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Child games for fun parties!
Child Party
Games & Activities
- Games, crafts, and activities
help to keep your party moving and involve all the kids
so none are left out. If you've chosen a theme and know
where your party will be held, then your party games will
be easier to plan.
Think about your party in
stages. Arrivals - remember that few will arrive exactly on
time, so have an activity that your guests can do while
waiting for the party to start. Warm Ups - this is a getting
acquainted time, and crafts fit well here. Group Games -
these can be the most fun at a party. Wrap Ups - think
calming activites here, so parents don't have to drag wild
monkeys home!
Arrival
Activites
- Try a "graffitti
wall" - place butcher paper on a wall and give the
kids colors to write birthday wishes, draw pictures, etc.
I would also suggest having a parent supervise!
- Depending on your theme, you
can have the children make their own party hats, name
tages, or costume. To make your own hats, flatten an
existing party hat to use as a template. Trace and cut
from heavy construction paper. Staple sides together to
form a cone, and let the kids decorate it with markers,
glitter, confetti, whatever you have. For name tags, use
a cookie cutter as a stencil and trace and cut your theme
shape out of construction paper. Do the same as the hats,
and allow kids to decorate them as they want. Use large
safety pins to attach them to each child's shirt.
- Having music on or a song
video on as children arrive is a nice way to transition
into the party. Kids can sing along, dance, or just
listen until you begin the main activities.
- If you are creating an album
for the party, take pictures of each guest with your
child as he arrives. If you use Polaroids, you can tape
them to a wall during the party, or use them in a craft
that each child takes home.
- Another idea is to set up a
couple of stations for the kids to do some solo
activities while waiting: puzzles, colorforms, books,
etc., will keep them busy until you're ready to start.
Warm Up
Activities
- Crafts are a great way for
kids to talk with each other while doing something with
their hands. Visit the Oriental
Trading Co.
 site
for great inexpensive craft ideas. They sell their crafts
in groups of 6 or more, so you can do a craft for your
party usually for under $12. How great is that?! Then
their created project becomes a party favor that they can
take home. Some hints: use washable markers or crayons,
and tacky glue that dries fast.
- Play dough is always a hit
with younger kids. You can make your own, or even buy
small cans for each child that he can take home. To make
your own, see our recipe page. Provide plastic knives,
cookie cutters, and other little tools for molding the
dough.
Group
Games
- There are so many, it's hard
to know where to start. How about the ever-popular
Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey! You can modify this game to
fit your party theme. Some examples:
Pin-the-crown-on-the-princess, smokestack-on-the-train,
nose-on-the-teddy-bear, hat-on-the-fireman. To play, tie
a scarf or dishtowel around the player's eyes. Give her
the pinning object with a piece of tape, let's say a
crown for the princess, and have her place the crown
wherever she thinks the princess' head is. Make sure to
write each player's name on their crown so you know who
was closest.
- Bingo - Using cardboard or
construction paper, create a 5x5 grid for each player.
Write an appropriate title across the top, like
T-R-A-I-N. In each square, write a word, number, or draw
a picture. Stickers work well, but you'll need a lot.
Make sure to have each grid unique, so that not everyone
will be getting the same pattern as you play. Next, write
each of the words or numbers on a separate piece of
paper. These you will use to announce each square at a
time. Put all the papers in a bag. When it's time to
play, give each player a card and have them cover the
center square as a "freebee." Draw a paper from
your bag, announce it, and players with that word on
their board can cover it with candy (try M&Ms).
You'll need extras for snacking! Once a player has 5 in a
row, horizonally, vertically, or diagonally, she wins.
- Follow the Leader - Have the
birthday boy or girl be the leader. All the guests get in
line behind the leader, and follow doing whatever the
leader does. Try jumping, skipping, walking backwards,
crawling under a table, and rolling. If the birthday
child is having trouble, have an adult be leader. You'd
be surprised how fun this easy game is.
- Obstacle Course - You can
have the children in teams or playing individually. Set
up an obstacle course, outside is best, with balls, jump
ropes, or even drawing it on the ground with chalk. Kids
can race each other 2 or 3 at a time, and see who can go
through it fastest. You can get really creative with
this, but make sure it is safe for all ages involved.
- Relay Race - Similar to the
obstacle course, relay races have teams who play together
to finish tasks. For example, set up teams at one end of
your lawn, and a bucket for each team on the other side.
Give each team a measuring cup and have them carry water
as fast as they can to their bucket. The first team to
fill their bucket wins. Or how about kicking a ball to
one end and back while balancing an egg on a spoon? Or
carry an orange under their chin, and if they drop it
they have to start at the beginning again. Or roll an
apple across the grass with a popsicle stick. See? Almost
anything can become a game if it is unusual enough. Of
course you'll need to tailor this to your age group, but
just about any age after 5 years can do this. Even teens
enjoy it when it gets a little weird. Hula hoop from one
end to the other? I'll let you keep thinking about this
one...
- Bucket Brigade - Place 2 big
buckets (like the paint drums my husband saves in the
garage) at one end of your lawn, and have the kids line
up to it. Give each player a medium bucket, and place a
kiddie pool with water at the opposite end of the lawn.
The players closest to the pool will fill their buckets
and pour the water into the next player's bucket. That
player then pours water into the next player's bucket,
until it reaches the big bucket. The first team to fill
their bucket wins. As the kids try to go fast, water will
spash out, and everyone gets a little wet. This is
especially good for a summer party.
- Ball in the Air - Give each
child a non-helium balloon (so it will fall to the
ground). When you give the signal, have them toss their
balloons in the air and try to keep them from hitting the
ground. Whoever keeps their balloon up the longest wins.
This easily turns into chaos, but that's half the fun!
You can also do this with feathers, and have the children
blow to keep them airborne (no hands allowed).
- Musical Chairs - A classic!
Place chairs in a circle with the seats facing out. Have
1 less chair than there are players. Start playing music
and have the children march around the chairs. When you
turn off the music, the children must find a seat and sit
on it. The one who does not have a chair is out of the
game until the next round. (Idea - have that child help
you with the music for the round after their
elimination). Remove a chair and start the music again.
Keep doing this until you have 1 chair left, and 2
children. When the last child is seated, she wins! Hint -
keep it moving by not playing the music too long.
Eliminated kids are very impatient!
- Hot Potato - Place the kids
in a circle and have them pass a raw potato around while
you play music. When the music stops, the one holding the
potato is out. Continue until you have just 1 player
left.
- Balloon Pop - Tie a balloon
(non-helium) around each player's ankle and have them try
to pop each other's balloons. They can jump and step on
the balloons (or even sit on them), but they'll have to
protect their own balloon too. Play this in an area
without breakables, it gets wild!
- Bean Bag Toss - Using a
poster board, draw something along your theme and cut out
a piece in the middle. Kids take turns throwing bean bags
at the board, trying to get it into the hole. The smaller
kids will need the hole to be bigger. I make bean bags
with scrap fabric, 2"x2", and fill them with
lentils or other beans. I make a set for each child to
take home as a party favor.
- Red Light, Green Light - The
birthday child can start as the "signal." All
the other children line up across from the signal. The
signal says "green light" and children are free
to move toward the signal. When the signal says "red
light" they have to stop wherever they are, in
whatever position they're in. If they don't hold their
position and move, they have to start over. The first one
to reach the signal (and touch him), gets to be the next
signal and you start over.
- Water Balloon Toss - Fill
balloons with water in advance on your hose faucet and
tie them up. I keep them in a bucket until the game
starts. Break up the kids into teams of 2, standing
slightly apart from each other. Give each team a water
balloon and have them toss it to each other. Every time
they throw it and catch it, the catcher has to back up
one step, increasing the distance between them. Keep
going until the water balloon pops, and you have 1 team
left.
We'll keep adding to this
as there are countless possible party games. So check back,
or sign up for our email newsletter at the top of the page.
Cool Down
Activities
- When you're getting closer to
the end of your party, it's time to calm the kids down.
Some ideas include: storytelling, hunt for party favor
bags, sing songs. Anything you can think of that scrapes
the kids off the ceiling is a good idea.
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