Our neighbour Christie introduced our family to the Bag Game years ago and it is always a hit on family game night. This easy game requires exactly one item and can be played anywhere. It can be played with large groups or small groups and with people of all ages. It seriously does not get simpler or better than The Bag Game!
We have played the Bag Game both outside and inside. We once played it with an empty cereal box because we didn’t have a paper bag to use. It is a great boredom buster on a snow day and an even better ice breaker at group events or a game for youth.
As long as you have a paper bag, this game costs nothing and couldn’t be simpler to set up. We always save paper bags now from stores or take-out at restaurants just for this purpose.
Our family loves this activity. There is always much hilarity that ensues as everyone stands around watching the person whose turn it is. There is laughter and cheering. Sometimes, there are some attempts to distract the person, especially when it comes to siblings!
How to Play The Paper Bag Game
Materials needed:
- paper bag or cereal box
Instructions:
- Place an empty paper bag on the floor.
- Standing on one foot, each player must take a turn to retrieve the bag using only their mouth.
- Once the bag is successfully retrieved, that player tears off the piece of the bag that their mouth touched.
- In this way, the bag slowly gets lower and lower to the ground.
- Once a player’s raised foot touches the ground or one of their hands touches the ground, they are eliminated from the game.
- The last person remaining in the game is the winner.
You will want to play this in a fairly large area so that everyone has room to manoeuvre. We have found that everyone develops a bit of their own style in this game. Some put their other leg way up high and use it as a counterbalance. Some crouch low to the ground with their whole body while others bend their upper half down. One of our sons places one foot on top of the other before crouching down.
The Bag Game Variations
For younger children or those with mobility issues, you can play the game exactly the same way but allow both feet to be touching the ground.
You can choose to have some players be allowed this exception while others play with the traditional rules of the game.
Another variation is to allow each player three strikes per turn or per game wherein their raised foot or one of their hands can touch the ground twice without that player being eliminated.
We have a large family and we enjoy finding family games that we can all do together. This one has quickly become a favourite.
You’ll notice from the blurry pictures that this is an active game with a lot of movement. There can be some pretty funny contortions, particularly when the bag gets down really low. There have been times in our competitive family when all that was left of the bag was a single piece of paper laying flat on the ground and our son managed to retrieve it!
The Bag Game is an easy activity for large groups with a variety of ages and abilities. It can be played at youth groups, camp, family reunions, Christmas parties, birthday parties, retirement celebrations, or in a classroom.
Looking for more super cool ideas for family fun or resources to help you connect with your child? Join our free 5 Days to Better Family Connection email series.