The cereal packet game is a party game best played by those who still have or at least still remember their youth, and can be combined with alcohol to create hilarious though slightly risky situations. The game requires an empty cereal packet or other light cardboard box, ideally about a foot in length, along with a few friends or family members and a bit of patience.

How To Play

Start by opening the top end of the box so that the flaps stick upwards, and then place it upright on the floor. The players should sit in a circle around the box so that there is about a metre's clearance on all sides of the box. Each player then takes it in turn to stand up and then pick up the box with their mouth without letting any part of them except for their feet touch the floor or any other object. This tends to be harder than it looks, due to the fact that a person's centre of gravity is usually in their abdomen but does strange things when they try to bend down to pick up the box. However, the first round will be possible for most people provided the box is big enough to start off with.

Those who can successfully pick up the box in three attempts or less proceed to the next round, which is played in exactly the same way but with one difference. After each round, the top inch of the box should be torn off, thus leaving the box slightly shorter each time. The game may continue for quite some time, as it is physically possible for some to pick up a cereal box that has had all but the bottom inch removed. However, this doesn't mean that everyone can achieve the same level of success, and so the game is partly about each individual's attempt to improve upon their previous results.

Advice

Tactics for picking up the cereal box range from keeping both feet together and bending your knees and upper body to spacing the feet far apart and then bending down to reach the box. Both the teeth and the tongue can be used to try and get a grip on the box, and it is sometimes advantageous to aim for a part of the box that hasn't quite been reduced to the same height as the rest. Needless to say, care should be taken while playing the game to avoid the risks of falling over or overstretching oneself. Playing the game under the influence of alcohol is particularly risky, and should be done responsibly and with due care.