New Era / Minute To Win It Challenge

  • Gym will be set up before hand there will be 10 teams, I will have 5 areas set up on both sides of the gym, to make 10 areas for all the teams. Each area will include chairs for the kids to sit on, as well as a table, and any markings made for any games, (ex. Tape on floor for the Elephant walk, paper taped to floor for egg roll, start and finish marks etc)

  • Have a caulk board or white board for a scoreboard.

  • Divide all kids up in to Teams of 6-8 (in our ward that will give us ten teams)

  • Have paper for each Team to write down their New Era Answer (Gospel Question)

  • 1-2 leaders will be assigned to each team, their job will be to keep the kids under control and put the next challenge out and be the judge for that team.

Points will be awarded as follows

  • 1 point if the can answer the New Era Questions correctly (gospel question)

We will ask a question and have the team write the answer, then we are going to take just a minute or two to talk about what that question was about and what article it came from. That also gives us time to set up for the next challenge.

  • 2- 4 point if they finish the Minute to Win Challenge

  • Points will be taken away for any cell phones seen, any New Era’s used or anyone that leaves the Gym with a leaders ok.

Here is how I am planning on it going:

  • Welcome (opening exercises)

  • Explain the game and how it will be played

  • Divided kids up into teams and have leaders take them to their team spot.

  • Start Playing

  • If there is a Tie at the end I plan on using the game Hanky Panky as the tiebreaker.

NOTES:

Ok we did this last night, and it was FUN!!! Here are some thoughts, We did all 10 challenges, it took the full hour and half (including opening exercises) and the Challenge questions, (New Era, Standards for Youth, Scriptures etc) We did not have time to talk about the questions.

One thing I wanted to do was to get a video clip of the game Minute to Win It and show it before hand, and maybe even show the “blue print” (that is what they call the video clip they have before each game) I did not get it done, plus I didn’t want to have to set up a screen track down a projector etc. BUT it would have been fun and would have added a lot to the evening, but we would not have had the time, I guess unless you cut out the questions or do less challenges.

I have added my comments about each game, if we did it.

GAMES

Here is a list of games right from the Minute to Win It web site, along with the instructions and items required. I have 14 games listed below, we will only be doing 10, I chose the games that I think we be the easiest to set up, take down, clean up and cost is a factor. The very last games I think is to expensive to use since we will have ten teams, and I hate the idea of a bunch of wasted tissues, but I will use it as a tiebreaker if we end up with a tie breaker (or a 3 way time etc) I do have to change a few instruction here and there to help fit with the area we have to work in etc I have out those in red)

1.     Bite Me – Fun, I was amazed at one tall boy who could bend down and pick up the 2” bag with out a problem.

Five paper bags are opened up on the ground 4' apart. The bags are each cut down to different heights: 10", 8", 6", 4", 2".  Contestants, using only their mouths, must put all five bags onto five podiums. No part of the contestant's body may touch the ground except for the feet. (I am just going to have them set them up on the table.)

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 5 paper bags

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Prior to game start, contestant must be in designated start zone with hands at sides.

  2. Once game begins, contestant may use only their mouth to grab, transport and maneuver the bags.

    1. Contestant must first place the 10", then 8", then 6", then 4", then 2" bags onto the five podiums.

  3. The contestant may only touch the ground with his or her feet.

    1. If a contestant touches the ground with some body part other than the feet while attempting to grab a bag, he or she must reset by standing up before making another attempt at the bag.

      1. i.       If a player has a bag in the mouth while making an illegal touch, he or she must immediately put it back on the floor with the open end up before making another attempt.

  4. Player may not use the podiums or any other item for balance.

  5. If a bag falls off a podium (the table), it must be reset in the manner described above to complete the challenge.

  6. To complete the game, the contestant must have all five bags concurrently on the five podiums (the table) within the 60-second time limit.

2. Elephant March – Funny!!! Make sure you get those measurements right!!

Eight unopened water bottles are placed in two parallel rows on the ground, precisely eight feet apart. The contestant must wear a standard pair of pantyhose over the head, with a baseball placed inside the end of one leg. Keeping one foot on each side of the centerline, the contestant must swing back and forth using the momentum of the baseball to knock down all eight bottles.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 8 bottles

  • 1 pair of pantyhose

  • 2 baseballs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant must be standing and have ball resting on pre-determined mark, with pantyhose on head in starting position.

2. Contestant must keep one foot on either side of the dividing foul line during the game.

a. Repeat crossing of dividing foul line will result in elimination.

3. Contestant may knock down water bottles in any order.

4. Contestant may not use any part of body (i.e. hands, feet) to propel the baseball at bottles of water.

5. To complete the game, contestant must knock over eight bottles as described within the 60-second time limit.

3. Egg Roll- They had fun, I used a flat box, it bent in a little more then I wanted it to, you know it the parts that are pre-bent, so a Pizza Box would be better I bet.

Contestant must move three eggs across the floor and into a target area only by "fanning" the eggs with an empty pizza box.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 1 medium

  • 14-inch pizza box (may use just flat box or cardboard)

  • 3 raw eggs (we only did 2 eggs)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant holds the pizza box (may use just flat box or cardboard) in a standing position behind the center egg.

2. Once game begins, contestant may start fanning an egg with the pizza box. Contestant may only use pizza box to move the egg.

3. Contestant and pizza box may not touch an egg at any time or the game is over.

4. An egg is considered to be in the end zone as long as its shell is touching the colored zone.

5. Contestant may not open the pizza box.

6. If an egg breaks the game is over.

7. To complete the game, contestant must get all three eggs concurrently in the designated end zone within the 60-second time limit and all three eggs must come to a complete stop concurrently without exiting the designated end zone.

8. Contestant must stop fanning within the 60-second time limit.

4. Face the Cookie – Funny the kids had a hard time understanding this, those that had seen it done before were the ones the won or almost one, showing a clip of this one would be wise.

Contestants, using only their faces, must move three Oreo cookies individually from their forehead to their mouth.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • at least 3 cookies

  • Chair

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant must be seated in the chair with hands on knees and cookie will be placed on forehead by hostess.

2. Starting cookie position must always be in the center of the forehead, not touching the eyebrows. If a starting cookie is not in this designated position the cookie will not count toward the final score.

3. Game begins on audio prompt.

4. Once the game begins, the contestant may use only their head to manipulate the cookie.

5. The cookie must remain in contact with the face at all times (i.e. may not be tossed from the forehead and caught in the mouth).

6. If a cookie falls scores a cookie in the mouth, a new intact cookie must be used for the next attempt. off the head, the contestant must start over with an intact cookie.

7.If a player successfully scores a cookie in the mouth, a new intact cookie must be used for the next attempt.

To complete the game, the contestant must three times hold an intact cookie with his or her mouth within the 60-second time limit.

5. Sticky Balls – did not do, but I am sure would be fun, you could do it on the floor

A strip of double-sided tape is placed at the end of an eight-foot table. From the opposite end of the table, the contestant must roll five marbles so that they stop on the tape without rolling off the table. (we will use the GYM floor)

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • glass marbles

  • double-sided tape

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant stands in designated start zone with hands at sides.

2. Once game begins, contestant may grab cup of marbles and roll the first marble.

3. Contestant must hold cup in one hand and with the other hand hold and release only one marble at a time.

4. Contestant's hand may not pass the barrier on the table. Any marble that sticks to the tape in this manner will not count toward the final score.

5. Marbles must be in contact with the tape to score.

6. To complete the game, contestant must have five marbles concurrently stuck to the tape within the 60-second time limit.

a. Any marble released from the hand within the 60-second time limit may count toward completion of the game.

6. This Blows – You need a large table for this, it will take a 6’ table, so we had to do this in two rounds, since our building only has 5 long times)

Contestant must use a balloon to knock cups off of a table. The contestant will repeatedly blow up a balloon and then blow the air out to propel the cups off of the table. All the cups must be completely off the table to complete the game. Since we will only be using the small classroom tables, I think I will have the leader place 8 cups on the table and as those are blown off replace them with the other 7.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 1 balloon

  • 15 plastic cups

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant stands in designated start zone with hands at sides.

2. Once game begins, contestant may grab a balloon and start inflating it.

3. Contestant must play game from designated side of table.

4. Contestant may only knock a cup off the table by using the air from the balloon.

5. Contestant may not use table to compress air from a balloon.

6. If contestant bangs on table or makes any contact with a cup using either the balloon or their body the game is over.

7. Contestant may switch out balloon for another balloon at any time. Contestant may only use one balloon at a time.

8. To complete the game, the contestant must knock all cups off the table using only air from the balloon within the 60-second time limit.

7. Stack Attack – You need a large tables for this, it was REALLY hard, you might consider going down to 24 cups

Contestant uses 36 plastic cups to erect a triangle-shaped structure. Once completed, contestant must remove hands from the structure completely and then proceed to stack all cups into a single stack. Buy a big bags at Costco or Sams club a lot cheaper

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 36 plastic cups

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, a single stack of 36 cups is placed on the table and contestant stands behind table with hands at their sides.

2. Once game starts, contestant begins stacking the cups in a pyramid as demonstrated.

3. When contestant has pyramid complete (i.e. 1 cup on top, 2 on the next level down, then three, then four, etc.) they must remove hands completely and then proceed to stack all cups in a single stack.

4. If a cup(s) falls off of the table at any time, the contestant may pick up the cup(s) and continue the game.

5. To complete the game, contestant must get all cups stacked into a pyramid, then back into a single stack and placed on the table within the 60-second time limit.

8. Defying Gravity – was fun, only one girls made it to the end, she just keep them in control, where some kids just hit then like crazy

Contestants have to concurrently keep three balloons in the air.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 3 balloons

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant stands with three balloons. An audio cue will signal the contestant to release the balloons.

2. Clock will start once all three balloons are released by contestant.

3. Contestant may use any part of the body to hit the balloons.

4. Balloons may not be held by the contestant, or rest on any part of the body once they have been released.

5. Contestant and balloons must remain in designated play area during game.

6. If a balloon pops upon contact with the body the contestant is eliminated.

  1. To complete the game, no balloon may touch the floor within the 60-second time limit.

9. Keep It Up- not sure what the trick is here, the kids had a REAL hard time, so we went with 1 feather.

Contestant using only their breath must keep feathers afloat for 60 seconds.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 2 feathers

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant stands holding two feathers. An audio cue will signal the contestant to release the feathers.

2. Clock will start once both feathers are released by contestant.

3. If feathers clump together for longer than five seconds, the game will be reset.

4. If a feather touches or goes beyond the railing surrounding the stage, the game is over, resulting in failure.

5. A feather briefly touching a player's face will be permissible, but any other contact between a player's body and the feather will result in failure.

6. To complete the game, contestant must use only his or her breath to keep both feathers from touching the ground for the entire 60 seconds.

10. Movin On Up- did not do this one since we had 8 teams

Contestant is given a stack of 49 blue plastic cups and races to move their one red-bottom cup through the entire stack. Contestant does so by holding the stack in their hands and one-by-one continuously moving a cup from the top to the bottom.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 49 blue cups

  • 1 red one

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant must be in a standing position and holding the stack of cups with both hands only on the red cup at the bottom of the stack.

2. Once game begins, contestant grabs a single cup from the top of the stack, and places it onto the bottom of the stack.

3. Player must move cups, one at a time, alternating hands.

4. If a player completely removes more than one cup at a time from the stack, (whether grabbing multiples, or dropping to the floor) all cups outside of the stack must be placed on the top of the stack before a cup may be placed at the bottom.

a. To receive credit for placing cups on top of the stack, they must be placed, then the hand placing them removed before they may be touched again.

5. Though players may bend over to pick up dropped cups, the player may not sit, kneel or place the stack on the ground. The game is to be played from a standing position.

6. To complete the game, the red cup (after traveling upward through the stack) must be removed from the top and placed on the bottom of the stack AND the entire stack must be held in only one hand via the red cup within the 60-second time limit.

11. Paper Dragon (see my thoughts on Dizzy Mummy below)

Contestant must unspool two rolls of party streamers using only their hands and arms.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 2 rolls of streamers

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant must be in a standing position in the designated start area with the start of a ribbon in each hand and arms at sides.

2. Once game begins, contestant may start unspooling ribbons.

3. If a streamer rips, player may pick it up and continue.

4. Contestant may not kick, throw or grab the spool directly.

5. To complete the game, contestant must unspool both ribbons completely within the 60-second time limit.

12.  Dizzy Mummy (we did this one over the Paper Dragon due to cost of a roll of streams at Wal-Mart they were $1.25 each and you need two of each team, the toilet paper broke really fast, so tell them to SLOW down I bought a roll that had 1000 sheets on it “Scotts brand” a couple of teams made it through about ¾ of the roll so it cam be done if you go slow, but most broke, only 2 teams did not break their toilet paper)

The contestant must unwind a single roll of toilet paper by executing a series of 360 degree spins until all of the paper has been unwound. If at any time the paper rips, the game is over.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 1 roll of toilet paper

  • Partner to hold toilet paper on a wooden spoon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant stands with arms outstretched to the sides and both fists clenched and with the start of the toilet paper roll in one fist. Fists must remain clenched throughout game.

2. Once game begins, contestant may begin spinning to remove the toilet paper from the roll.

3. Contestant must remove toilet paper over the arms.

4. Toilet paper must be unspooled by the contestant completing a series of 360 degree spins causing the paper to wrap around the contestant's body.

5. A severed toilet paper strand at any time prior to the roll being empty results in failure.

6. To complete game, contestant must unspool all toilet paper squares not glued to the cardboard center within the 60-second time limit.

 

13. Nose Dive – VERY FUNNY, make sure you have something for them to clean their nose off when done

Contestant must transfer five cotton balls, one at a time, from one serving bowl to another 12' away using only the nose. Vaseline on the tip of the contestant's nose is used as a transfer agent.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • 5 cotton balls

  • petroleum jelly

  • 2 bowls

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant must be standing in front of table with hands at side.

2. Once game begins, contestant may begin dipping nose into Vaseline.

a. Contestant may only apply Vaseline to nose by dipping nose in Vaseline.

3. Contestant must transfer one cotton ball at a time via the nose from the start bowl to the end bowl.

a. If a player transports more than one cotton ball at a time, any cotton balls deposited into the bowl on that attempt will not count towards player's total.

4. If a cotton ball falls on the table or floor, the contestant must get a new cotton ball from the start bowl.

5. Contestant must deposit cotton ball in the end bowl directly from the nose without coming into contact with any other body part or object.

6. If a player touches a cotton ball with the hands they will be disqualified.

7. To complete the game, contestant must transport five cotton balls from the start bowl to the end bowl as described above, with all five cotton balls in the bowl concurrently within the 60-second time limit.

14. Hanky Panky (due to having to have 10 teams and it seemed like a a lot of waster tissue we only used this game as a tie breaker)

Using only one hand, contestant must pull tissues out of a tissue box one at a time until box is empty.

REQUIRED ITEMS

  • a 160-count box of tissues

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prior to game start, contestant must stand with hands at sides.

2. Once game starts, contestant may grab the first tissue.

3. Contestant may only use the same hand to pull the tissues for the entire game.

a. Contestant may use other hand to hold the box.

4. Contestant's fingers may not enter the box.

To complete the game, contestant must empty the box and pull the final tissue within the 60-second time limit.

Information 06/25/2023

The time has come for me to be honest with myself,  that I just can't keep up with this site any more. I am working full time now and loving on my grandkids.  I will still be adding great quotes I find and things from General conference etc. Never fear, I am still here for you. If you need something please reach out to me, and I will See what I can do. You can reach me at theideadoor@gmail.com

Thanks for your understanding! Liz from the Idea Door

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