Mouse Trap Instructions: Setup, Gameplay, and How to Win

If you’re looking for a classic game that’s fun for all ages, Mouse Trap is the perfect choice. Players go around the board collecting cheese, but the complicated trap built on the board may trap their mice. If you want to try this out with your friend or family, we’ll walk you through how to set up and play Mouse Trap, plus answer some of your most common questions.

Mouse Trap Board Game: Quick Overview

Players roll a die and move around the board. When you land on a space, activate the action like gaining or losing cheese, or setting off the trap built on the board. When someone catches you in the trap, you lose 1 cheese. If you’re the first person to collect 6 cheese wedges, you win!

Section 1 of 6:

Mouse Trap Setup

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1
Assemble the contraption pieces on the game board. Take out the contraption pieces from the box and place the board on a table. Follow our assembly instructions to put the pieces together and build the trap.^{[1]
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- These instructions are for the current version of the Mouse Trap board game. The older version of Mouse Trap doesn’t start with the contraption on the board. Instead, players add pieces to it when they land on spaces on the board.
2
Give each player a cheese wedge. Punch out the cardboard cheese wedges if it’s the first time you’re playing the game. Give 1 wedge to each player to start their cheese wheel. Set the rest of the cheese wedges in a pile known as the “stash.”
- You can play Mouse Trap with 2-4 players who are 6 or older.
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3
Place 2 cheese wedges and the player pieces on the start space. Have each player choose a mouse pawn and set it on the starting space on the board. Then, fill the outlined spaces with 2 of the cheese wedges from the stash.^{[2]
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- The first player who goes all the way around the board and passes the start space again gets to take the 2 wedges from the space.
4
Choose a player to start the game. Take turns rolling the die. Whoever rolls the highest number gets to take the first turn of the game.
- Alternatively, choose a random player to start the game.

Section 2 of 6:

How to Play Mouse Trap

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On your turn, roll the die. Move your mouse pawn clockwise around the board the same number of spaces.^{[3]
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The board spaces have unique colors that trigger different abilities, allowing you to gain cheese, lose cheese, or trigger the trap.^{[4]
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Jennifer Barone
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Expert Interview} 29 October 2025.</ref> Do the action on the space and end your turn. To learn what each one means, check out our explanation of the board spaces.^{[5]
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The player to the left takes the next turn. Keep rolling the die and moving your mice around the board until someone wins the game.^{[6]
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Section 3 of 6:

Mouse Trap Board Spaces

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Nothing happens! You’re safe…for now.
Take 1 cheese wedge from the stash and add it to your cheese wheel.
Steal 1 cheese wedge from any other player and put it in your cheese wheel.
Take 1 cheese wedge out of your cheese wheel and put it back in the stash. It’s okay if you run out of cheese and you still get to play the game!
If you want to, immediately move to the other Mousehole Tunnel space that’s the same color as the one you landed on.
Nothing happens if you land on this space, but you’re at risk of being trapped if another player triggers the trap on their turn. Other players may send you to this space if they land on a blue space.
Choose any other player, and put their mouse in the Cheesy Danger Zone, even if there’s another player there. Immediately pull back the stop sign and let it go to start the trap. If the trap works and the cafe falls on another player’s mouse, they have to give you 1 cheese wedge.^{[7]
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Section 4 of 6:

How to Win Mouse Trap

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Collect 6 pieces of cheese to win the game. Throughout the game, you’ll gain and lose cheese wedges. As soon as you get your sixth wedge and complete your cheese wheel, you automatically win the game!^{[8]
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- In older editions of the game, players were eliminated if they were caught in the mouse trap, and the winner was the last person standing.^{[9]
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Section 5 of 6:

Mouse Trap FAQ

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1
How does the Mouse Trap work? The Mouse Trap contraption is an example of a Rube Goldberg machine, which is a complex set of chain reactions to complete a simple task.^{[10]
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- When you pull back the stop sign, it hits the boot so it kicks the bucket over.
- The marble travels down the stairs, into the rain gutter, and into the second bucket.
- The bucket unlatches the broom and brings the marble up to the short ramp.
- The marble falls out of the bathtub and onto the diving board.
- The diver gets sent into the air and lands in the washtub.
- The cage drops down onto the other players’ mice.
2
Why didn’t the trap work? Sometimes, the ball doesn’t have enough speed or one of the parts doesn’t line up when the trap goes off. The player in the Cheesy Danger Zone got lucky that they didn’t get trapped or lose a cheese wedge.
3
How do you reset the trap? Whether you catch another player’s mouse or not, reset the trap at the end of your turn if you set it off. To reset the trap:^{[11]
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- Tip the bucket on the staircase upright and put the marble back inside.
- Rotate the broomstick so the bucket is at the bottom and at the end of the rain gutter.
- Latch the wrench onto the broomstick to keep it in place.
- Set the diver back on the end of the diving board.
- Hang the cage at the top of the pole.
4
What pieces should be included in a game of Mouse Trap? There are multiple pieces in the Mouse Trap game box, and they’re all important to make sure the game works correctly. Check that you have:^{[12]
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- 4 mouse pawns
- 24 cheese wedges
- 1 die
- 1 marble
- 1 rubber band
- 24 contraption parts
  - Bases #1, #2, #3, and #4
  - Stop sign
  - Lamp post
  - Boot
  - Plumbing
  - Bathtub
  - Short ramp
  - Stairs, Stair Legs A, and Stair Legs B
  - Diver
  - Diving board
  - Washtub
  - Rain gutter
  - Buckets #1 and #2
  - Wrench
  - Ladder
  - Broom
  - Cage
  - Cage pole

Section 6 of 6:

How to Assemble the Mouse Trap Board

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Lay out all the pieces for the contraption and place the board on the table. Double-check part numbers or letters to make sure you’re putting the pieces in the right locations on the board.^{[13]
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- Attach Base #1 to the board.
- Insert the stop sign and lamp post into Base #1.
- Attach the rubber band to Base #1 and the stop sign.
- Hang the boot off the lamp post so the heel is against the stop sign.
- Build the staircase on the board and Base #1.
- Place bucket #1 with the marble at the top of the staircase.
- Connect Base #2 to Base #1.
- Attach the rain gutter to the stairs and bases.
- Place the wrench and ladder on Base #2.
- Put bucket #2 and the broom on the ladder.
- Connect Base #3 to the board and Base #2.
- Insert the plumbing and bathtub into Base #3.
- Attach the short ramp to the top of the plumbing and bathtub.
- Place the diving board with the diver on Base #3.
- Set Base #4 with the washtub on the board.
- Attach the cage pole to Base #4.
- Balance the cage on top of the pole.

Community Q&A

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Question

What age should kids be to play this game?

EpcotMagic

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The game box states that kids should be no younger than 6 to play this game. Although, with help, a five-year-old could play it and do fairly well.

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Mouse Trap is based on luck, so there isn’t a ton of strategy for how to win. Just sit back and have fun playing and setting off the trap.

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