Gameplay
8+ Players 👥
3-5 Minutes ⏱️
What You’ll Need
Disposable cups (plastic = durable / Styrofoam = hilarious explosions… if you don’t mind cleanup)
A wide, open space for pairs to spread out
Setup
Have everyone find a partner and stand arm’s length apart.
Place one cup centered between each pair.
Make sure everyone can clearly hear the facilitator.
How to Play
Form pairs. Have everyone partner up and place a cup on the floor between them.
Call out commands. Say body-part cues in quick succession: “Head! Shoulders! Knees!” Players must touch the spot you call.
Mix it up. Speed up, slow down, repeat commands unexpectedly — keep them guessing.
Shout “Cup!” The first player to snatch the cup from the floor wins that round.
Winners move on. All winners find a new winning partner. Place a new cup for each pair and continue.
Play until one remains. Keep going until a single champion claims the final cup.
Say Something Like
“Alright everybody, find a partner and stand arm’s length apart. I’m going to call out body parts — just touch whatever I say. But when you hear the magic word ‘Cup!’ you’d better be fast. First one to grab it moves on. Let’s see who’s got the quickest reflexes today!”
Variations
Rapid Fire Round: Speed up your commands until players are guessing (and second-guessing) themselves.
Fake-Out Mode: Point to one body part but say another — only the spoken command counts.
Double Cup Chaos: Place two cups between each pair and call out which one to grab (“Cup LEFT!”).
Discipleship Teaching Points
This game encourages alertness, listening carefully, and being ready to respond — great themes to connect with verses like James 1:19 (“swift to hear”). Quick reactions remind students of the importance of being attentive to God’s voice.
Secular Teaching Points
Players practice reflexes, focus, and decision-making under pressure. It also builds sportsmanship as players win, lose, pair up, and keep trying.
This game idea was submitted by the Josh Barriger. If you want to support him, head over and buy him a coffee!
Keywords: reflex, cup game, partner challenge, quick thinking, high-energy
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