Classroom Party Game! “UNWRAP A PARTY BALL”

Are you looking for a fun activity to try at your next holiday classroom party? This saran wrap ball game is an absolute blast for all ages. Your student will love furiously unwrapping the ball to unlock the candy and prizes you have hidden inside. You can customize the game to challenge any grade level, and there are plenty of unique prize options you can use in place of candy.

I first discovered this idea on Pinterest and decided that I just had to give it a try. I call it “UNWRAP A PARTY BALL” because it sounds much more exciting than playing with a plastic wrap ball! I first tried it in a school setting when I volunteered to organize the party game for my oldest son’s classroom holiday party. It was a big hit with kids, and it has since become a tradition in our family to play it together on Christmas Eve.

Here are the simple steps to create your own saran wrap ball and the approach I used to play it in the classroom. I also included some tips at the end to help you modify the rules for different age groups.

Saran Wrap Ball Supplies:

• 200 to 300 sq ft. of Saran Wrap (generic plastic wrap also works)
• 2 Rolls of Clear Scotch Tape
• 2 Ring Pops
• 2 Bags of Candy (Smarties and Laffy Taffy) due to peanut allergies
• 1 Box of Mini Candy Canes
• 2 Dozens Holiday Eraser and Bouncy Balls

Creating Your Saran Wrap Ball

1. Tape a couple Ring Pops together to create your core.
2. Wrap a couple layers of Saran Wrap around your core and tape.
3. Begin wrapping the rest of your ball.
4. Tape your candy or prizes to the Saran Wrap as you wrap.
5. Keep adding continuous layers of Saran Wrap and prizes. No need to cut the plastic wrap.
6. Repeat until your ball is the size of a soccer or basketball.

Saran Wrap Ball Game Rules

1. Students sit in small group circles of 6 or 8. The student with the birthday closest to Christmas begins as the ball holder. The game then flows in a clockwise order.
2. The ball holder begins unwrapping the ball when the player to their left says go. They get to keep unwrapping until the next player wins their turn.
3. After giving the go signal, the player to the left of the ball holder rolls a pair of dice. They must keep rolling until they hit doubles. Once the player with the dice rolls doubles, the ball is passed to them, and the dice get passed clockwise to the next person.
4. Each treat or prize that pops out during a turn is kept by the ball holder. You can also trim any long strands of plastic wrap in between turns if needed..
5. The ball continues to be passed around, and the dice are rolled until the teacher calls time.

The images I’ve shared here are from when I taught primary grades, but I can tell you that even my middle school students enjoy this challenge! If you are looking for a fun idea for those last days of school before the winter break, you have to try this saran wrap party ball idea.

I wrapped this thing up REALLY well, so it was pretty challenging. I also added tape to every layer, which I’ve since found is not really necessary.

For my first time building a plastic wrap ball, I can definitely say that fun was had by all! It was a high-interest and fast-paced activity that kept the kids attention throughout the party. That being said, there are several ways I have since customized the game to fit different audiences.

Alternative Tips & Challenges

1. Use 3-dice to increase the pace of the game and the number of turns each player gets.
2. Make the ball holder wear oven mitts to increase the difficulty of unwrapping the ball.
3. Alternative prize ideas I have used include gift cards, homework passes, dollar bills, raffle tickets, trade-your-prize cards, and dollar store trinkets.

I hope these tips help you make your own saran wrap ball game to try at your next classroom party. It is a fun activity for elementary and middle school students! Be sure to check out more ELA holiday activities here!