Fruit Basket Upset Game

Have you ever played Fruit Basket Upset? If not, you are seriously missing out! In my experience, most people have never heard of this game — and that is a shame because it is not only hilariously fun but also an incredibly effective tool for teaching, reinforcing, and reviewing new concepts in the classroom!

I first discovered this game during my student teaching in Madison, Wisconsin, in the early 1990s, and my students absolutely begged to play it every single day! It’s easy to see why — it’s fast, fun, and requires almost no prep.

I’ve included the complete directions below, along with a FREE Fruit Basket Upset Colors Game to get you started right away! Simply click the image below to download your FREE copy — no strings attached!

How to Play Fruit Basket Upset Colors Version

Here’s how to set it up:

Print and cut out all cards. You will need at least 2 of each color. Use as many colors as you’d like!
Arrange enough chairs for all but one student in a circle
Give each child one card to start
Choose one student to begin in the middle

Here’s how to play:

- The student in the middle calls out a color
- All students holding a matching color card must jump up and find a new seat as quickly as possible
- Important: Students may NOT return to the seat they were just sitting in!
- The caller must also find a seat
- The last student left without a chair moves to the middle and becomes the new caller
- At any time, the student in the middle can call out “FRUIT BASKET UPSET!” — and when they do, EVERYONE must get up and find a brand new seat!

Teacher Tip: This game works beautifully with foreign language vocabulary, too!

That’s really all there is to it — and the possibilities are truly endless! This game works with virtually any age group and almost any concept you are teaching. Click the image below to download your FREE copy of the Fruit Basket Upset Colors Version!