Saran Wrap Ball Game (Candy Ball Game Rules, Ideas & Christmas Party Tips)

This Saran Wrap Ball Game quickly became one of our favorite Christmas party games after my teenage daughter came home from a birthday party obsessed with it. The first candy ball game we made was total chaos 😅 One person unwrapped almost the entire thing while everyone else sat there panicking, waiting for their turn.

After testing different rules, wrapping methods, and challenge ideas, this became the version we keep coming back to for family parties, teen parties, and holiday gatherings. If you’re looking for funny Saran Wrap Ball Game instructions, prize ideas, and ways to make the game more fair and exciting, I’ve got you covered.

Saran Wrap Candy Ball Game

Some people also call this a cling wrap ball game or a plastic wrap ball game.

If you hate the idea of using so much plastic in a game, then check out myToilet Paper Version of this Saran Wrap Ball Game,

Other fun Christmas Game Ideas for the Whole Family

• Paper Plate Pictionary 
• Guess Who – A fun Christmas game
• Guess the Christmas Smell
• Stick it to Santa’s Beard! 
• Minute to Win It Christmas and Winter Games 

What Is a Saran Wrap Ball Game?

A Saran Wrap Ball Game (also called a plastic wrap ball game or cling wrap game) is a fun party game where prizes are wrapped inside layers of plastic wrap to create one giant candy ball. Players race to unwrap the ball while another player rolls dice trying to get doubles. It’s especially popular for Christmas parties, teen parties, classroom parties, and family gatherings.

What You Need

• Saran Wrap or bubble wrap – I purchased 300 ft. of saran wrap and probably only used 1/3 of it
• Prizes
• Dice
• Base – I used a roll of toilet paper
• *optional but recommended – packaging tape

How to Make a Saran Wrap Ball Game Step-by-Step

Step 1: Start with a Base

• Use something round-ish as your base, like toilet paper
• *You can place bells or something noisy in the tube for added fun

Step 2: Start Wrapping the Ball

• Unwrap some of the saran wrap and place the round object in the center, begin wrapping it going in different directions until it forms a ball as your base

Step 3: Add Prizes to the Ball

• Start adding prizes to the saran wrap and wrapping them – It’s up to you on how far you want to space the prizes out. If you space them too close together the game will be over quickly

Step 4: Tape Every Few Layers

• Tape the ball every few layers to add a little bit of a challenge

Step 5: Finish Wrapping the Ball

• Keep going until you run out of prizes

Rules That Make the Game More Challenging

• Every other layer or every three layers, tape the seams from the saran wrap with packaging tape
• Have the players wear mittens or gloves to unwrap the ball
• Have players sit in a circle and use their feet to unwrap the ball
• Use forks to unwrap the ball
• Use spoons to unwrap the ball
• Use sticky clear wrap that seals itself
• Time the players that are unwrapping the ball – When the time is up, it’s time to pass the ball
• Instead of only passing the ball when the player to the left rolls doubles, make up other number combinations that qualify, like rolling the number 1 or 3 on one of the die, or the two dice adding up to a sum like 7, 9, or 5.
• No GRAVITY UNWRAP – Tell the players that they can NOT lift the ball up and let gravity quickly unwrap it, they have to leave it on the surface and unwrap it by pulling the layers of saran wrap back

Finally,

• Have extra prizes for anyone who did not get something on their turn

Best Prize Ideas for a Candy Ball Game

Candy Ideas

Candy canes, novelty candy, candy bars, Dollar Tree Christmas candy

Small Toy Ideas

slap bracelets, crayons, silly glasses, plushies, small storybooks or puzzle books including wordsearch books, small coloring books, fun pencil toppers, small sticker books, themed erasers

Funny Gag Gift Ideas

chattering teeth, fake poop, toothpaste, or gross flavored jelly beans, wind up toys

Teen & Adult Prize Ideas

gift cards, cash, soaps, lotion, nail polish, plush or wooden ornaments, fuzzy socks

The prizes you put inside the ball are entirely up to you. They can range from…pennies, candy, pencils, gag gifts, themed gifts, and even paper money.

Depending on how large the group is, how big you want to make the ball, and the number of prizes you want to include will probably determine the extravagance of the prizes inside. Candy and change are probably the least expensive options.

*for my 4 kids, I used about 100 pieces of candy and threw in other prizes like money. Unfortunately, I only had (2) $5 bills at the time. I wish I had singles. I also used change as prizes

How to Make the Saran Wrap Ball Game Harder (or Easier)

• Add bells inside the toilet paper tube which is your base and seal them with saran wrap – the ball will jingle as they play
• Use a giant bell instead of a toilet paper tube as your base
• Add gag gifts to unwrap, like wound-up chatter teeth or fake poop
• Add mystery jelly beans and when a player unwraps it, they have to eat it right then and there before they can continue (Some of the flavors are disgusting!)
• Add Challenge Cards

Funny Challenge Card Ideas for the Saran Wrap Game – to level it up a notch

They are just like Uno Challenge cards in that they make you stop the game and follow the instructions. They can be a reward, but they are mainly a challenge

To make Challenge Cards, cut index cards in half and write challenges on them

here are some ideas…

• lose a turn – the player has to pass the ball to the left (the person with the dice would also pass to their left)
• use only one hand to unwrap the ball
• skip 2 players
• unwrap the ball with your eyes closed
• put on the oven mitts to unwrap the ball (player rolling dice should pause until play can resume)
• give one of your prizes to the player on your right
• use spoons to unwrap the ball
• use forks to unwrap the ball
• Congratulations! Exchange a prize with anyone at the table
• stand up and hop on one foot while unwrapping the ball
• hold the ball over your head while unwrapping the ball
• the person with the dice has to roll until the dice add up to (5, 3, or 8) *mix the numbers up to whatever you fancy

Saran Wrap Ball Game Rules for Large Groups

These Saran Wrap Ball Game instructions are simple once everyone understands the basic dice rules.

• Have players get into a circle or sit at a table so they are side-by-side and able to pass to one another
• Give the starting player the ball  – you could roll to see who goes first
• Give the player to the left of the player holding the ball 2 dice – You can place the dice in a round cake pan to keep them secure and easily accessible
• The player with the dice should simultaneously roll the dice as the player with the ball unwraps the ball
• The player with the dice should quickly and continuously roll until they get doubles and yell stop to the person unwrapping the ball
• Then, the ball is passed to the person who rolled doubles and the dice are passed to the left as well – play continues this way until the ball is completely unwrapped
• play continues until the ball is unwrapped or if you’ve used my Challenge Card Ideas from above

This is a great game to add to your Christmas and New Years’ parties. The more people you have participating, the more fun it is for everyone involved.

My Best Tips for Making the Game More Fair

I learned quickly that if the prizes are wrapped too close together, one player can end up grabbing almost everything before the dice stop them.

Quick example from my own experience…My teenage daughter has played this game at several birthday parties and showed us how her friends play the game. She was a ninja at unwrapping the ball this way and she got most of the prizes. You can see that her little brother is looking on with total anxiety as he watched the ball disappear and his sister hoard all of the prizes. There is a huge smile on her face, (for obvious reasons) and he is in complete agony waiting for his turn. This way stressed everyone out (with the exception of the one getting all of the loot) and it quickly became apparent that I was going to have to make the game a little harder to unwrap so one person didn’t get all of the prizes. I researched some ideas that I’ve written down for you to make the game more challenging and fair for everyone involved. Then, I re-wrapped another candy ball and we tried again.

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