Families turn to Minute to Win It for free kids' entertainment ideas

NBC's Minute to Win It is a show on which you will never hear these words: "Don't try this at home." The Sunday night family fare, a throwback to the game shows of the 1950s, is as simple as a kid's birthday party: perform simple tasks, usually with household objects, in less than a minute. As the games get more difficult, the jackpot grows, up to $1 million. Meanwhile, contestants content with the most difficult task of all: avoiding puncture by host Guy Fieri's hyper-styled hair.

Maybe it was inevitable, but families have started picking up on the games and adapting them for inexpensive home play. It was also probably inevitable that videos of their (often embarrassing) shenanigans have cropped up on YouTube, where they can attract the attention of casting directors.

And, of course, they can be a resource for moms and dads who are stumped for ideas for free summer activities for their kids.