Saran Wrap Ball Game: How to Play, Prize Ideas and Christmas Challenges

The dice are rattling, someone is hunting for the end of the plastic wrap, and a chocolate has just dropped into their lap. That is the Saran Wrap Ball Game in a nutshell: unwrap as much as you can before the next player rolls doubles, then pass the ball and keep the prizes you freed.

It is a fun choice for a Christmas family gathering, teen party or office celebration because the supplies are simple and the prizes can suit your crowd. Add our Christmas challenge cards between the layers and even a familiar game gets a few unexpected twists.

What Is the Saran Wrap Ball Game?

You build a ball of plastic wrap with small prizes hidden throughout it and a final prize in the center. Players sit in a circle and take turns peeling away the layers. While one person unwraps, the next person rolls two dice. As soon as they roll doubles, they take over the ball.

There are no teams or eliminations in the basic version. Anything you completely unwrap during your turn is yours. The person who reaches the center keeps the final prize.

What You Need

• Plastic wrap: Start with a roll and have another available if you are making a bigger ball. The amount depends on your prizes and how many layers you add.
• Small prizes: Choose a mix of fillers and one center prize. Keep food in its original sealed packaging.
• Two dice and a shallow tray: The tray keeps the dice within reach.
• Optional oven mitts: These make unwrapping harder. Bare hands are a better starting point for children or anyone who finds mitts awkward.
• Optional Christmas challenge cards: Our 16 Saran Wrap Ball Game Christmas Challenge Cards include prewritten challenges and a sheet of blank cards for your own ideas.
• A bag for discarded wrap: Put it beside the host so the playing space stays clear.

For a first game, a circle of six to ten people is a manageable starting point. For a much bigger party, make smaller circles with a ball for each, or choose games everyone can play together from our Christmas games for large groups.

How to Make a Saran Wrap Prize Ball

1. Start With the Center Prize

Choose something small enough to wrap comfortably, such as a gift card, a pair of festive socks or a sealed treat. Wrap it several times, turning it as you go to build a rounded shape. If you use a gift card, keep any activation information somewhere safe until you give it to the winner.

2. Add Prizes Between the Layers

Place a small prize against the ball, cover it with more wrap, then add the next prize in a different position. Spread the prizes throughout the ball so there are things to discover before anyone gets close to the center.

For bulky or easily damaged prizes, wrap a folded note saying what the player has won and keep the actual item on a prize table.

3. Change Direction as You Wrap

Turn the ball regularly so there is no single strip players can pull off all at once. For an easier children's version, use longer pieces with ends that are easy to find. For teens or adults who enjoy a challenge, mix in shorter pieces that need a fresh start each time.

You do not need to tape every layer. Test a small section as you build: it should be possible to peel the wrap apart without scissors or tearing through it.

4. Tuck in Challenge Cards

If you are using our Christmas challenge cards inside the ball, fold selected cards and place them between some of the layers as you wrap. Space them out among the prizes so players have a mixture of treats and challenges to uncover.

Read the cards first and gather any props they need. Choose the challenges that suit your guests; you do not have to use all 16 in one ball. The blank cards are useful for adding a family joke or a challenge tailored to your group.

5. Finish and Set Aside

Cover the last prize and press down the loose end. Store the finished ball somewhere cool and out of reach until the party. Keep the dice, optional mitts and any challenge props together so you are ready to play.

Saran Wrap Ball Game Rules

Explain these rules before handing over the ball. This version uses doubles to end a turn, with the ball and dice moving around the circle in the same direction.

1. Choose the first player. They hold the ball. The person immediately to their left takes both dice.
2. Start together. The first player begins unwrapping while the next player rolls both dice repeatedly in the tray.
3. Peel, do not rip. Find the loose end and unwind the wrap. No teeth, scissors or grabbing prizes through holes.
4. Keep prizes that come completely free. A prize still caught in the wrap stays with the ball when the turn ends.
5. Stop on doubles. Any matching pair counts, whether it is two ones, two threes or two sixes. The dice roller calls “Doubles!” and the unwrapper stops immediately.
6. Pass everything along. The ball goes to the person who rolled doubles. The dice go to the person on their left. If you are using mitts, pass those with the ball.
7. Repeat until the center is reached. The player who completely unwraps the center prize keeps it, and the game ends.

If you use mitts, agree that the dice roller waits until the next player has them on before rolling. That gives everyone the same start. There is no guarantee that everyone wins a prize with dice-controlled turns, so keep a few extras aside if you want every guest to leave with something.

How to Play With Christmas Challenge Cards

The cards add another job to do before or while unwrapping. Choose one of the two formats below and explain it before the first turn.

Hide Cards Inside the Ball

When a player unwraps a challenge card, pause the dice while they read it aloud. Then resume play and follow the card's instructions before or while continuing to unwrap. If doubles are rolled, the turn ends as usual. Let players skip a challenge they are uncomfortable with and carry on playing.

Draw a Card at the Start of Each Turn

Keep the cards in a separate pile instead of wrapping them into the ball. Each player draws and reads a card before their turn. Start the dice when they begin the challenge, and follow the card's instructions about unwrapping. This is handy if you have already made the ball or want every turn to include a challenge.

Our Christmas Saran Wrap Ball Game Challenge Cards are a digital PDF download with 16 prewritten cards plus blank cards. Print on US Letter paper using “fit to page,” cut them out, and choose your favorites before the party. Prizes, plastic wrap and dice are supplied by you.

Shop the Christmas Challenge Cards

Saran Wrap Ball Game Prize Ideas

Small, light items are easiest to wrap. Choose prizes your guests will enjoy rather than filling the ball with things nobody wants. Keep fragile ornaments, liquids and anything sharp out of the ball.

For Kids

• Sticker sheets or temporary tattoos
• Colorful pencils, novelty erasers or bookmarks
• Mini notebooks or small craft supplies
• Trading cards or age-appropriate fidget toys
• Sealed candy or hot chocolate packets, where suitable
• Homemade coupons for choosing the next family movie or dessert

For Teens

• Lip balm, hair ties or scrunchies
• Fun socks or a keychain
• Gel pens and little stationery sets
• Phone screen cloths or cable organizers
• Favorite sealed snacks
• A small coffee shop, gaming or bookstore gift card as the center prize

For Adults and Office Parties

• Tea bags, coffee sachets or wrapped chocolates
• Pocket notebooks or useful pens
• Hand cream in its sealed packaging
• Festive socks or a reusable shopping bag
• A coffee shop gift card or a small boxed treat for the center

For mixed ages, pick mostly items anyone could enjoy. Avoid prizes that depend on a particular clothing size or device. You can also let winners swap prizes afterward if everyone agrees.

A Simple Budget Plan

Set your total before you shop. For example, with a $25 prize budget, you could reserve $5 for the center and $20 for small fillers. Allow separately for plastic wrap and optional challenge cards.

For ten players, two or three small prize opportunities per person is a useful planning starting point. Include inexpensive coupons or prize-table notes to stretch the budget. They add things to discover without making the ball heavy.

Easy Variations for Your Group

Use a Timer for Younger Players

Swap the dice for equal turns of around 20 to 30 seconds and play without mitts. Adjust the time after a practice turn if needed. For children who would be upset to miss out, let each unwrap until one prize appears, then pass the ball.

Make It a Team Game

Pair a younger child with an adult, or play in small family teams. Partners can help find the end of the wrap and share their prizes. Keep one person unwrapping at a time so the ball stays manageable.

Make a Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ball

Use festive socks, candy canes, stickers and hot chocolate packets. Add Christmas challenge cards among the layers and save a slightly bigger surprise for the center. You can run this alongside a gift swap, but explain that the ball's prizes are separate from guests' exchange gifts. Our White Elephant rules cover a simple gift-swap format.

Questions Hosts Often Ask

How Long Does the Game Take?

There is no fixed length. The number of prizes, how you wrap the ball, the players' dexterity and how often doubles appear all affect it. If your party has a strict schedule, use timed turns and a smaller ball rather than relying on a large dice-based game to finish at an exact time.

Can You Make the Ball the Day Before?

Yes. Use shelf-stable prizes, keep food sealed and store the ball away from heat. Keep anything that needs refrigeration out of it.

Do You Have to Use Saran Brand Wrap?

No. The name is commonly used for the game, but you can use another brand of plastic food wrap. Check that the wrap peels apart comfortably before making the whole ball.

Do You Need Oven Mitts?

No. They are an optional difficulty setting. Start without them if the group includes children or guests who would find them frustrating.

What Happens if Nobody Rolls Doubles?

Agree on a maximum turn before starting if you want to avoid one long go. For example, a host can call for the ball to pass after 30 seconds even if doubles have not appeared. Apply the same rule to everyone.

Keep loose plastic wrap away from faces and collect it as you go. Supervise children and choose prizes appropriate for their ages, including any food allergies.

For another quick challenge after the ball is unwrapped, choose a few Christmas Minute to Win It games for the family. If everyone is settling down after dinner, our Christmas dinner table games need much less moving around.