There's not much to this Minute to Win It game in theory - simply run around as fast as you can to keep a kite in the air. When you add the fact that the kite is attached to your head, however, it gets just a little more difficult.
The Goal
Keep a kite that's attached to your head via a hat or visor in the air for one minute by running around the stage like an idiot. No really, it's fun.
Equipment Needed
You know what's also fun? Looking at your shopping list once you've compiled all the supplies you'll need to play a few of these games at home. For this one you'll need to add the following items to your list:
- One standard size kite with a tail and string
- A secure-fitting, adjustable visor or a similarly styled baseball hat with an open gap at the back
- A one-minute timer or stop watch
- Plenty of space to run around
How to Play
To get the kite ready you need to attach it to the back of the hat. The official length of the string has not been provided, but the kite should lay flat on the floor with a few extra inches of give when the contestant is wearing the hat. Make sure that the kite and the hat are both securely attached to the kite string.
The contestant should put the hat on before the timer starts and adjust it if necessary to make sure it fits well and won't fall off during the game. When the timer starts, the contestant runs as fast as he or she can to get the kite in the air, and keep it flying for the full minute. Of course it'll take a couple of seconds to get the kite airborne - you can decide to start off with someone else holding the kite off the ground, or allow for a buffer to get it going.
Also keep in mind that players on the actual game show run around in a circle, so if you want to stay true to that format then that's the way to go.
The Rules
The rules for this game are quite simple: if the kite or the tail of the kite touch the ground, the game is over. You can't use your hands to keep the kite from falling, but it's not as if you'll see it happening anyway since the kite is attached to the back of your head.
Tips and Tricks
Practice, practice, practice. If you're not a fast runner then you'll have problems with this game, so practicing will help to improve your speed and let you know exactly what pace you need to keep in order to keep the kite from falling.
The blueprint with video instructions for this game can be found at NBC.com.
Young kids might have trouble with this game even though they're generally faster than many adults. For the very young, play it with a balloon instead of a kite. Tweens can try using a smaller kite, but the older kids should be able to manage with the standard rules.
This is the perfect game for outdoor summer play, and would be appropriate for any type of outside party, picnic, or get-together. Set up a large scoreboard somewhere (or even on the ground with chalk) and set up a last-man-standing tournament if your guests are the competitive sort.
