Snowflakes on a Plate

Snowflakes on a Plate – Kid’s Game

Supplies: Paper, drinking straws, dinner plate, scissors

Snowflakes on a Plate is the result of being challenged to come up with a Christmas party game involving things that were located on the table. Based on what I saw, I thought I could come up with something interesting using a dinner plate, a straw and paper.

The result is a simple, silly and challenging Christmas party game for kids and adults using items that are found in most homes. I hope you enjoy it.

Snowflakes on a Plate Game Preparation
– Take a piece of white paper, copier paper is perfect,  and cut into 2 – 3 three inch squares, you’ll need either 5 squares per player if playing as individuals or 5 squares per team. In this case, it never hurts to have more squares as make paper snowflakes is a fun activity before they even play the game.

– Prior to game play have the kids, if they are old enough to use scissors, fold the squares and cut parts of the paper to make paper snowflakes. If the children are too young to make their own then you will need to create the paper snowflakes before the game.

Snowflakes on a Plate Game Set Up
While coming up with the concept we tested playing this on the floor or on a table and found that playing on a table worked best as sometimes a floor is dirty and the paper didn’t move as well. For our example we are going to use a dining room table.

– Place the dinner plates on the table, they should be 2 – 3 feet away from where the player sits / stands. FYI – The plate should not be close enough so that someone could lean over and touch it with the end of their straw.

– 5 Snowflakes are placed in front of each team (if a relay) or player. FYI most tables will be wide enough for two or three players. If you have a large group, reduce the number of snowflakes to 3 and do heats where two or three players play at a time and the winner moves on to compete again. This continues until there is a winner.

– Each player is given a drinking straw. Note: We do not recommend bendable straws for this game.

– Sit in a Chair or Stand? For young kids who are under 4 and half feet standing makes sense, but when kids and adults get taller they often want to leverage their height and lean over the table to gain an advantage in the game. I suggest chairs be used for adults and when most of the kids are over 4 and a half feet tall. Another way to avoid leaning over the table is to just make a rule you can’t do it or the snowflake doesn’t count.

Snowflakes on a Plate Game How to Play
The concept of Snowflakes on a Plate is pretty simple, you must use the drinking straw to get all of your snowflakes on the plate before the other players to win.

We tested this out and have suggestions for individual and team play.

Individual Play
Each player is given 5 or 3 (Relay Play) Snowflakes and must get the snowflakes on the plates by using the straw.

In many cases the kids will try to blow the snowflakes up in the air by blowing under the snowflakes, but in most cases will end up blowing the snowflakes across the table and maybe off the table.

Players are allowed to retrieve snowflakes that fall off the table and retrieve snowflakes that miss the plate by hand. However they can not use their hand to place the snowflakes on the plate.

If you think there might be an issues with kids using their hands to much:
Consider added Snowflake line that can be made of ribbon taped to the table. Then let the players know that all snowflakes must start behind this line and snowflakes can be moved by hand behind this line. They just can’t use their hands to throw the snowflakes at the plate.

The Ah-Ha most in the Snowflake game occurs when the player learn that they must use the straw to:
Get the Snowflake to stick to end by sucking air in and…
Then blowing out to launch the Snowflake

This is when the fun begins as the kids and adults learn the secret to the game!

Why the action is simple, landing the snowflake on the plate is more difficult than you would expect as each snowflake flutters in a different way. Play until the first person has all their snowflakes on the plate.

Relay Team Play
The challenge with the playing Snowflakes  on a Plate with teams is the time and effort of retrieving the snowflakes. This becomes an issue since teams always want to crowd around and see what is going on.

Our Relay Race solution is to have the The 1st player from Team 1 on the side with the snowflakes and get ready to play. Then have the last person on Team 1 sit on the other side of the table and if 1st Player blows any snowflakes off the table, then that player can retrieve it and hand it back to the 1st Player.
This does two things speeds up play and reduces accidents as kids race around the table to get snowflakes.

Once the 1st Player has completed his or her turn, they then take the seat across from the snowflakes where the 2nd Player will sit and the person who was retrieving the snowflakes now goes to the end of the line.

Play Snowflakes on a Plate until each member of the team has completed the task of getting all their snowflakes on the plate. The first team to complete this mission Wins!

The Party Game Ideas Team
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You might also enjoy these Christmas party games for kids. 

Christmas Elf Left Right Story

Christmas Song Scramble

Holiday Mind Match