Thin Ice (game) facts for kids
| Designer(s) | Larry Harris |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Pressman Toy Corporation |
| Players | 2 to 4 |
| Setup time | About 5 minutes |
| Playing time | 30 minutes/random |
| Random chance | High (luck) |
| Skill(s) required | None |
Thin Ice is an exciting board game where players try to place marbles on a thin sheet of "ice" without breaking it! It was first made in 1989 by the Pressman Toy Corporation. The game was invented by Denise Heimrich and later licensed by Robert Fuhrer and Nextoy, LLC.
Contents
About Thin Ice
This game is all about skill and a little bit of luck. It comes with a special game setup. There is a lower ring that holds marbles and water. Above this, an upper ring holds a piece of tissue, which acts like the "thin ice."
How to Play Thin Ice
The main goal of Thin Ice is to carefully place as many wet marbles as you can onto the tissue. You use a pair of large plastic tweezers that come with the game. These tweezers often have a fun sticker on them, showing a character reaching out to grab a marble.
Players take turns placing one marble at a time. As more marbles are added, the tissue starts to stretch and weaken. Eventually, the weight of the marbles becomes too much. The tissue will then break, and all the marbles will fall into the water below!
What Happens When the Ice Breaks?
When the "ice" breaks, the player who placed the last marble gets a "strike." Think of it like getting a point against you. After a strike, the game is reset. A new piece of tissue is placed on the upper ring, and players start placing marbles again.
The game continues until one player gets three strikes. The first person to break through the "ice" three times is the loser of the game. It's a fun challenge to see who can be the most careful!
Thin Ice in Pop Culture
In 1990, a TV commercial for the Thin Ice game became very popular. It used a famous song called Wipe Out. The commercial even added special lyrics to the song, like "Place a marble on the ice, but watch out! You are on thin ice, you are on thin ice!" This helped many kids learn about the game.
