Don't Break the Ice
| Players | 2 or more |
|---|---|
| Age range | 3 and up |
| Setup time | < 5 minutes |
| Playing time | 3 to 8 minutes |
| Random chance | None |
| Skill(s) required | Manual dexterity |
Don't Break the Ice is a children's tabletop game for two to four players ages 3 and up. Marketed by Schaper Toys in 1968, the game is now manufactured by Hasbro subsidiary Milton Bradley.
The game is played with a set of plastic "ice blocks," a stand, and included miniature mallets. One ice block is larger than the rest, and either a man or a polar bear stands on this block. The stand is turned upside down and the ice blocks placed into the frame, so that the "shared" uniform compression of the blocks pressed against each other will cause them to stay in place when the stand is turned upright. The players take turns removing blocks by tapping with the mallets. The game ends when one player "breaks the ice," causing the man/bear to fall through. The player who removed the most blocks without "breaking the ice" is the winner.