Bobbing for apples has been around for centuries; it's one of those challenges that's as much fun to watch as it is to play! Switch what you're bobbing for to fit any occasion. If you are not a fan of apples, try pears or plums. As always, when playing with water, make sure you have adult supervision on this one!
Age
School-age, Tweens, Teens, AdultsNumber of Players
As many as you can handle!Prep Time
5 - 10 minutesTime Length
5 - 15 minutesDifficulty
Easy peasy (fun and simple)Indoor/Outdoor
EitherSpace Needed
Small (a clearable open space the size of a 1-car garage)Noise Level
Semi-rambunctiousMess Factor
Get the push broomsSupplies
Setup
1. If indoors, make sure to place a waterproof tarp on the ground. Secure the edges so no one trips.
2. Fill a large bucket or tub with about 6 to 9 inches of water (enough so that fruit can float).
3. Place multiple apples (or other floating food of choice) into the bucket.
4. Ask participants to make a line behind the bucket to wait their turn.
5. Have smocks (or make our easy garbage bag smocks) on hand for those who wish to protect their clothes.
6. Have towels nearby for the wet heads.
How to Play
1. One by one, each person can come up and "bob for an apple."
2. With their hands placed behind their back, each person must try and obtain an apple using only their mouth! No nudging fingers or grabbing hands to help!
3. Once each person has successfully "bobbed for an apple," the next person in line may begin.
Variations
1. You can time each participant and give the person who obtained an apple the fastest a prize.
2. You can give participants multiple tries to see how many apples they can get.
3. You can change the food from apple to something else.
4. If this is a themed event like an "underwater" or "penguin" theme, the participants can be water creatures trying to "catch a meal."
Tips
1. If you are worried about germs, you can place one apple per child in the water - that way multiple apples are not being touched by multiple mouths... However, part of the fun is wading through the sea of apples!
2. Make sure there are adults present during this game - never let children of any age submerge their faces in water without supervision.
3. Make sure all items used for bobbing are larger than a person's mouth and do not have pieces that will break off in the person's mouth. The best bobbing items are those that are firm but have some give - an apple is the best example.
4. Make sure only one person goes at a time.
5. If you can, get apples with stems, some kids find this much easier to bite than biting the side of the apple.
6. The best way to bite into an apple is to submerge your entire face in the water, push the apple down to the bottom of the basin, and bite. But let the kids discover this for themselves. Having some sort of resistance (the bottom or side of the basin) helps in biting the apple.