Hosting a birthday party or any kids’ party at home can be a scary thought. Usually, the biggest issue about throwing a home birthday party for your little ones is entertainment. Well, the best way to keep party guests engaged is to have a go-to list of activities.
Party games for kids are always fun and are the best way to keep the excitement going. You don’t have to go crazy with the planning, either. Thankfully, many of those games you remember from your childhood have never gone out of style. Games aren’t just for house parties either. If you’re holding a celebration at a venue, it’s always a fabulous idea to have party games for kids in your back pocket.
Party games for kids
Having a repertoire of fun party games is important for keeping kids interested. Otherwise, attention begins to drift, and kids start looking for something to do. This is usually when the nightmare part of you being afraid to host a kid’s birthday party at home becomes a reality.
The solution is to be prepared with multiple party games. You may not have time for all, which is OK. It’s always a better idea to be overprepared. Since you’ll be busy hosting, have older siblings or relatives on hand to run the games. This will help keep the tears to a minimum and the games rolling.
Balloon pop
Balloons and birthdays go hand in hand. All you need are small prizes and a bit of patience. The patience is needed to fill each balloon with a small prize like a little toy or a piece of candy. Then, blow up the balloon and tie it securely. Playing is simple. Each player gets a balloon and must pop in by sitting on it. The game is over when all the players have popped their balloons.
Scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts are a perfect party game for kids. You can design a seasonal scavenger hunt or one that goes along with the theme of the party.
Obstacle course
If you’re hosting an outdoor birthday party, making a backyard obstacle course is a wonderful way to keep the guests active. You can have kids run through the obstacle course and make it a race with prizes or have kids complete the course over and over at their own pace.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
This party game is a classic and an easy one to put together. You can purchase the game online or create your own that goes along with the party’s theme.
Freeze dance
A great way to get the sillies out before the food is served is to play freeze dance. All you need are some upbeat tunes. Kids dance until the music stops and then freeze. You can make this an elimination game with kids being knocked out if they move during the freeze part. Otherwise, keep dancing and freezing until the pizza is served.
Four corners
Kids love this game indoors or outside. All you need are four corners. To make it simple, identify each corner with number one, two, three, or four. Close your eyes and have all the participants pick a corner. Give kids about 10 to 20 seconds to choose a corner. Before opening your eyes, choose a corner number. All the kids in that corner are out. When you get down to four players, each one must choose separate corners. The game continues until there’s one person left. Four corners is best when an adult or older sibling, like a teen, does the eye closing and corner choosing. Kids tend to peek, which leads to arguments.
Egg and spoon race
Putting a plastic egg on a spoon and seeing which kids can get to the finish line is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s not just for Easter and makes for a party game full of giggles. You can also tailor the game to suit the party theme like balancing little soccer balls on spoons for a sports-themed party.
Duck, Duck, Goose
Another school and classic party game, Duck, Duck, Goose can be played indoors or out. All you need is space. The rules are simple. One person starts off as “it” or the picker and says, “Duck, duck, goose,” while touching each player’s head and walking around the circle. The person who gets “goose” must chase it around the circle and make a tag before it sits down in the vacant spot. Duck, Duck, Goose can always be renamed to suit the party theme. Think Batman, Batman, Robin or Anna, Anna, Elsa.
Treasure hunt
This can be a super-fun party game for kids if you’re having a pirate-themed party. Hide buried treasure inside or out with enough loot for each guest. Divide the kids into groups with an adult or teen leader. Provide clues that take the participants on a treasure hunt. Depending on age, the treasure hunt can go through the neighborhood.
Over under
An exciting game that gets everyone moving is Over Under. Line the kids up into even teams. The first person starts by handing a ball or beanbag to the person over their head. Person number two now must pass to the third but under. It keeps going, alternating between the over-and-under handoff until you get to the last person. The team that finishes first should sit down. Have small prizes for the winners and play again. You can mix up teams or keep teams the same.
Party games for kids are the ideal way to keep children entertained at birthday celebrations or other gatherings. These 10 classic party games can be played if you’re hosting a home birthday party or one at a venue. Party games are always good to have on hand for when the kids get bored. Birthday parties with kids typically deteriorate into chaos when there’s nothing for the guests to do. Having teen helpers is a must to keep the tears and arguments to a minimum. So, don’t fear hosting a kid’s birthday celebration. Just keep these games in your bag of party tricks.
