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60-second

Blow the Cup

Also called Cup Blowing Challenge, Cup Jump

Blow on a cup nested inside another so it jumps into the empty cup next to it. Most jumps in a minute wins.

people
2–20
time
8 min
energy
Medium
materials
Cheap to buy
Kids-safeHR-safeChurch-safe
Watch it played
What you need3
How to play4

Before you start

At each station put two cups nested together and a third empty cup about 10 cm (4 in) to the side. Write each player's name on their cups.

  1. 1The player blows on the rim of the top nested cup, trying to make it hop out and land inside the empty cup.
  2. 2A jump counts only when the cup lands and stays inside the target cup.
  3. 3After each success the player resets the cups by hand and goes again.
  4. 4Most successful jumps in 60 seconds wins.
What to say3
  1. 1“One short sharp puff — it's not about lung power, it's about aim!”
  2. 2“Ooh, it jumped! Did it land? It landed! That's one!”
  3. 3“Fifteen seconds! Reset and blow!”
Host tips3
  • Most people blow too hard and the cup flies off the table. Demo it once: a quick, sharp puff aimed at the top rim, and a small spin on the top cup first helps.
  • Cheap thin cups jump; thick reusable cups barely move. Test your exact cups at home before the party.
  • Counting gets disputed. Put one judge per station and have them hold up fingers, not shout numbers.
Variants2

  • Moving target

    After every success, move the target cup a further finger-width away.

  • Chain

    Line up five cups. The jumping cup must hop into each one in turn, left to right.

Safety2
  • Players breathe onto the cups — give each player their own labelled set and never pass cups between players.
  • Fast repeated blowing can make people light-headed; keep players seated and let anyone dizzy stop.
Good for

Occasions

ChristmasBirthdayTeam buildingSchoolReunionFiesta

Venues

Indoor, smallIndoor, largeOfficeChurch hall
If this one dies early4