Don't Step In It! Board Game: Rules and Instructions for How to Play

Objective of Don’t Step In It!

The objective of Don’t Step In It! is to try and walk across the mat while avoiding stepping on the poops.

Setup for Don’t Step In It!

Lay the mat out on a flat surface with the green side face up.
Take about half of the compound from one of the cans and place it into the mold. Press down on the compound until it completely fills in the mold. Then gently remove it from the mold. Repeat this process until you have created eight poops.

Place five of the poops on random spots on the mat. The other three poops are set to the side.
Everyone should take off their shoes and socks.
The youngest player starts the game.

Playing Don’t Step In It!

To start your turn you will stand at one end of the mat and put on the blindfold.

Putting on the blindfold in Don't Step In It!

One of the other players will spin the spinner. The number spun determine how many steps you have to take at a minimum to reach the other side of the mat. You can use more steps than the number spun.

Spinning the Spinner in Don't Step In It! — One of the player’s spun the spinner. The current player has to cross the mat by taking at least six steps.

Some of the sections of the spinner have a symbol next to the number. The symbol indicates what special action you will take before you start walking across the mat.

One of the players will add an additional poop to the mat.

One of the players will remove one of the poops from the mat.

Choose a player to rearrange the positions of the poops.

Walking Across the Mat

Once you have set up the mat, the current player has to walk across it. You must use at least as many steps as the number spun on the spinner. Should you cross the mat in less steps than was spun, you need to start again from the beginning of the mat.

While walking you should lift your knees high. You may not jump, run or tiptoe.

You will keep walking to the other side of the mat even if you step in one of the poops.

Stepping in Poop in Don't Step In It! — This player has stepped on one of the dough poops while walking across the mat.

Should you step off the mat before reaching the other end, the other players should guide you back onto the mat before you continue walking.

Once you reach the other end of the mat you can take off your blindfold. You will count up how many poops you stepped in. You need to remember/write down how many poops each player stepped in. If your foot only grazed/gently touched a poop, it still counts as stepping in it.

End of round — While walking across the mat this player ended up stepping on two of the dough poops.

Any poops that were stepped in should be returned to the mold to be reshaped. You will then return them to the mat in any location. Any poops that were removed or added due to the symbol spun, stay on the mat for the next player.

Choose another player to take the next turn.

Winning Don’t Step In It!

Once everyone has had a turn, the players will compare how many poops they stepped in. The player that stepped in the least poops wins the game.

Solo Game

The solo game is mostly played the same as the main game. The one difference is that you will spin the spinner and add/remove poops before you put on the blindfold. You don’t need to rearrange the poops.

The goal is to try and cross the mat without stepping in any of the poops.

Don’t Step In It! FAQs

If you have any questions about how to play Don’t Step In It!, leave a comment below on this post. I will try to answer any questions asked as best and as quickly as possible.

Don’t Step In It! Components

Plastic mold
Blindfold
Game mat
Spinner
4 cans of compound
Instructions

Year: 2017 | Publisher: Hasbro | Designer: Bob Driscoll, Don Ullman

Genres: Action, Children’s, Family, Party

Ages: 4+ | Number of Players: 1+ | Length of Game: A couple minutes per player

Difficulty: Light | Strategy: Light | Luck: High

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For more board and card game how to plays/rules and reviews, check out our complete alphabetical list of board game posts.

Saturday 7th of October 2023

What would you say is the best place to play this game ?

Eric Mortensen

The most important requirement is that there is enough room to layout the entire mat with some room along the sides. After that I don't think it matters a ton where you play it. It probably would work better on a hard floor instead of carpet since the mat would lay flatter. Playing the game on carpet could also create some problems with the dough getting stuck in the carpet.

Ultimately any location should probably work as long as you have enough room to lay out the entire mat while still having some room on all of the sides.

Saturday 15th of July 2023

Can players be spun around three times before walking the mat ? Also, why do they walk the mat barefoot ?

Tuesday 18th of July 2023

For your first question spinning the player before they start walking is not in the official rules. I could definitely see it being a fun house rule though. If all of the players agree to using it, I see no reason why you couldn't.

As for your second question I am guessing the main reason is probably so you can feel the dough when you step in it. Otherwise it might be since it would be harder to get the dough out of socks/shoes.