Winter, the season of hot cocoa, cozy blankets, and kids running around the house like they’ve had way too much sugar. If your family is anything like mine, staying entertained during the chilly months is a must.

Whether you’re planning a family game night, a classroom party, or a fun holiday get-together, Minute-to-Win-It games are a surefire way to keep everyone laughing (and burning off some of that hot cocoa energy).

These games are easy to set up, require only simple supplies, and bring loads of fun. Plus, you can keep the holiday spirit alive with wintery themes! So, grab your timer (or use your phone!) and let’s create memories worth more than any snowman selfie.

Minute to Win It Games for Winter

Snowball Toss

What You Need:

• White pom-poms or cotton balls (snowballs)
• A bucket, basket, or bowl

How to Play:
Place the bucket a few feet away. The challenge is to toss as many "snowballs" into the bucket as possible within one minute. Increase the distance for older kids or grown-ups who are feeling overly confident.

Tip: Lay down a towel to catch all the missed snowballs, it saves you from crawling under the couch later!

Mitten Madness

What You Need:

• A pair of thick winter mittens
• Wrapped candies or small items to unwrap

How to Play:
Players must put on the mittens and try to unwrap as many candies as possible in a minute. Watching people struggle with the mittens is half the fun.

Bonus Idea: Make it holiday-themed by wrapping mini candy canes or chocolates!

Winter Emoji Pictionary

In 60 seconds, see how many of these Winter words or phrases can you decode using just these emojis.

Snowman Stack

What You Need:

• Large marshmallows
• A flat surface

How to Play:
The goal is to stack as many marshmallows as possible into a tower without it falling over. If the tower collapses, start over. This one’s perfect for the little ones, though adults tend to get hilariously competitive.

Pro Tip: Have some extra marshmallows for snacking, trust me, they’ll “disappear” quickly.

Jingle Bell Shake

What You Need:

• Empty tissue box
• Jingle bells
• Belt or string

How to Play:
This is played similar to the classic 'Junk in the Trunk' Attach the tissue box to the player's waist using the belt or string, with the opening facing out. Fill the box with jingle bells, and the player has to shake their hips to get all the bells out in under a minute. It’s part game, part dance-off.

Why Kids Love It: They get to act goofy, and you’ll have video evidence for future embarrassing moments!

Frosty’s Nose Challenge

What You Need:

• Carrots (the "nose")
• Plastic cups

How to Play:
Set up cups in a line and hand each player a carrot. The goal is to roll the carrot down the table, aiming to knock over as many cups as possible. It’s harder than it sounds!

Mom Hack: Use carrots that are a little curved, they’re less predictable and way funnier.

Winter Riddles

Can you match all of the Winter riddles to their answers in just sixty seconds?

Snowflake Blow

What You Need:

• Paper snowflakes (or lightweight paper cutouts)
• A table

How to Play:
Each player has to blow a snowflake across the table to the finish line using only their breath. No hands allowed! You can add obstacles like books or cups to make it trickier.

Keep It Fair: For little ones, let them use a straw to focus their blowing power.

Marshmallow Chopsticks

What You Need:

• Mini marshmallows
• Chopsticks
• A bowl

How to Play:
Using chopsticks, players have one minute to transfer as many marshmallows as possible into a bowl. It’s a great test of patience and dexterity, especially for adults who swear they’re pros with chopsticks.

Optional Rule: No stabbing the marshmallows, only proper chopstick technique allowed!

Penguin Waddle Race

What You Need:

• Balloons

How to Play:
Players place a balloon between their knees and waddle across the room like a penguin to complete a short obstacle course. The first to finish, or the one who gets the farthest in a minute, wins!

Caution: Clear the area of anything breakable because balloons + kids = chaos.

Candy Cane Hook-Up

What You Need:

• A pile of candy canes
• One candy cane per player (for hooking)

How to Play:
Hold a candy cane in your mouth and use it to hook as many candy canes as possible from the pile in one minute. No hands allowed!

Ice Cube Slide

What You Need:

• Ice cubes
• A smooth surface (like a table)
• Tape

How to Play:
Mark a target area on the table with tape. Players must slide their ice cubes across the table and try to land them inside the target. Think of it like curling but less Canadian.

Pro Tip: Keep a towel handy to wipe up the inevitable water mess.

Frozen Face-Off

What You Need:

• Ping pong balls
• Straws

How to Play:
Each player uses a straw to blow ping pong balls across the table into a designated "goal." Add some holiday spirit by drawing snowman faces on the balls.

Bonus Fun: Play this one tournament-style and cheer each other on!

Christmas Cookie Face Challenge

What You Need:

• Holiday-themed cookies (or plain old Oreos if you’re like me and ran out of time to bake)

How to Play:
Place a cookie on your forehead and try to move it to your mouth using only your facial muscles. This one is guaranteed to have everyone in stitches.

Winter Word Scramble

What You Need:

• Paper and pens
• Word scramble with winter themed words

How to Play:
Players have one minute to unscramble as many words as possible. You can include holiday words like “snowflake,” “reindeer,” and “hot chocolate.”

Winter Minute-to-Win-It games are the perfect mix of fun and festive energy. They’re simple, silly, and get everyone moving, exactly what we all need when it’s too cold to play outside. Plus, they’re a great way to sneak in some family bonding (and maybe a little healthy competition).

So, gather the kids, invite some friends, or even challenge the grandparents. You’ll end up with priceless memories, and maybe even a new winter tradition..