Reindeer Games for Your Family Christmas
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Gather your family around and create some fun-filled memories with these Reindeer Games. Reindeer Games are short and sweet so you can play as many or as little as you want to fit your time frame. They are great to play as you wait for people to arrive, in between dinner and dessert, or any time you want to create some memories.
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Tournament Scoring
When playing multiple Reindeer Games in a row, it’s fun to keep score and award prizes at the end. But you know how some people are naturals at some games and others not so much? To help bridge the gap, try awarding points using a deck of cards instead. Vary the scoring as needed after each game. The goal is to keep everyone engaged. If they are the only one that don’t have points, they start to disengage so find ways to get everyone on the scoreboard and keep that prize feasible for most people. Here are some ways to do that:
First place gets to pick three cards, second place gets two, and last place gets one card. They all tally up their cards for their score that round. Aces are one, Kings are 13.
Make two piles of cards- one for those who complete the challenge successfully, and one for those who tried but failed. The winner pile includes cards 6 and up with one or two low cards. The loser pile includes cards 5 and below with a couple of high ranking cards. Everyone gets to pick one card.
If it’s a game where you time how long they can keep something up, use their time as their score instead.
Are the middle people feeling left out? Make a random pile of cards and let them pick one.
Let the games begin!
HUNGRY, HUNGRY REINDEERS
SUPPLIES:
2 plastic cups per person
Marshmallows and/or cotton balls (lots)
1 Large plate for each person
INSTRUCTIONS:
Lay out all the marshmallows and/or cotton balls across the middle of a long table.
Everyone gathers around the table an equal distance apart from the food with a plate in front of them and two cups on their hands.
On “Go”, everyone uses their new hooves to gather as many marshmallows and cotton balls on their plate as possible. You can only use your hooves! Play for one minute or until all the food is gone. Whoever has the most, wins.
SCOOP UP SOME CHRISTMAS DESSERT
SUPPLIES
Marshmallows and/or cotton balls (lots)
One plate
One spatula (the flipper kind)
Blindfold
INSTRUCTIONS
Place all the marshmallows and/or cotton balls across the middle of the table again.
One person goes at a time for this one. Blindfold the first player and give them the plate in one hand and the spatula in the other (facing the right way). On “Go”, the player tries to scoop up as many marshmallows or cotton balls onto their plate as possible in 30 seconds. The plate may not touch the table at any time.
The person with the most on their plate at the end of 30 seconds wins.
CREAM SMEAR
SUPPLIES
Stocking Stumpers cut into squares
A plate of whipped cream for each game you play
One prize per game
INSTRUCTIONS
Divide the Stocking Stumpers into two even piles. Two people play against each other in this game. Each player needs a person who can hold up their pile of cards and check the answers as well.
Participants stand an equal distance apart with a plate of whipped cream in the middle as well as the prize. On “Go”, the helpers hold up the first card in their pile. Once guessed correctly, they move to the next card and pull the prize or whipped cream closer to them. Players can skip a card until later but they will have to solve it before they can win.
The first person who correctly guesses all the cards in their pile grabs the plate of whipped cream and smears it on the other person’s face OR grabs the prize. They can not do both, only one.
BE STILL
SUPPLIES
Tissue
Masking or painter tape
INSTRUCTIONS
Tape off a small rectangle on the wall. You want it just slightly bigger than your tissue.
One person goes at a time for this game. On their turn, they must blow on the tissue to keep it within the box for as long as possible. Use a timer to keep track. The timer stops once the tissue is completely outside the box.
Everyone gets two tries.
SANTA’S COMING TO WHO’S TOWN?
SUPPLIES
Plastic cup (this is Santa so we like to use a red one- add a face if you want)
Balloon for each person
INSTRUCTIONS
Two people go against each other in this game. Each person stands on opposite sides of a table. The Santa cup is placed in the middle.
On “Go”, each person must blow up their balloon then let the air out on the cup to move him to their opponent’s side. You want to be the first person to knock off the cup on the other person’s side (their town). If it falls off the table on an end where no person is, place the cup back in the middle of the table.
Keep playing in rounds of winners and losers until there is one ultimate winner.
P.S. You can play this with more people too, check out the 4 players video.
FULL OF HOT AIR
SUPPLIES
Two sets of Stocking Stumpers cut into squares and taped to plastic cups
INSTRUCTIONS
Place each set of cups in a straight line in front of each competitor on a table. If you have to do two lines, be sure to leave large enough gaps between cups that one from the back can slide through.
A host then announces a Christmas song. Each person must find the correct cup and using only their breath, move the cup until it falls off the table. For each incorrect cup that falls off the table, it’s minus 10 points. If you are the first to get the correct cup off the table, it’s 20 points. If you are the last, it is 5 points. Cups can NOT be touched except to place back on the table at the end of a round. If someone does touch a cup, it’s minus 15 points. Keep cups that have been called off the table.
Play until 5 cups are remaining or you want to stop (we do around 5 songs) and tally up the points.
CURL UP AND ENJOY
SUPPLIES
Masking or painter tape
2 different colored sets of three plastic cups each
INSTRUCTIONS
Two people go against each other at a time in this game. Each person has their own set of plastic cups and stands at the long end of the table. Tape off near the opposite end (about 3/4 of the length) two to three squares like a target. The smallest one should fit only one cup inside it.
Taking turns, each person slides their plastic cup (upside down) across the table to the target. They can knock each other’s cups out of the way with theirs as they fight for the best positions in the target.
The score is taken after all the cups have been played. The middle of the target is 20 points. The next square is 10 points. The final square is 3 points or if you didn’t make a final square if a cup is outside the tape but touching the edge of the tape, it’s 3 points. Keep playing in tournament style until there is an ultimate champion.
Prizes
Keep it simple and see what you have around the house or grab some candy bars you know your family loves. Once, I used paper bags and put in some small candy plus all those things in the birthday tub that no one ever picks to give away. It was funny.
