Most kids love party games and they can really help make the party fun. However I know that it can be a bit daunting trying to think up fun and easy, yet original party games which is why I've created this page.
Most kids parties are more fun and easier when you have a few games planned. They help fill the time and help keep the kids organized and in one place, not to mention they can be a huge amount of FUN!.
Don't forget to also check out my party games tips so that everything runs smoothly.
Balloon Chits Submitted by Ishmeet Lotay, Nairobi, Kenya
Indoor/Outdoor
Equipment: Balloons, paper and pen, needle
Tear the paper into small strips and on each piece write a dare (chit). Roll up the paper and place one chit in each balloon. Blow up the balloons and tie. Each player then has to choose a balloon and burst it with the needle. Then they have to do whatever dare is written on the paper they find inside their balloon.
Bubble Butt Indoor
Equipment: A chair and balloon for each child
A noisy kid party game! Line up a row of chairs with a balloon on each on one side of the room and get the children to sit in a row on the floor opposite the chairs. It's best to tie the balloons to the chair to stop them blowing off. On the signal to go, all the children must rush over to a chair and sit on the balloon, trying to pop it using only their body weight. Once done they must rush back to their place on the floor. First one back is the winner.
Cards in the Hat Indoor
Equipment: Two packs of playing cards, hat
A kid party game to test their skills. You will need 2 packs of cards (make sure each pack has a different back), and a hat. Split the kids into two teams. Place the hat on the floor and stand each team about 2 meters from the hat and opposite each other. On the count of three, each team member takes it in turns to attempt to throw a card into the hat. It doesn't matter that both teams are throwing at the same time as it adds to the fun. When all the cards have been thrown, count the ones that have landed in the hat. Each card from two to ten counts as one point. The Royal cards and the aces count as two points each. This game is surprisingly difficult so you could adjust the distances.
Cherry Drop Outdoor
Equipment: Blindfold
A kid party game for when the weather is good. One child is elected to be the cherry tree, he is blindfolded and stands with his arms and fingers outspread like branches. The other players are the cherries on the tree and they each grab hold of part of the branches. The cherry tree then says "Are you ready?" When the cherries shout "Yes", the cherry tree counts to ten as fast as he can whilst the cherries run from the tree. When the cherry tree gets to ten, he yells "Cherry drop!" and all the cherries have to stop running and stand still. The blindfolded cherry tree has to then find and touch all the cherries. The last cherry to be gathered up is the winner and becomes the next cherry tree.
Cotton Balls Indoor
Equipment: Two large bowls or buckets, two chairs, a large ladle, bag of cotton wool balls and a blindfold.
This is an hilarious kid party game and quite frustrating to watch. It's best to let one person at a time play as it's just as much fun to watch. Place the two chairs opposite each other about 2 meters apart. On one chair place a bowl of cotton wool balls and on the other an empty bowl. Blindfold the chosen player, give them a few twirls and then place them in front of the bowl of cotton wool balls. Using the ladle, they then have to try and scoop up a cotton wool ball (or more) and carefully carry it and place it in the bowl on the opposite chair. It's quite funny to watch as the cotton wool is so light that they are never sure if they are carrying anything or not. Set a time limit of one minute so that everyone gets a go. The winner is the person who transferred the most cotton wool balls.
Eye Witness Indoor
Equipment: Variety of dressing up clothes and props, pens and paper.
Boys seem to love this kid party game. Explain that there has been a robbery and a suspicious character was seen leaving the scene of the crime. Choose a volunteer and take him out of the room and dress him/her in an assortment of clothes. The funnier the better and use props such as a rolled up newspaper, glasses, false moustache. You then announce to the other children that the suspect was seen running away and that they have been asked to give an accurate description of him. As you shout "Police", the child outside runs into the room and runs/walks quickly round it (maybe twice if your room is small) and the other children have to write down anything that he was wearing or carrying. The one with the most accurate list wins and he becomes the next burglar.
Harold and Gertrude Indoor
Equipment: Old newspaper, blindfold
A kid party game for those kids who like a bit of action. Choose two people to be Harold and Gertrude. Blindfold Harold and give him a rolled-up newspaper. Place him in the middle of the circle of children who are holding hands. As the children move around in a circle (they can walk or run), Harold shouts out "Gertrude" and Gertrude must answer "Harold". Harold must try and find her by the sound of her voice and to tap her with the newspaper. Of course as the circle moves, Harold will probably end up bopping the other children but they must try and avoid getting bopped by accident. If they are bopped they are out of the game. Once Harold finds Gertrude, the kid party game starts again.
Minefield Outdoor
Equipment: Two blindfolds, cardboard boxes of various shapes and sizes, plastic buckets, low chairs
You need quite a big space for this kid party game and maybe ear mufflers, as there will be a lot of shouting! Divide the kids into two teams. Lay out all the boxes and chairs - these are known as the mines. Blindfold one person from each team who then has to navigate through the minefield under the verbal guidance of their team mates. If either player touches a mine, they have to stop for a count of ten. When the player finally reaches the end of the minefield, they remove the blindfold and run back to the start and another of their team mates has a turn. The winning team is the one to get all its members through the minefield first.
Pop on Pop Outdoor
Equipment: A couple of willing adults!!, two large empty plastic coke bottles, two buckets filled with water and lots of paper cups. Oh yes and some big towels for the adults!
Play this kid party game outdoors and on a warm day. Split the children into two teams and assign one adult (preferably a dad) to each team. The adults sit on the floor holding an empty bottle on top of their head. When the whistle blows, each team has to rush to a bucket of water, fill up a paper cup and then rush back and pour it into the bottle that sits on their "pop's" head. The game continues until one of the pop bottles is full or when pop feels totally drowned!
Toppling Towers Indoor
Equipment: Children's building blocks, boxing gloves, dice, bowl of sweets.
A kid party game that is harder than it sounds. Sit the children in a circle and in the middle place six building blocks, the bowl of sweets and the boxing gloves. The children take it in turns to roll the dice. If they get a six, they must rush to the center of the circle, put on the gloves and attempt to build a tower of six blocks before the next person throws a six. If they are successful they get to take a sweet from the bowl. You can vary this game by using chopsticks or spoons instead of the boxing gloves and use a different number of bricks depending on the age range of the children.
Party Games ebook
As your kids get older, you will want more and more party games to hand. To help you I have written an ebook brimming with more than 100 fun and original kids party games that will last you from preschool to pre-teens.
The ebook is downloadable and you will have all the games at your finger tips so will save you a huge amount of time and stress. Click here to find out more.
Get them in the mood
The arrival at a party before the party games begin, can be an awkward or even a frightening time for the shy ones or the smaller kids. Have some party music going in the background but not too loud and have some toys and simple activities laid out so the little ones can get busy.
Every-one's a winner!
If you want to give out prizes, let everyone win something. It keeps them all happy and instills confidence.
Be Prepared
Be prepared and have a few games planned and ready, even if you don't necessarily play them all. You will find some games are so popular that the children will play them over and over again. Don't be disappointed if they don't want to play 'YOUR' favorite game.
Have several games up your sleeve
Be prepared even if you don't necessarily play them all. You will find some games are so popular that the children will play them over and over again. Don't be disappointed if they don't want to play 'YOUR' favorite game.
Have a mixture of games
Think indoor/outdoor and quiet/active games. Plan what is appropriate for the setting/weather/age groups.
Give them a break
Don't feel that the children have to be continually playing party games in order to be having fun. In fact with toddlers you really only need one or two games over a period of an hour. A bit of 'free' play is often just as enjoyable. Also don't force kids to play if they don't want to but try and involve them in other ways such as handing out any props, turning on and off the music and so on.
Be ready
Whatever games you decide to have, make sure you have plenty of the equipment you need as pencils get lost, paper mislaid and balloons burst.
Cheersallyear.com has a free printable pin the tail on the donkey game, printable play money and many other printable party games for both kids and adults.
Click below to see game ideas from other visitors to this page...
Glove Game!
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The Gummy Bear
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Under the pile ...
Balloon Pop Game
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We played this for my daughter's party. It can be played with 2 or more players.
Great game for a sleepover!
You will need: You will need around ...
Kick The Can
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--- Kids Party Games --- You will need: A can (doesn't matter what kind) You will also need at least 3 people to play or it won't work.
How ...
Chocolate Roulette
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Blind Man Rush
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-- Kid Party Game -- Indoor/Outdoor
You will need a Group of people (4 or more preferably)
What you need: Blindfold of some sort If ...
Dress Up Game
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How to play: You make a circle of people and you ...
Telephone
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Decide ...
Hide Things
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Then take 5 marbles or anything ...
Chocolate Game
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-- Teen Party Games -- There is a block of chocolate in the middle of a circle full of girls and you have a dice.
You pass the dice around the ...
Blind Shooter
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There is a person in the middle with a toy gun with a blindfold on and there is some people around five meters away from him/her.
The people stomp ...
Treasure Hunt
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-- Kids Party Games -- Hi guys!!!! I'm 10 this year...
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Toilet Paper Dress
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-- Kid Party Games -- I think that this is a very fun game. I play this game at my party every year. We have a lot of fun and it is even better ...
Find the Hidden Treasure
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How to Play: Well ...
SARDINES
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-- Kids Party Games -- This is a bit like "Hide and Seek", but in this game, only one person hides. Everyone else counts to 100 and then goes off,...
Fortune Teller
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First you cut up 12 pieces of paper. Write 'Yes' on 4 of them, 'No' on 4 of them and 'Maybe' on 4 of them.
Put the pieces of paper in a bowl.
1 ...
Candy Corn Catch
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-- Teen Party Games -- Indoor/Outdoor You need: Buckets, candy corn
You first divide into 2 teams.
Choose one person to be the catcher ...
Fish For Dinosaurs
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-- Kids Party Games -- This game is very easy for a great game of "Fish the Dinosaur!"
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SNAP
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-- Teen Party Games -- Outdoor Equipment: Ball
In this game, everyone is given a number. #1 is the one who starts with the ball. All the ...
Piggly Wiggly
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-- Kids Party Games -- This game is for kids all ages and is great for sleep overs and best played indoors.
All kids should have a sleeping bag ...
Tug Of War
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-- Teen Party Games -- Children will need to get into two teams (make sure they are even.)
You will need a long rope. Put a ribbon through the ...
Tapper
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-- Kids Party Games -- One person is picked to be the 'Tapper' and s/he goes into another room while the other players hide under pillows and blankets....
Witch
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-- Kids Party Games -- Well, a group of kids pick a landmark (outdoors). Example- a trampoline, fountain, small building, porch, swing-set, etc....
Relay Races
Not rated yet
Divide the children in to two teams.
They then race from one side to another in an interesting way. Like crawling, running backward, marching, on a ...
To play this game you will need 3 or more players. Each player gets 2 balloons(un-blown up) and 2 pieces of string or ...
Frog in a Swamp!
Not rated yet
Equipment: A large plastic box with a lid, a large bowl full of jelly (green is best) and enough chocolate frogs for how many people are playing the ...
Have the birthday girl spin a bottle of nail polish. Who ever the cap is ...
Balloon Fun
Not rated yet
First you need to blow up a balloon for all of your guests. Then you attach a piece of string ( it's more easy when the string is long).
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