6 Super Fun Popcorn Games to Play

Popcorn games are fun for the whole family. They're great for Cub Scouts too–perfect popcorn kickoff ideas for your next fundraiser.

Popcorn games are super fun for your entire family. And they're perfect for Cub Scouts! In fact, you can have an entire den or pack meeting with popcorn fun. 

Use these activities for your popcorn sale kickoff or for National Popcorn Day (January 19th) or Popcorn Lovers' Day (2nd Thursday in March) or just anytime you need a fun den or pack meeting.

Fun Popcorn Games

In this post, you'll find these fun popcorn games and activities.

1. Popcorn Word Search
2. Popcorn Game Race
3. Chopstick Popcorn Game
4. Popcorn Toss Game
5. Popcorn Air Race
6. Popcorn Experiment

Popcorn Word Search

Word searches are perfect gathering activities! I made one specifically about popcorn. Just enter your email in the box at the bottom of this post to get your free printable popcorn word search.

You can find other printable popcorn activities on the popcorn.org site!

Popcorn Games Race

I LOVE this popcorn race idea from PBS Kids! It's one of my favorite popcorn games.

It is definitely an outdoor activity.  You'll need:

• 1 paper cup for each Scout plus 1 extra for each team
• 1 rubber band for each Scout
• 1 paper clip for each Scout
• Pencils or pens to poke holes in cups
• 1 large bowl or tub for each team (these would be fun to use)
• Lots of popped popcorn

Use the pen or pencil to poke a hole in the bottom of the cup.

Have the Cub Scouts attach their rubber band to the paper clip. Pull the rubber band through the hole with the paper clip inside the cup.

Divide the Cub Scouts into at least 2 teams. If you have a lot of kids, you may want to divide them into more teams. Mix up the dens so that you have Tigers and Webelos on the same team so that the olders Scouts don't have an advantage. Have each team line up behind a starting line.

Place a container filled with popped popcorn on the starting line for each team. Put an empty cup in it. Then place a large empty bowl or tub for each team on the other side of your playing area.

Have the Scouts attach their cup to their foot by placing the rubber band around their shoe. The cup should be on top of their foot.

The first player fills his or her cup with popcorn using the extra cup. After the first player for each team has a cup full of popcorn, the Cubmaster starts the race by yelling, “Pop!”

The Scouts race to the empty bucket and try to dump the popcorn into it without using their hands. While the first child is doing this, the second child in line fills his or her cup with popcorn so that they're ready to go when the first kid runs back and tags them.

The team with the most popcorn in their bucket at the end of the race wins.

If the weather doesn't cooperate and you can't play outside, try these fun indoor games.

Chopstick Popcorn Games

Give each Cub a pair of chopsticks, one popcorn box filled with popcorn, and one empty popcorn box.

They have 1 minute to fill the box with as many kernels of popped popcorn as they can using only the chopsticks!

At the end of the minute, the Scout with the most popcorn is the winner!

These popcorn boxes are perfect for the game!

If you don't have popcorn boxes, any container will do!

Popcorn Toss Game

Bring the used printer paper you've been meaning to recycle and some type of bucket or tub. A kiddie swimming pool would also work!

Have the Scouts ball up the pages to look like a big piece of popcorn. They could ball up the paper as their gathering activity.

Set a starting line and place the container several feet away.

Give them 1 minute to toss as many of the paper “popcorn kernels” into the bucket as possible. If you have a larger group, you may need to limit it to 30 seconds or give each Scout 3 or 5 tries.

This game could be played individually or in teams. If you play in teams, you'll need to have a container for each team.

With teams, you can stick with the time limit. Each member takes a turn throwing one kernel then runs to the end of the line so that the next person in line can have a turn. The faster they go, the more opportunities they'll have to land one in the bucket!

Popcorn Air Race

Each Scout gets a straw and a kernel of popped popcorn. They have to move the popcorn by blowing through the straw. The first person to get to the finish line wins!

This post was written before the Coronavirus pandemic, so make sure that the kids are spaced out when they're blowing through the straws.

And of course, you'll want to finish your meeting by eating some of that popcorn!

Get your Printable Popcorn Word Search

Enter your email to get your Printable Popcorn Word Search!

If you don't get an email within 10 minutes, check your spam folder. If it isn't there, let me know at [email protected].

Send me the printable!

What do you think about these popcorn games and activities?

Yours in Scouting,
Sherry

P.S. Read about the 5 benefits your child will get from selling Cub Scout popcorn.