Remember the childhood game “the floor is lava,” where the object was to avoid the floor by any means necessary, jumping and climbing over the furniture? Turns out it’s just as fun when you’re an adult.
Nostalgia for this old favorite has been heating up lately. First, it inspired a video game, and now it’s become the latest in a long line of viral video challenges.
From lipdubs to the Harlem Shake and the Mannequin Challenge, YouTube culture has thrived on the replication of trends. What everyone’s doing now is “the floor is lava,” as played by Instagram/Snapchat personalities Kevin Freshwater and Jahannah James,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyLmnXxhPFU
Their antics blew up over Memorial Day weekend, when they both posted a video of Jahannah trying to win the game by jumping onto—and then falling into—a trashcan. They’ve both always played to win, though, dropping everything in the middle of the supermarket to run and dive onto the nearest safe space. Their videos are impressive in their lack of regard for property and the participants’ own safety. It’s fun as hell.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUsAt9oF37m/
But they’re not the only ones doing it. As you can see in the compilation above, teens and adults playing this children’s game—and playing it hard—is a ridiculous new YouTube/Instagram/Snapchat trend.
https://twitter.com/samanthavukt/status/870649659475214337
https://twitter.com/vibeswbabygirl/status/870109104219463680
Couldn't help myself 😂😂😂#lavachallenge pic.twitter.com/Bo9eabhQEg
— Belinda Arechiga (@belindaarechiga) June 2, 2017
“The floor is lava” combines nostalgia with physical comedy, which seems to be a winning formula. It’s more wholesome than prank videos and less time-consuming and elaborate than mannequin challenges. In 2017, that’s a sweet spot for a viral video.
As with past challenge trends, teens are nominating friends to participate. Check the hashtag #lavachallenge on Twitter and Instagram for the latest videos.