and Throwing Games
These need a bit more space but create the most excitement.
Ring Toss
Toss rings (or rubber bands) onto bottles from 8 feet away.
Shoe Toss
Toss shoes into a laundry basket across the room.
Frisbee Target
Throw a frisbee into a large bucket or hula hoop on the ground.
Sock Ball Throw
Roll socks into balls. Toss them into buckets at different distances for different points.
Water Bottle Flip
Flip a partially filled water bottle and land it upright. (Yes, that trend makes a good game.)
Team Relay Games
You'll need at least 8 people for these to work properly.
Cup Pass Relay
Pass a cup down a line using only your elbows.
Balloon Pass
Pass a balloon down a line without using hands. Squeeze it between bodies.
Hula Hoop Chain
Pass a hula hoop down a line of people holding hands without breaking the chain.
Water Transfer
Use a sponge to transfer water from one bucket to another at the opposite end of the room.
Spoon Relay
Race while balancing a ball on a spoon.
What You Need Before You Start
Here's what to have on hand before your party starts.
Must-Have Supplies
- Plastic cups (at least 50)
- Ping pong balls (one bag)
- Balloons (one pack)
- Loose change (pennies and quarters)
- Timer or phone with stopwatch
- Small prizes (completely optional)
Nice to Have
- Plastic spoons
- Straws
- Sticky notes
- Rubber bands
- Toilet paper (the cheap stuff works fine)
- Paper plates
- Marshmallows
For Specific Games
- Cookies
- Chopsticks
- Playing cards
- Tissue boxes
- Cotton balls
Don't buy everything at once. Pick 5-8 games for your party and grab supplies for just those.
How to Organise the Games
Before Your Party
Set up game stations in different areas. This lets multiple games run at once if you've got a big crowd.
Write the game name and rules on index cards. Put one at each station so people can read instructions themselves.
Test each game once. Some are harder than they sound. (Cookie Face, I'm looking at you.)
During the Party
Start with an easy game everyone can do. This gets people comfortable with the format.
Let winners pick the next game. It keeps energy high and gives people a reason to try hard.
Run 8-10 games total. More than that and people get tired. Fewer feels too short.
Scoring Options
Pick what fits your crowd:
- Winner of each game gets one point
- Top three finishers get 3, 2, and 1 points
- Everyone who completes the challenge gets a point
- No points at all (just play for fun)
Competitive friends? Use points. Casual family gathering? Skip the scoring.
Quick Troubleshooting
Game is Too Easy
Add a twist. Make people use their non-dominant hand. Stand further back. Complete it twice.
Game is Too Hard
Nobody finishing feels rubbish. Adjust the rules on the spot. Add 15 seconds. Reduce the target number. Let people use both hands.
Running Out of Time
Skip games that need the most setup. Stick with cups, coins, and balloons.
Not Enough Space
Focus on table-top games. Skip anything that needs running or lots of movement.
Mixed Ages Playing
Pair kids with adults for team games. Or give younger players a 5-second head start.
30 More Quick Game Ideas
Because 100+ means actually over 100:
- Stack Legos as high as possible
- Transfer water between bottles using only a straw
- Build a card house
- Spin around 10 times then walk a straight line
- Unwrap sweets using only one hand
- Thread 10 Cheerios onto a piece of spaghetti
- Blow bubbles and catch them on the wand
- Transfer beans using only a butter knife
- Stack plastic hangers
- Create the tallest tower using only straws
- Move gumballs from one jar to another using only a spoon in your mouth
- Separate a deck of cards into red and black piles
- Unscrew and rescrew bottle caps
- Thread a needle
- Wrap a present
- Tie shoes (while wearing them)
- Put on as many socks as possible
- Button up a shirt
- Braid three pieces of string
- Make a paper aeroplane and fly it into a target
- Roll coins into paper wrappers
- Create words from alphabet cereal
- Stack playing cards into a house
- Transfer popcorn using only a straw and suction
- Pop bubble wrap (most pops wins)
- Separate Legos by colour
- Create a chain from strips of paper
- Wind up a ball of yarn
- Type the alphabet on a phone
- Stack paper cups in a specific pattern
Pin to save:

Luci Hindmarsh
Learn MoreI founded Big Heart Little Star after receiving ongoing love for the party and seasonal activities printables I share on my website Mums Make Lists.
I hope you love the printables I create as much as I love designing them.