What's in the box? It's scary but fun—a classic crowd-pleaser.
“What’s in the Box?” is a classic, crowd-pleasing game that livens up parties and events! The rules are simple: you stick your hand into a box where you can’t see the contents and guess what’s inside based only on how it feels.
The suspense and surprise make it beloved by people of all ages.
Using items with distinctive textures—like scouring pads or slime—virtually guarantees big reactions and excited faces the moment someone reaches in, sending the whole venue into a buzz.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended materials—from staple items perfect for hyping up your event to unexpected, quirky objects that add an extra twist!
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Get the party started! Classic items for the mystery box (1–10)
person
When I think about what the ultimate thing inside the box would be, I feel like it’s a person.
Even on TV variety shows, the final reveal often has a person inside the box.
It’s kind of cliché—biting a hand, touching a hand—but it always gets the crowd excited.
So how about using this game to confess your love? When the contents of the box are revealed and they say, “Ta-da! The person inside was [Name]!” you make your confession right then.
Whether it goes well or not, it’ll definitely get everyone hyped!
moving toy
If you ask what’s scariest about this game, it’s “getting bitten or stung by the animal inside.” In reality, there’s almost never an actual animal inside, and they wouldn’t put in anything that could bite anyway—it’s all a “fear” created by our imagination.
Following that logic, moving toys might be a top-three scary item.
If it’s a realistic tarantula or a lifelike snake, people go, “I seriously can’t handle this!!” and the excitement goes through the roof.
It’s an absolute must-have!
stationery
This stationery item is perfect for a two-stage prank.
You can easily find electric-shock gag items like “shocking mechanical pencils” in novelty sections now.
You play the “What’s in the box?” game, think “Oh, it’s just a mechanical pencil,” then click the pen and—“Aah! It zapped me!!” Make sure to pick someone who can handle the shock.
Another sure-fire laugh is to set out a palette loaded with paint so the person ends up saying, “My hands are covered in paint!!”
Get the crowd going! Classic items for the mystery box (11–20)
lint roller
A lint roller that you use to clean carpets and the like.
It’s handy because you can quickly tidy up when using a vacuum cleaner feels like a hassle.
If you put that lint roller in a box, the sticky tape sensation is sure to get people excited! You can enjoy a little thrill as they mistake it for a living creature or something creepy they wouldn’t normally touch.
If you leave the handle on, it’s too easy to figure out, so it’s recommended to place only the sticky tape roll itself.
Give it a try!
balloon
When you think of reaction comedy, which celebrities come to mind first? Probably Tetsuro Degawa or Ryuhei Ueshima from Dachou Club, right? This game is all about enjoying the reactions of the person who puts their hand into the box.
It’s absolutely essential to have someone with great reactions—like Degawa or Ueshima, if they were at the party—go first.
If the very first round of this game gets everyone excited, the rest will stay lively too! Balloons are another fun prop.
It might be great to keep inflating one with air.
Just one line—“Hey, the balloon’s already popping out of the box!”—will have the whole room roaring with laughter.
diaper
Diapers have a unique texture that’s different from ordinary paper or cloth, so when people touch them, it can make them wonder what they’re feeling.
Another factor that adds to the difficulty is that there’s usually no chance to handle them between the time you stop wearing diapers and the time you start changing a child’s.
It’s also important that their texture changes when they absorb moisture, and the correct answer rate may vary depending on which state you present.
Since diapers are also associated with the idea of getting dirty, let’s pay attention to how people react when they find out the answer.
toothbrush
Even with things you use all the time, not having visual information can make them feel scary.
So how about a toothbrush? With its countless stiff bristles on the end of a slim stick, just touching it with your hand might make you go, “What is this?” for a moment.
Some people might even wonder if it’s a living creature.
And if someone were to move it slightly from inside rather than just leaving it there, your mind would drift even further away from recognizing it as a toothbrush.
Since toothbrush bristles range from fluffy-soft to firm, it’s also a good idea to have several different kinds on hand.