DIY Unwrap Plastic Ball Game For Teens (For Any Party Theme!)

The unwrap plastic ball game (aka: Saran Wrap ball game, the unwrapping game, or plastic wrap game) is a hilarious game for teens and great for teenager sleepovers, teen Christmas parties, or even a funny birthday party game! We’ve played this game for different holidays and party themes and it’s always a funny game and popular party activity!

Fun Unwrap Plastic Ball Game Rules For Teenagers

GAME OVERVIEW: The Unwrap Plastic Ball Game is a fast-paced and popular party game that involves a large plastic ball wrapped in layers of plastic wrap with small prizes hidden throughout the layers inside. Players take turns unwrapping the ball to reveal the hidden treasures. Anything that falls out during their turn, they keep!

Unwrap Plastic Ball Game DIY Overview

1. Wrap prizes in layers of plastic wrap to until it makes a big ball.
2. One person begins with the plastic wrap ball in front of them, while the person to their left has a pie pan (or paper plate) with two dice in it. (Some people play this game with oven mitts, but we’ve found it’s more fun without them.)
3. To start the game, the person starts unwrapping (not tearing!) the plastic ball while the person next to them is trying to roll doubles.
4. Once doubles are rolled, play passes to the left. The person previously rolling the dice now gets to try unwrapping the ball plastic, while the person to their left tries to roll doubles.
5. Game play continues until all layers have been unwrapped and prizes claimed.
6. Any prizes or items that fall out of the Saran Wrap ball during the person’s turn, they get to keep!

Plastic Wrap Ball Game How To Make and Play The Game

Unwrap Plastic Ball Game Instructions For Teen Parties

Materials Needed:

1. Plastic wrap (2-3 boxes of cling film or Saran Wrap)
2. Small prizes or trinkets (candy, gift cards, money, socks, etc.)
3. Dice
4. Paper plate

 

How do you unwrap the Saran Wrap ball game?

Game Instructions

Prepare the Prizes:

Gather a variety of small prizes or trinkets. These can be anything teens will like. (See our plastic wrap ball prizes list below.)

 

Wrap the Ball:

Start by wrapping the first prize in a layer of plastic wrap. Start with the best prize because this will be the middle of the ball. (We usually do a gift card and some cash.)

As you wrap the ball, insert a prize into the layers of plastic wrap after every few layers.

Continue to wrap the plastic wrap around the center, adding more prizes intermittently and more plastic wrap layers as you go. The more layers you add, the bigger the Saran Wrap ball will get. 

Smooth down edges of the plastic wrap to make them more challenging to find during game play.

You can include as many layers as you want, but a good rule of thumb is to have at least 10-15 layers for a fun and challenging game.

If you have a larger group of teens, you’ll want a bigger plastic ball to make the game last longer.

Begin the Game:

Gather the players in a circle. (For easier game play, all players should sit around a table cleared of other items.)

GAME GOAL: The goal of the game is for a player to unwrap and gather as many prizes as possible before the player next to them rolls doubles.

Give the wrapped plastic ball to the first player and a pair of dice in a paper plate or pie plate to the player immediately to their left. (Rolling on a plate with an edge will keep the dice from flying off the table because this is a fast game!)

On the start word GO! the first player starts unwrapping the ball by trying to unwrap each layer of plastic wrap (to get to prizes) while the person next to them tries to roll doubles.

THERE IS NO RIPPING ALLOWED!

Players cannot use any tools, sharp objects, fingernails to rip or tear the plastic wrap in anyway.

Any prizes that fall out during the player’s turn, they get to keep. (You can also players to trade prizes at the end of the game, which seems to be a favorite of teen games at our house.)

 

Pass the Ball:

When the player rolls doubles, they loudly yell, DOUBLES! and the person unwrapping the ball has to immediately stop unwrapping (even if they’re almost to a prize) and pass the ball to the dice  first player successfully unwraps a layer and exposes a prize, they get to keep that prize. Then, they pass the ball to the next player in the circle.

Continue the game with each player taking their turn to unwrap the ball and collect prizes.

 

Continue Until All Prizes Are Collected:

Keep playing until all the prizes have been unwrapped and collected and the middle prize has been achieved.

Anything that was unwrapped during the game play the players keep!

45 Saran Wrap Ball Game Gift Ideas For Teens

The Saran Wrap ball game gift ideas can be anything you want! I try to put a mix of gag gifts and helpful presents in the ball. (Think: Things from Five Below or dollar stores.)
Fun And Funny Gifts For Saran Wrap Game Ideas:

1. Earbuds
2. Phone pop sockets
3. Gift cards (iTunes, Amazon, Starbucks)
4. Cash (bills and change)
5. Mini Bluetooth speaker
6. Portable phone charger
7. Mini puzzles
8. Enamel pins
9. Buttons for backpacks
10. Scented candles
11. Gummy snacks (individual packages)
12. Movie tickets or tickets to local events
13. Nail polish
14. Small board games or card games (e.g., Uno, Exploding Kittens)
15. Funko Pop! figures
16. Lip balm sets
17. Candy (variety)
18. Glow-in-the-dark stars for room decor
19. Comic books or graphic novels
20. Keychains
21. Fidget spinners
22. Socks with fun designs
23. Water bottle stickers / laptop stickers
24. Stress balls
25. Granola bars
26. Mini LED string lights
27. Sports-themed merchandise (e.g., mini basketballs etc.)
28. Art supplies (colored pencils, markers)
29. Graphic T-shirts
30. Mini puzzle cubes (e.g., Rubik’s Cube)
31. Hair accessories (headbands, scrunchies)
32. Temporary tattoos
33. Card games (e.g., Cards Against Humanity, Exploding Kittens)
34. Small DIY craft kits
35. Funky sunglasses or light up glasses
36. Beanie hats
37. Movie night snack packs (popcorn flavorings, candy)
38. Mini Slime containers
39. Mini action figures (e.g., LEGO minifigures)
40. Colorful shoelaces
41. Mini desk toys
42. Smartphone cases
43. Hand sanitizers with fun scents
44. Sunglasses
45. Bath bombs

 

Saran Wrap Ball Game Rules FAQs And Game Tips

Saran Wrap Game With A Twist

1. For an extra challenge, cut the plastic wrap occasionally (and don’t just wrap it one big long strip). It’s funny to watch people start unrolling the plastic wrap and think they’re getting a prize only to find a plastic strip stops and they have to find the new end again.
2. Some people play the Saran Wrap ball game with mittens or oven mitts. We tried this one year and it was too challenging and people got frustrated and lost interest. We don’t recommend playing this way.
3. For our teen activity game, I put Post-It Notes at different intervals with different directions. I wrapped extra prizes and put notes that said “Stop and pick a prize!” It just gave an extra level of fun for our teens and they really enjoyed it.
4. For our plastic ball game, I also wrapped the final wrapped ball with a pretty tissue paper layer and bow to match the theme of the teen party. I allowed them to rip this part to get it off. (But, they can’t rip or tear the plastic wrap at any time! If they rip Saran Wrap, they have to immediately pass the ball to the next person.)
5. If you’re wondering how do you play Saran Wrap ball game without dice, you can play it as a musical game. When the music plays, the player starts unwrapping. When it stops, they have to pass the ball.

 

Video For Saran Wrap Ball Game Rules and Ideas

 

 

  

MORE FUN GROUP GAMES FOR TEENS: Try The Holiday Sock Game (You can also play this anytime of year or for any teen party theme! Just change up the socks!) Also check out: Fun Things To Do At A Teenage Sleepover

 

Have fun!

Let us know how your teen unwrap plastic ball game goes!

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