Cupside Down

A fast-paced, high-energy team game where players race to flip plastic cups in their team's favor. It’s perfect for indoor spaces and brings out everyone's competitive side in just 60 seconds!

Gameplay

  • 10+ Players 👥

  • 5-7 Minutes ⏱️ (it gets tiring pretty quickly)

What You’ll Need

  • Plastic cups (quantity depends on number of players and space)

  • Open area for gameplay (gym, large room, or outdoor field)

  • Timer (optional but recommended)

Setup

  • Scatter all cups randomly around the gameplay area with each cup lying on its side.

  • Divide players into two teams.

  • Assign orientations: Team A = cups standing upright, Team B = cups upside-down.

  • Have each team line up on opposite sides of the playing area.

How to Play

  • Start the race – On the facilitator’s “Go!” signal, both teams rush into the area.

  • Flip for your team – Players flip cups to their team’s designated orientation.

    • Team A stands cups up; Team B turns them upside down.

    • Cups can be flipped multiple times; no cup is “locked in.”

  • Race against the clock – After 60 seconds, the facilitator calls “Stop!”

  • Count the score – Count how many cups are standing for each team’s orientation. Cups still lying on their sides do not count.

  • Declare a winner – The team with the most cups flipped in their favor wins!

Say Something Like
"Alright teams, this is a game of speed and strategy. Your job is to flip as many cups as possible into your team's orientation—upright or upside-down. But here’s the catch: every cup is fair game. If the other team already flipped it, you can flip it back! You’ve got 60 seconds—ready, set, go!"

Variations

  • Cup Avalanche: Use more cups than usual to create chaos.

  • Tiny Turf: Shrink the play area to intensify competition.

  • Blind Flip: Blindfold several players per team and have teammates direct them with voice commands only.

Teaching Points
This game is a fun way to illustrate how small actions can flip the balance of influence. Great tie-in for lessons on peer pressure, influence, or spiritual warfare—how every action counts in shaping the environment around us.

This game idea was sent in by Josh Barriger. If you want to support him, head over and buy him a coffee!

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Keywords: flipping game, team competition, youth group game, cup game, fast-paced, relay-style, party game,

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