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Paper Snowball Fight

Two teams build a pile of paper snowballs, take cover, and throw until one side's out of ammo — a real snowball fight with none of the actual snow. It works because a shared, limited supply forces the same cover-and-timing thinking as any territory game, no season required.

30–60 min6–30 peopleEasyMaterials neededIn-person only
By Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker · Last updated February 19, 2024

What is Paper Snowball Fight?

Paper Snowball Fight splits the room into two teams, each with an equal pile of paper snowballs and cover to duck behind. Throw until every player on the other side has been hit, or your own pile runs dry — a team that runs out switches colors and keeps playing instead of sitting out.

It works because a fixed, equal supply turns instinct into strategy: everyone's deciding when to hide, when to peek out, and when to commit to a throw. The optional capture-the-flag variant raises the stakes without changing a single rule — swap the win condition for a flag run and the same pile of snowballs plays a different game entirely.

It needs real floor space, cover to hide behind, and a supply of snowballs rolled ahead of time — skip it for a cramped office, a video call, or a group with no time to prep the pile beforehand. Save it for whenever everyone's actually sharing a room.

The rules

  1. Two teams start behind a designated line, each holding an equal supply of paper snowballs.
  2. Land a hit on an opposing player and they're out.
  3. Cover — natural or cardboard — is fair game for hiding and lining up your next throw.
  4. Run out of snowballs and your team switches colors, then sits tight until time's up or the other side runs dry too.
  5. Optional: play capture the flag instead — first team to bring the flag to their base wins.
  6. Stay vocal with your team; coordinating attacks and covering each other decides more rounds than aim does.

Before you start

  • Group size: 6–30 players. Split evenly between two teams. Bigger groups just mean a bigger pile of snowballs and more cover to build.
  • Roll and mark the snowballs ahead. Roll paper into balls with a dab of glue to hold their shape, then mark each team's pile a different color so ownership stays obvious mid-game.
  • Set up cover. Use natural cover if the space has it. Otherwise, cardboard makes quick standing "snow banks" for players to duck behind.
  • Mark the starting line. A line of tape or a strip of cardboard on each side keeps both teams from closing the gap before the fight starts.
  • Optional: build a flag and a base. Paper and cardboard cover both — center the flag on the field and give each team a marked base if you're running the capture-the-flag version.

How to run it

  1. Explain the rules 2–3 min

    Cover the essentials before anyone throws: what counts as a hit, where the line is, and what happens when a team runs out of snowballs.

  2. Divide into two teams and hand out snowballs 3–5 min

    Split the group evenly and give both sides the same size pile — an uneven supply decides the game before it starts.

  3. Take up positions 2–3 min

    Both teams spread out behind their line, choosing cover and deciding who's throwing first and who's holding back.

  4. Play the round 10–20 min

    Teams throw until every opposing player's been hit. A team that runs dry switches colors and either waits out the other side or sits tight until time's up.

  5. Optional: run capture the flag instead 10–20 min

    Same setup, different win condition — the first team to get the flag back to their base wins, snowballs and all.

  6. Call it 1 min

    Stop the round the moment one team's cleared the board (or has the flag home) and name the winner on the spot.

← cover wins more rounds than aim does.

Facilitator tips

Pick contrasting colorsUse paint or markers with real contrast between the two teams' snowballs — it matters for players with visual impairments or color-vision differences, and it keeps disputes over whose hit was whose down to zero.
Say the rules once, clearlyCover what counts as a hit and where the line is before the first throw — questions mid-round are what turn a fast game into an argument.
Adjust the line, not the rulesFor a player who can't sprint for cover, move their starting position closer to it instead of changing what counts as a hit.
Send your fastest player for the flagRunning the capture-the-flag version, put a nimble teammate on retrieval — patience, good cover, and a clean opening beat speed alone.

Why it works

Nobody sits outRun out of snowballs and your team switches colors and keeps playing instead of leaving the game — the rule that keeps both sides in it until time's actually up.
Cover forces a planDucking behind cardboard to line up the next throw means someone has to decide when to hold and when to move — the same read-the-room thinking any territory game needs, without a rulebook to explain it.
HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I like that it needs almost nothing — paper, a little glue, some cardboard — and plays the same whether it's six people or thirty. Swap in the capture-the-flag variation and the same pile of snowballs turns into a completely different game."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

A few minutes of these turn a paper snowball fight into an actual conversation about strategy and teamwork.

  1. What strategies did you use to avoid getting hit?Gets at the cover-and-timing thinking that wins rounds — worth naming out loud.
  2. How did communication and teamwork affect your performance?Points straight at the callouts and coordination that actually decided the game.
  3. What did you learn about yourself and your abilities?Room for whatever surprised people, win or lose.
  4. How could you apply these skills to a real-life situation?Bridges cover, patience, and teamwork to something outside the game.
  5. What was your favorite part, and why?An easy opener — and useful feedback on what to keep for next time.

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Jon Zajac

Founder & Chief Icebreaker

I started IcebreakerSpot because I believe strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. This site exists to make it easy to find and share the icebreakers and team-building activities that build trust, spark collaboration, and help groups do great things together.

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