Candy canes aren’t just for eating! They’re the star of some of the most fun Christmas games!
These candy cane games are perfect for kids, teens, and adults. You’ll love the silly challenges and laugh-out-loud party favorites. So, grab a box of candy canes, gather your crew, and get ready for festive fun (that’s as sweet as it is memorable).
These quick and easy candy cane games are perfect for:
- Classroom parties
- Holiday family game nights
- Christmas parties
- Easy entertainment on cold winter days
The best part? They require only a few supplies and don’t leave a big mess behind.
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Supplies You’ll Need
Pick and choose between the games below. Or, if you want to do ALL 20 games, you’ll need:
Easy Candy Cane Minute to Win It Games
First, these fun candy cane challenges are played with a one-minute timer (use your phone). Both kids and adults love the added urgency a time limit gives!
1. Candy Cane Fishing
Supplies: Candy canes
How To Play: Place a pile of candy canes on the table or in a bowl. Take one by the straight end and hold it in your mouth. Using only the candy cane, hook as many others as you can one at a time and place them in a separate pile or bowl in one minute.
The player who hooks the most candy canes wins!
2. Candy Cane Hook & Hustle
Supplies: Candy canes, bowls
How To Play: Start with all of the candy canes in one bowl. Players have to transfer the candy canes to the other bowl without using their hands. The first one to move them over wins!
3. Ornament Commute
Supplies: Candy canes, Unbreakable ornaments
How To Play: Divide the group into teams of 4-8 players. Each player holds the straight end of a candy cane in their mouth. The first player places an ornament hanging from their candy cane. The goal is to pass the ornament down the line without using hands!
If the ornament drops, the team has to start over. How many times can your team successfully pass the ornament in one minute?
4. Candy Cane Stack Attack
Supplies: Candy canes
How To Play: Players try to stack candy canes flat on top of each other in whatever variation they choose. Whoever makes the tallest tower wins!
5. Candy Cane On A String
Supplies: Candy canes, plastic cups or toilet paper roll, string
How To Play: Tie a candy cane to a string around your waist, letting it hang down your back. Without using your hands, try to swing and drop the candy cane into a cup or toilet paper roll on the floor.
The first player to successfully land the candy cane in the cup within one minute wins the game!
Additional Option: Tie the candy cane so the hook side is down and place a few candy canes in the toilet paper roll. See if you can be the first to hook a candy cane!
Related: Simple & Fun Christmas Gift Exchange Games
6. Candy Cane Drop
Supplies: Candy canes, cup, mug, or bowl
How to Play: Players kneel on a chair and drop candy canes into a narrow-necked jar, bowl, or cup on the floor. Trickier than it looks!
7. Candy Cane Face Challenge
Supplies: Candy canes
How To Play: Every player gets twelve candy canes. How many can you get to balance on your face in the one-minute time?
(Hint: You can hook them on your ears, lips, and nose and balance them on your head.)
8. Candy Cane Spoon Race
Supplies: Candy canes, spoons
How To Play: Players race to cross the room and back while balancing a candy cane on their spoon. If the candy cane drops, they must start back from the beginning.
Make it harder: For older kids, have them balance two candy canes.
9. Candy Cane Ring Toss
Supplies: Candy canes, tape, pipe cleaners or garland
How To Play: Stick candy canes upside down to make an upside down “tree” and tape them together. Then, toss mini wreaths or pipe-cleaner rings onto them.
Candy Cane Toss Variation: You can also tape a piece of garland in a doorway and throw candy canes to hook them onto the garland.
Use hilarious Christmas team names while playing more Christmas minute to win it games to get everyone in the holiday spirit!
Candy Cane Gift Exchange Games
10. $1 Candy Cane Swap Game (Gift Exchange Game)
Coming soon!
11. Spin The Candy Cane Gift Exchange Game
Supplies: A candy cane
How To Play: Spin a candy cane to determine who is the next person to open a gift or steal from someone else!
More Fun Candy Cane Games!
The fun’s not over yet. These Christmas candy cane games will keep the party going!
12. Candy Cane Dice Game
Supplies: Free printable candy cane dice game, 1 die, candy canes, (the mug is just for fun!)
How to Play: With just a few things, you’ve got a fun party game the whole family can play. Roll and snag candy canes in a race that’s part luck, part strategy, and 100% Christmas cheer. Follow the directions on the printable for exactly what to do.
13. Candy Cane Hunt Around The House
Supplies: Candy canes
How To Play: Hide candy canes around a room in your home. Then, race to find them!
14. Candy Cane Obstacle Course
Supplies: Candy canes and whatever you have around the house
How To Play: Set up mini cones or obstacles and have kids balance a candy cane on their nose (or forehead) while racing through.
15. Christmas Scavenger Hunt For Candy Canes
Supplies: Free printable elf scavenger hunt, candy canes
How to Play: This hunt is a great way to shake things up and keep the holiday magic alive. Print the free download and hide the clues. At the end, kids can find their elf with a few candy canes as their “treasure.”
Related:
16. Candy Cane Box Guess
Supplies: 1 Christmas gift box (long enough for candy canes), candy canes
How To Play: Players take turns shaking the gift box and trying to figure out how many candy canes are inside. The player who guesses the right number wins.
Variation: You could also do 3 or 4 boxes to add to the fun.
17. Candy Cane Truth or Dare
Supplies: Candy canes, Printable Truth or Dare Game
How To Play: Print out the family truth or dare game. Then, cut out the cards and tape them to the candy canes. (You can also write them yourself from the truth or dare article)
Put all the candy canes in one bowl or separate them into “truth” and “dare” bowls. Then, have players pick out a candy cane to play. Follow the directions on the cards.
18. Left Right Game Using a Candy Cane Tree
Supplies: Candy canes, Free printable Christmas Eve Left Right Story
How To Play: Have participants stand in a circle each holding a candy cane. (For larger groups, consider dividing into two or more circles.)
The narrator reads the Christmas Left Right story aloud. Whenever you hear the word “left,” pass your candy cane to the person on your left. And when you hear the word “right,” pass it to the right.
To make this more exciting with candy canes, you can attach a number that corresponds to a mystery gift they can open at the end!
19. Candy Cane Bingo
Supplies: Christmas bingo free printable, small candy canes or pieces of larger candy canes
How To Play: Use the free Christmas bingo and mark with mini candy canes.
20. Musical Candy Canes
Supplies: Candy canes
How To Play: It’s just like musical chairs, but in a much smaller circle. Place candy canes on the floor and when the music stops, everyone scrambles to grab one. No cane = you’re out.
Related:
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