'Minute to Win It': The Baby Rattle Game

gum balls

Pixabay

Like most games from the popular "Minute to Win It," international TV franchise, the Baby Rattle game certainly isn't child's play—but it will sure be a hit at your next party. Gumballs and soda bottles are the main props you'll need, along with strong hands and a bit of patience. Yes, we realize the irony of recommending patience during a one-minute countdown, but the key to successfully playing Minute to Win It games is focus and a cool head.

The Goal

The goal of Baby Rattle is to transfer the gumballs loaded inside one soda pop bottle into an empty soda pop bottle, all without getting them jammed in the bottlenecks. Sounds simple right? Read on.

Equipment

  • Four empty 2-liter plastic soda bottles
  • Strong tape to hold the bottles together
  • Enough gumballs to fill two bottles about half-way, and sized to just fit through the neck
  • Sturdy table

How to Play

First, set up the game by filling two of the bottles halfway up with gumballs. Place the neck opening of an empty bottle on top of the neck opening of the one you just filled, and tape them together securely at the necks. Repeat with the second set of bottles. Place the bottle stacks on the table. They should resemble two oversized baby rattles—hence, the name of the game.

Then, start the timer and begin to play by grabbing the bottles at the neck where they are taped together, one set in each hand. Flip each set over and begin shaking or swirling them to transfer the gumballs from one bottle to the other. The object is to transfer all of the gumballs from the half-filled bottle into the empty one. If you can do this, then place the bottle stacks on the table and remove your hands from the bottles in under 60 seconds, you win the game.

The Rules

As with all "Minute to Win It" games, there are a few rules you must follow to make sure you aren't disqualified:

  • You must start the game with your arms and hands at their sides. You can only touch the bottles once the timer begins.
  • You may not take the bottles apart or bang them on any surface, including your own body, in order to move the gum balls.
  • The game is not over until you transfer all the gumballs into the other bottle, place the bottles back on the table, and stand back with your hands and arms at their sides.

Tips and Tricks

This game sounds easy, but it's actually pretty challenging. There are a couple things you can do to make it run more smoothly, though. First, grab the bottles with your hands twisted, their backs facing each other—you'll grab the left bottle neck with the back of your left hand facing right, the right bottle neck with the back of your right hand facing left. That way, when you flip the bottles over, your grip will be more comfortable and you won't have to waste time readjusting your hands—or, worse yet, drop the bottles. Secondly, if you run into a literal bottleneck, i.e., the gumballs get stuck and won't move, shake the bottles vigorously and then swirl them. This creates a whirlpool-like effect that keeps those gumballs moving.