Birthday parties are the perfect time to create wonderful memories with your children. Whether it is 10 years or 15 years later, your children will remember the type of party that they had when they were little. For that reason, games are the perfect activity to fill time in the party and to create memories. With a little creativity you can adapt any of the games below to fit your theme.
Here are 28 fun games children can play for birthday parties:
Pinata
This is a game that requires room and good supervision – the children are blindfolded (or not, if they are young and don’t want to be) and they take a stick and try to break a hanging container that has candies and other small goodies in it. (Colorful Band-Aids were popular among the preschoolers here!). To make one, you can do something as simple as decorating a paper grocery bag with paints or crepe paper and then gluing and taping the top shut once the treats are inside. Run a string along the top edge before shutting the bag. You can also make a fancier one using a balloon and paper mache. The fun thing is that these can be decorated to match any theme.
Pin the Something on Something
Traditionally pin the tail on the donkey, this game can be changed to fit any theme. In this game, blindfolded guests try to stick a paper ‘tail’ onto a poster of a donkey. You can take a piece of poster board and draw anything with something missing – a nose on a clown or animal, the TY heart on a beanie baby, a spaceship in an outer space scene, and one year we gave Yoda (Star Wars) his staff. Just be sure to include an outline of where the object needs to land.
Drop the Clothespin Into a Bottle
This is another one that can be turned into a themed activity simply by using a coffee can with a plastic lid on it as the container to catch the clothespins. Cut a hole into the plastic lid appropriate for the age child. Then decorate the can.
Bean Bag Toss
Source: AdrielBooker.com
You can make an easy Bean Bag Toss using a double layer of poster board glued together and a large box. Use the large box as a base, and attach the poster board to one side of it. Before attaching the poster board, paint a design on it, allowing for one or more holes. We never kept score, but the kids had a lot of fun throwing those bean bags. One year we even gave bean bags as party favors – they’re easy to make from fabric scraps if you sew.
Go on a Treasure Hunt
These are some treasure hunt ideas: You can scatter coins in the lawn and let the kids hunt for them, much like an Easter egg hunt. You can hide each child’s goodie bag and then give that child a piece of paper with a hint for finding it – it could be a simple map drawing for a young child, a word or two, or a riddle for older children. You can also let the children do a paper clue based hunt as a group – with the goodie bag for the youngest being the first found, along with the clue to the next goodie bag, and so on.
Make a Bracelet/Necklace
This activity can be an activity the children can go to between other activities, or the main focus. A big bag of pony beads, some elastic cord, scissors and an adult to help when needed, and they can make their own jewelry. Be sure to supervise this one, so that necklaces and bracelets are not made too tight.
Make their Own Place Cards or Placemats
Source: Eventstocelebrate.net
This activity could be as complex or simple as you want – children can decorate 3×5 cards or construction paper with a variety of stickers, cut outs (use an old beanie baby magazine for a source of a hundred or more beanie pictures, a pokemon magazine for pokemon), crayons, and colored pencils. If you have enough help to cover the placemats after they’re done with clear contact paper, they will last a long time.
Guess How Many
Fill a jar with candy. Have children write their name on a small piece of paper and their guess as to how many candies are in the jar. The child who guesses the right number, or comes closest, gets a sucker. The candy in the jar is then divided among the children. A variation would be that the winner takes the jar of candy home to share with their family.
Who Am I?
When the children come through the door tape a farm animal or item/object to their backs. Through the course of the party they may ask each other yes and no questions about what they are. Explain that the first question they may want to ask is “Am I an animal or an object?” At the end of the party each child takes a turn saying what they think they are. Suggestions: cow, pig, sheep…pitchfork, saddle, horseshoe, hay, milk, barn, tractor, etc.
Farm Buddies
Is similar to Who Am I?, but this time you whisper in each childs ear a name of a farm animal. Tell them that there is at least one other person that is the same animal as they are. Throughout the party they may ask each other yes and no questions to try to figure out who their “Farm Buddy” is. At the end of the party tell everyone to go sit by who they think their buddy is. Go over the clues with the kids until they figure it out and everyone is sitting next to the correct buddy.
Birthday Dinner
Players sit in a circle. The first player starts by saying, “At my birthday dinner I like to eat hamburgers”. The next player must repeat “At my birthday dinner I like to eat hamburger…” and add another dish. This continues all the way around the circle with each player reciting the dishes in the exact order they have been given and then adding a new one. If a player makes a mistake they slide out of the circle and the game continues. The person left who can perfectly recite the birthday dinner menu wins.
Fruit Basket
Put chairs in a circle with one less chair than there are players. One person says, “I’m grateful for people with blue eyes”. Everyone with blue eyes stands up and changes places. While everyone’s scurrying for a chair a parent takes one away. The person left standing is out and the last person to sit down goes next…”I’m grateful for everyone who’s wearing tennis shoes”. Repeat.
Button, Button, Who’s got the Button
A child is chosen to be “it” and hides her eyes as a button is given to a child to hide in his lap or behind his back. “It” then has three chances to guess which child has the item. (All children hide their hands in their laps/behind their backs like they have it.) For animal themes, select an item that goes with the animal. If you’re doing a character theme like Cinderella it would be “Slipper, Slipper, Who’s got the Slipper”.
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are a fun way to entertain kids at birthday parties. Rather than encouraging competitiveness between teams, have children work together to find all the items. Hide items in yard or designated rooms.
Duck, Duck, Goose
Whatever the theme, substitute words from the theme for “duck” and “goose.” (like “Pika, Pika, CHU” or “Scooby Scooby Scooby DOOO”)
Hot Potato
You can use virtually any item for the “potato” for this old favorite. For character parties use a stuffed toy of the character.
Simon Says
For character themes replace “Simon” with a character from the theme. Children should listen carefully and only do what “Simon” says. Those who do not follow what “Simon” says are considered out of the game.
Red Rover
Divide players into two teams. Each team forms a line by holding hands and stretching themselves out. The two teams face each other and should be about 25 feet apart or more. Each side takes turns calling, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send (name) right over.” At that signal, the player called, runs from his line and tries to break through the line of his/her opponents. If he breaks through, he can take one opponent back with him to his team. If he does not break through, he joins the other team. The team to add the most players wins.
Charades
Have one child come up to the front of the group and whisper the name of an animal, or something to do with your theme, to them. They then act out what the animal does. The rest of the kids try to guess the name of the animal.
Water Balloon Volleyball
You’ll need lots of water balloons stored in a bucket full of water and towels for each pair of children. Divide children into two groups. Pair them off and give each pair a beach towel. One side begins by placing a water balloon in the center of their towel. Each child holds onto one two corners of the towel in their hands. The object is to toss the water balloon over the net with the opposing side catching the balloon in their towel. The volley continues until one side misses and the balloon breaks giving the other team a point. First team to 15 wins.
Variation: If you do not own a volleyball put two sets of pairs a distance apart and have them volley back and forth.
Variation for young children: Instead of beach towels use two large blankets. Divide into teams, each team member holds a part of the blanket. Toss the balloon back and forth between teams. Not too tough with a bit of team work.
Make sure to carefully clean up the balloon remains, as they are choke hazards for young children.
Freeze
Begin by playing music, everyone moves and dances until the music stops then they must “freeze” in whatever position they happen to be in.
Balloon Bust Relay
Purchase large balloons, stuff with a prizes such as a whistle, then inflate and tie. You will need one balloon for each guest. Divide children into two teams and place each team behind the start line. At the other end of the room are the balloons. On your mark a child from each team runs to the other end of the room, grabs a balloon and sits on it, bounces on it, lays on it, anything they can do to make it pop.
When the balloon pops they collect their prize and run back to their teammates. The game continues until every child has retrieved their prize. If one team falls behind parents are allowed to help:D Make sure you’ve got the movie camera rolling, you won’t want to miss the action or the expressions. If you don’t have time for a relay yell, “GO” and let every child grab a balloon at the same time and try to pop it.
Make sure to carefully clean up the balloon remains, as they are choke hazards for young children.
Wits and Consequences
Blow up balloons with questions, written on strips of paper, inside and place balloons in Bag “A”. Let each guest reach in and pull out a balloon on their turn. If they answer correctly they stay in the game for another ’round, if they answer incorrectly they pull a balloon out of Bag “B”, pop it and have to do what it says…”Rub your tummy and pat your head at the same time”, “Strut and cluck like a chicken three times”. If they complete their task they can return to the game. If not they can cheer on the remaining players. When all the questions have been answered the games over.
Make sure to carefully clean up the balloon remains, as they are choke hazards for young children.
Prize Walk
This is a fun game for children and adults alike. Write numbers from 1 to 30 on square charts and stick them on the ground. Make the shape of a circle. Now, make cards with the same numbers and shuffle it in a basket. The game starts by playing some music and having the children walk around the circle. When the music stops, the children must stop in a number. A number will then be picked from the basket, and the children standing on the corresponding number wins a prize. The game can continue for a set number of rounds.
Bubble Wrap Race
This game is appropriate for children ages 3 and up. You will require lots of space for this game, along with tons of bubble wrap. Use the bubble wrap to create a βrunwayβ for children to run over. The premise of this game is that the children will have to race to the finish line without popping any of the bubbles on the floor. The kid who crosses without any noise wins the game.
Balloon Bursts
Balloon Burst game is appropriate for children ages 4 and up. What you will need to prepare is cards with challenges, balloons and a little music. First, the music must be played while the children throw the balloon at each other. The last person to touch the balloon after the music stops will have to pop the balloon and do the challenge written on the card. You can do simple challenges for kids and much more complicated challenges for teens and adults.
Paper Boat Race
As this is a bit complicated, this game is for children ages 5 and up. You will need paper boats, straws and a large plastic tub. The children will make paper boats, then use the straws to blow the boats across the plastic tub. The first child to have their boats reach the end, wins the game.
Three-legged race
If you are having an outdoor party, this is the perfect game to play. Pair the children in pairs and tie one leg from each child to each other. Now, they must run in sync and race with other kids towards the finish line. The first to cross the finish line wins.
Which game will you be including in your party? Are there any other games you would play? Share your experience in the comments section below!
