Hungry Hungry Hippos

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It's not a new game, but newer. Variations of the popular children's game, Hungry Hungry Hippos, started showing up youth ministry blogs and instagram accounts a couple of years ago. I myself have been wanting to play the real-life version for quite a while! This past week we finally had our chance!

The once popular children's game is simply; feed your colored, plastic hippo by pushing down on the lever. Upon doing so, the oversized head would extend out and lift up to engulf one or more of the little white marbles that were rolling around in the playing area. It was a great game and I remember playing it as a kid. It was actually a favorite, just I'm sure I have played the game over a couple hundred times!

But then the live-action version hit...

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watch our version of the game here

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

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The premise isn't that difficult. Get as many balls as you can before the game is over. The only difference is, students are the hungry hippos and a basket or bucket is the big mouth.

Supplies

You will need a few items for the game. Scooters durable enough and large enough to carry junior high and high school students, a bunch of plastic balls, and 4 baskets, buckets, or bins.

For the game that I put together, I went to Amazon for most of my supplies. Here they are...

SCOoTERS

ETA Hand2Mind Heavy Duty Plastic Scooter Boards with handles in Red. $16.00 each. These scooters worked great with our junior high students. And, while we tested them with a group of high school students, you might want to find scooters that are a little larger, or put two scooters together. Here are the are some scooter specs.

• Handles keep hands safe from rolling wheels, while the hard plastic design is durable and bright, and the plastic wheels won't damage floors.
• ​Holds up to 175 lbs.
• Measures approximately 16"x12"x3.75"

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plastic balls

Click N' Play Pack of 200 Plastic Balls. These balls are Phthalate Free, BPA Free, and Crush Proof. (They're descriptions.) These particular balls are a little smaller than regular ball pit balls, but they still worked great. We also borrowed about 100 regular ball pit balls, mixed them together and we're able to come up with some variations in our play. We'll share them below. These balls also came with a mesh bag for storage. I don't know how long the mesh bag will last as it is pretty thin. Eventually I will transfer the balls into a storage bin for long-term storage. Here are a few specs on the balls.

The cost for the plastic balls was $27.99.

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• 100% Plastic​
• Pack of 200 pcs Crush Proof Balls. Made with Phthalate Free; BPA Free; Lead Free & non-PVC Plastic.
• Each Ball will withstand over 90 pounds of weight. Guaranteed Crush Proof, Phthalate Free & manufactured with non-Recycled Plastic Material.
• Each ball measures 2.3 inches in diameter, a perfect size for small child's hand. 6 bright & attractive colors: Blue, red, pink, green, orange and yellow.
• Strong and reusable mesh bag for re-storing the balls when not in use.

Baskets

United Solutions Laundry Basket. While I seen versions of the game played with buckets and small bins, I chose to go with a small laundry basket. I actually found my baskets at Walmart. They were reasonably priced, but thin inter construction. I'm not sure how long they will endure the type of play the game usually brings. I did find baskets similar to what I bought on Amazon. The price is higher, but by description, they sound a little more sturdy. I anticipate having to replace the baskets if we use then too often. If you are interested in the baskets, you can click on the link to the right to learn more about them. Or, visit your local Walmart and pick up 4 of their inexpensive laundry baskets.
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Game Play & Variations

Playing the game is pretty simple. One student lays down on the scooter holding the basket out in front of them. A second student takes the legs of the first student and uses them to push the student around. I would suggest bike helmets as you could have head to head collisions.

On "GO", the team pushes out to collect as many plastic balls as possible in the allotted time. The team with the most balls wins. We thought of a few variations for game play.

1. For small groups, you can play with just teams of two, rotating after each round.
2. For large groups, form teams and play like you would a relay, switch out after each turn.
3. Set a 90 second or 2 minute time limit.
4. Use different size balls, assigning point values. Add up the points after each round.
5. Assign one size with a negative point value.
6. Give each color a different point value.
7. Play for the best 2 out of 3, or 3 out of 5.

Some things I learned

We had a blast playing Hungry Hungry Hippos and can see us playing often throughout the year, especially as we create new and different variations of the game. I would caution or recommend the following.

• Helmets and eye wear for protection.
• More balls. I think I would like to play this with 500 or more plastic balls of various sizes.
• The Scooters are great, however, might be too small for high school students. Also, we did have one student strip the screws holding the wheels onto the scooter out. We think it can be fixed, but I'm still disappointed that with one use we have to make a repair.
• The balls roll everywhere. We used push brooms and tables turned on their sides to try to keep the balls within the playing field. Next time I thing I will use a few more tables, keeping only the team entry point open.

Hope this helps as you continue to create fun moments for your student. If you have any questions, variations of the game, ideas, or comments, please share them below. I'd love to hear how you may have played the game, and what you have learned along the way!

​- jay

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Jay Higham is a veteran youth worker of over 25 years; having worked with students in the local church and Christian camping settings. Jay is currently serving as the student ministry director at a church, located in Western PA. Jay has been married to Amy for over 21 years. Together, they are raising 5 kids, (4 boys and 1 girl). Jay is an aspiring author, blogger, speaker, vlogger, and social media junkie. He is passionate about student ministry, family ministry, and training youth workers to love and serve their students with passion and excellence.