Minute to Win It Games with Water
If you’re planning a party, family night, school event, or backyard barbecue, adding Minute to Win It water games is a guaranteed way to level up the fun! These games are fast-paced, a little silly, a little messy (okay, sometimes very messy), and full of laughs. Best of all, they’re simple to set up, need minimal supplies, and can be played with kids, teens, or adults, basically anyone who doesn’t mind getting a little wet!
20+ Splashy Challenges for Kids, Teens, and Adults!
Grab some towels, a stopwatch, and a sense of humor, here are some epic water Minute to Win It games to keep everyone smiling and splashing!
1. Water Balloon Pop
Players must sit on water balloons to pop them, no hands allowed! See how many balloons each person can pop in one minute.
Supplies: Water balloons (LOTS of them).
2. Wet Sponge Relay
Place a full bucket of water at one end and an empty bucket at the other. Players use a sponge to soak up water, run to the empty bucket, and squeeze it out. The goal: transfer as much water as possible in 60 seconds!
Supplies: Two buckets, a sponge.
3. Floating Ping Pong Madness
Fill a large bowl with water and place a bunch of ping pong balls inside. Players must blow the balls across the surface into a cup at the edge without touching them.
Supplies: Bowl, ping pong balls, cups.
4. Leaky Cup Challenge
Give players a cup with holes poked into the bottom. They must fill it with water, race to a finish line, and dump whatever water is left into a bucket. Repeat until time’s up!
Supplies: Leaky cups (poke holes beforehand), two buckets.
5. Water Transfer with a Spoon
Transfer water from one bowl to another using only a spoon, no hands or pouring! Whoever moves the most water wins.
Supplies: Two bowls, one spoon per player.
6. Sponge Toss
Teams of two toss a soaked sponge back and forth, moving farther apart after each successful catch. Count how many catches they make in one minute!
Supplies: Large sponge, water source.
7. Bucket Head
One player wears a small bucket (or plastic bowl) on their head or holds a bucket. The teammate must toss wet sponges or water balloons into the bucket! Most catches in 60 seconds wins.
Supplies: Bucket or bowl, water balloons or soaked sponges.
8. Drip, Drip, Splash
Like “Duck, Duck, Goose,” but with water! One player walks around dripping a small amount of water from a cup onto each person’s head, until they pick someone and dump the whole cup!
Supplies: Plastic cups, water.
9. Water Cup Balance
Players walk across a set distance balancing a full cup of water on their head. No hands allowed! See how far they get in one minute.
Supplies: Plastic cups, water.
10. Sink the Ship
Float a small plastic container (the “ship”) in a tub of water. Players must toss pennies or small pebbles/objects into the container to sink it!
Supplies: Tub of water, plastic container, pennies/small objects.
11. Slip ‘n’ Slide Race
Set up a backyard slip ‘n’ slide. Players must belly-flop and slide into a target zone marked with cones or towels within 60 seconds.
Supplies: Slip ‘n’ slide, water hose, cones or markers.
12. Water Balloon Spoon Race
Just like an egg-and-spoon race, but with a tiny water balloon. Don’t drop it! See how many successful trips can be made.
Supplies: Spoons, water balloons.
13. Bubble Blaster
Players must create a mountain of bubbles by blowing into a bowl of soapy water with a straw. Whoever makes the tallest pile wins!
Supplies: Dish soap, water, bowl, straw.
14. Fishing for Marbles
Drop marbles into a tub of water. Players must pick up as many as possible with their toes in one minute.
Supplies: Marbles, tub of water.
15. Water Balloon Balance
Balance a water balloon on a spoon while navigating an obstacle course or running back and forth. If it drops, you have to start over!
Supplies: Water balloons, spoons.
16. Ice Cube Pick-Up
Dump a bunch of ice cubes into a bowl of water. Players have to fish them out one by one using only chopsticks or tongs!
Supplies: Ice cubes, large bowl, chopsticks/tongs.
17. Squirt Gun Shootout
Line up empty plastic cups or lightweight objects. Players use water guns to shoot them off a table. Most knocked down wins!
Supplies: Water guns, plastic cups, table.
18. Fill the Bottle
Using only a sponge, players must soak up water and squeeze it into a narrow-necked bottle. First to fill it (or most filled after 1 minute) wins.
Supplies: Sponge, bottle, bucket of water.
19. Over-Under Water Balloon Pass
Teams stand in a line. Players pass a water balloon over their heads, then under their legs to the next person. Last person drops it into a bucket. Most successful passes in one minute wins!
Supplies: Water balloons, bucket.
20. Paper Boat Race
Fold simple paper boats, place them in a water tub, and have players blow on them to race to the other side!
Supplies: Paper boats, water tub.
21. Water Cup Stack Knockdown
Stack plastic cups into a pyramid. Players use a water gun or squirter to knock down as many as possible.
Supplies: Plastic cups, water squirters.
Tips for Running Minute to Win It Water Games
- Keep extra towels handy, trust me, you’ll need them!
- Play outside whenever possible to avoid making your house look like a soggy sponge.
- Make it a tournament: Set up several game stations and rotate players through in small groups.
- Have backup supplies: Extra balloons, extra cups, extra water, especially if the crowd is enthusiastic (aka wild).
- Encourage good sportsmanship: Celebrate the funniest fails as much as the fastest wins!
Water-based Minute to Win It games are an awesome way to keep the energy high and the giggles coming. Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, youth group event, field day, or just a summer afternoon backyard bash, these games will have everyone talking (and dripping) for days afterward.
The best part? You don’t need to spend a lot or plan for weeks, just grab what you have, add water, and let the memories begin!
