How to Play Pass the Parcel

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Pass the Parcel is a classic British party game in which a gift is wrapped in many layers of paper and passed rapidly around a circle of players while music plays. Each time the music stops, the child holding the parcel tears off one layer. The tension builds with every pause until the last layer comes off and one lucky player claims the prize.

It is a staple of children's birthday parties across the UK and needs almost no equipment beyond some wrapping paper, a gift and a way to play music. Its appeal is simple: every child in the circle has a genuine chance of winning, and the repeated near-misses keep everyone engaged from the first note to the last.

A little history

The precise origins of Pass the Parcel are unclear. The game is firmly associated with British children's party culture of the twentieth century and is widely documented as a mainstream party staple from at least the mid-twentieth century onward. It is traditionally traced to parlour game traditions in which a forfeit or prize was concealed and revealed through group play, but no single inventor or founding date is recorded in reliable sources.

Setting up

1. Choose a prize and wrap it securely in an inner layer of paper.
2. Wrap the parcel again in a second layer. Repeat until you have at least as many layers as there are players, ideally one layer per player.
3. Optional: slip a small sweet, note or forfeit card between each layer before sealing it, so every player unwraps something.
4. Designate one adult or non-playing participant to control the music. This person should face away from the circle so they cannot see who is holding the parcel when they pause the music.
5. Seat all players in a circle on the floor or on chairs. The parcel can start with any player.

How to play

1. The music controller starts the music. Players immediately begin passing the parcel around the circle in one direction (clockwise by convention).
2. Players pass the parcel quickly and continuously while the music plays. Holding on to the parcel deliberately to avoid passing it is not allowed.
3. When the music stops, whoever is holding the parcel at that exact moment unwraps exactly one layer of paper.
4. If a small prize or forfeit was hidden between that layer and the next, the player collects it or completes the forfeit before play continues.
5. The music restarts and the parcel continues around the circle. The player who just unwrapped joins in the passing again immediately.
6. Play continues in this way, with the music stopping at irregular intervals, until every layer has been removed.
7. The player who removes the final inner layer wins the main prize inside.
8. Once the prize is claimed, the game ends.

Winning and scoring

There is one winner: the player who unwraps the last layer and reveals the central prize. In versions with inter-layer gifts, every player who unwraps a layer also keeps whatever small treat or forfeit was hidden there, so no player goes completely empty-handed. There is no scoring system; the game ends the moment the final layer is removed.

The fine points

The most common dispute arises when the music stops just as the parcel is mid-transfer between two players. The standard ruling is that the player whose hands were most firmly holding the parcel at the moment the music stopped is the one who unwraps. If genuinely ambiguous, the two players may agree between themselves or the adult controlling the music makes the call. Avoid replaying the handoff moment, as this invites argument.

A second common issue is a player deliberately slowing down or speeding up passing to influence the outcome. The host should remind players at the start that the parcel must be passed promptly and continuously. If a player is caught holding the parcel deliberately, the standard remedy is to require them to pass it immediately and miss the next unwrapping turn. The music controller facing away from the circle is the single most effective preventive measure against any perception of bias in when the music stops.

How to win more often

• If you are controlling the music, vary the length of intervals unpredictably. Very short bursts followed by long stretches keep all players alert and prevent anyone from timing the pauses.
• Keep the parcel moving at a steady pace regardless of where you think the music is about to stop. Any hesitation is both poor sportsmanship and usually noticed.
• Wrap layers tightly and uniformly so no player can feel how many remain by touch, preserving suspense to the end.
• Place forfeits or sweets between every layer if you want to keep younger children fully engaged throughout, rather than only the winner feeling rewarded.
• Seat players so that children who have already unwrapped a layer are spaced around the circle, which tends to distribute unwrapping turns more evenly across the group.

Variations

Forfeit Layers

A folded slip of paper is placed between every layer. Instead of a sweet, each slip carries a simple action or challenge such as 'do ten star jumps' or 'tell a joke'. The player who unwraps that layer must complete the forfeit before the music restarts. This version works well for older children and adds comedy to the game.

Two-Direction Passing

Instead of passing in a fixed direction, a second rule is added: when a bell or whistle sounds (separate from the music stopping), all players reverse direction. This introduces an extra element of unpredictability and prevents anyone from mentally tracking the parcel's position relative to the music.

Elimination Pass the Parcel

Once a player unwraps a layer, they leave the circle for the remainder of the game. The parcel continues with the remaining players until only one is left, who wins the central prize. This version rewards staying in the circle longest and adds a competitive edge suited to older or more boisterous groups.

Giant Group Version

For larger gatherings of fifteen or more players, two parcels are prepared and passed simultaneously in opposite directions around the same circle. Players must be alert to avoid a collision when both parcels reach the same hands. When the music stops, both holders unwrap a layer. The game ends when one parcel reaches its central prize; that player wins.

Pass the Parcel: frequently asked questions