Minute to Win It is an international game show franchise where contestants take part in a series of 60-second challenges that use objects commonly available around the house. It has become a popular party game used at birthday or office gatherings.

This concept can be used to bring laughter into the classroom. However, rather than play games like you see on the show or in YouTube videos, put a cosmetology twist on it.  Create a variety of 60 second games related to the discipline you teach.  Some games might require students to have certain knowledge of their discipline, some could require dexterity and others can simply be for fun.   Games will require pre-planning with props, so be sure to have everything ready to go before class. This game will take time to set up but once you have it created you will be able to play it when you want.

Begin by dividing the class into teams of 3 to 5 students. Ideally, you will want to have between 5 and 10 teams, but having enough props for that number of teams may be a challenge, so you may wish to have only 2 teams. Each team will send one person to play a 60 second game. Every person from a team is required to compete in at least one of the games. The students not participating in that game should encourage their teammate by cheering for them. Each game runs for 60 seconds.   Depending on how much time you have, you might play between 5 to 10 games at a time.

Below you will find a variety of games that can be played. These are simply ideas based on the tools and supplies you might have in your school. Get creative and see what you can come up with.

Happy Gaming!

Cosmetology Minute To Win It Game Ideas

• Mannequin Head Line Up – For this activity you need to have at least 5 mannequin heads per team that have been colored. If you can find 10 that is even better.  When you begin, the student performing this activity from each team will run up to their mannequin heads and place them in the order of the Level System.  The first student to get them in the correct order wins a point for their team.   For an alternative to mannequin heads, have the student use their teammates and have them line their teammates up in order of the Level System.
• Roller Stacking Contest – For this activity you will need a set of rollers and 1 orange wood stick per team. When you say begin, the student performing the activity is to take and stack their rollers from smallest to largest – blue, orange, yellow, beige, green, red.  The stack must not be laying down, but rather standing up on its end.  The catch is, the student may only use one hand and may not touch the roller with anything other than the orange wood stick.  Students may be able to stack multiple sets.  The student who can stack the most in the 60 seconds wins a point for their team.
• Suck It Up Color Wheel – For this activity you will need straws and a bag of Skittles, M&M’s or mixture of both, to get all colors in the color wheel. Give each student a straw and a plate of Skittles/M&M’s, making sure they have each color in the color wheel.  Using only a straw to pick up a Skittle/M&M, they are to move the Skittles/M&M from one plate to another, creating a color wheel.  The first student to get the Skittles/M&M’s sorted into a correct color wheel in 60 seconds wins a point for their team.
• Perm Rod Dexterity – For this activity, you will need large quantities of perm rods. Make sure all of the perm rods are un-hooked.  The purpose is to see how many perm rods each student can clip back together in the 60 seconds.  The person who does the most wins a point for their team. An alternative to this could be to sort nail tips by size.
• Try Not to Sing Challenge – For this activity you will need to have a set of songs to play that are well known and make you want to sing and dance. In other words, songs that make it difficult not to sing along to. For ideas, google “songs that are great to sing along with”. Then, have a member from each team line up in a row.  You will play a series of songs (no need to play the entire song).  The goal is to not sing out loud or dance when a song is played.  If they dance, bob their head, tap their toe or sing, they are out of the challenge.  If they get through the 60 seconds, they win a point for their team.
• Pin the Ponytail on the Mannequin – For this activity you will need a mannequin head and ponytail for each student playing the game.  Place the mannequin heads on their stands in a row.  Mark a line 5 feet away from the mannequin head where all students will begin.  When you say begin, they will move to the mannequin head and pin the ponytail on the mannequin  There are two options for playing this game.

Option 1:  Student is blindfolded and required to locate their mannequin head and pin the ponytail on using a bobby pin.

Option 2:  Student may only use their non-dominate hand to attach the ponytail.

The first student through wins the point for their team.  If no one finishes within 60 seconds, no one gets the point.

• Build a Molecule – For this activity you will need marshmallows, toothpicks and markers.  You will also need a list of elemental molecules and compound molecules.  In this activity, students will build models of various elemental molecules and compound molecules.  The marshmallows will represent the molecule.  Participants will identify the “molecule” with a magic marker.  Participants will create the required elemental molecules or compound molecules by combining molecules together using toothpicks.  The student with the most correct at the end of 60 seconds wins a point for their team.  A list of various molecules can be found on page 256 of the Milady Standard Cosmetology, 13^th Edition textbook.
• Place the Product on the pH Scale – For this activity you will need to create the pH scale on large poster board/butcher paper. The scale should be about 3 feet long.  Print out images on cardstock paper of various products that are used in your school (various perms, relaxer, shampoos, conditioner, distilled water, etc).  Cut out the various products and place them in an envelope.  You will need an envelope for each of the teams you have playing the game.  When you begin, students will pull out their first product and place it at the correct location on the pH scale.  The student with the most correctly placed products at the end of 60 seconds wins a point for their team.
• Professional Products Only – For this activity you will need a variety of professional retail products, try for about 10, and will need 2 or 3 bottles of store bought products. Additionally, you will need a pair of pantyhose and a tennis ball.  You will need a complete set for each participant.  Place the tennis ball at the bottom foot of the pantyhose.  Place the professional and store bought products on the floor about 1 foot apart.  Students will then tie the pantyhose around their waist or you may choose where they place them.  The challenge is for participants to use the tennis ball at the end of the pantyhose to knock over the store bought products while leaving the professional retail products standing.  The student who gets the most store bought products knocked over while leaving the professional standing at the end of 60 seconds wins a point for their team.
• Correct Draping Procedure – For this activity you will need the tools and supplies required for the various forms of draping (neck strips, towels, capes, clips, etc.). You will also need a mannequin head or a model.  You will also need to create index cards with the various types of draping written out on them (haircut, comb-out, chemical texture, facial, makeup, etc.).  Place the draping supplies on one side of the room and the model/mannequin head on the other side.  Students will stand in the middle and draw one of the index cards that has a draping procedure.  Students will then run and get the supplies they need for that procedure and go and drape their client.  When the first student finishes draping, call out another procedure and they must go get the supplies for that procedure and then drape again.  Whichever student finishes the most correct draping procedures will win a point for their team.
• Perm Wrap Sectioning – For this activity you will need a mannequin head, combs and clips. Create a set of index cards with various perm wrap techniques (straight back, curvature, bricklay, etc.).  Have students stand 5 feet from their mannequin  Draw a card out and tell them which sectioning technique they are to perform.  When you say begin, students run to their mannequin head and begin to section.  The first person to finish the correct technique wins a point for their team.  Be sure to take neatness into account when judging.
• Oven Mitt Haircolor Application – For this activity you will need mock color (gel or cholesterol), mannequin heads, tint brushes/bowls, clips, combs and oven mitts. Have all the mannequin heads pre-sectioned into a T-Part.  Inform the students that they will apply mock color and relaxer applications to the mannequin heads while wearing oven mitts rather than gloves.  Students will apply a Virgin Tint application to the mannequin  The student who gets the farthest in the 60 seconds will win a point for their team.
• Blindfolded Nail Polish – For this activity you will need nail polish, a blindfold and a mannequin hand or model. Have students apply nail polish while blindfolded.  The student who gets the most nails completed in the 60 seconds and is the neatest, wins the point for their team.

A great big thank you to Ida McLean and her students at Searcy Beauty College for trying out some of these games and sharing their feedback.  They had a blast!