Games For Kids – 4 Classic Games to Play at Birthday Parties
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Birthday party games for kids revolve around the same notion each time. Simple action, easy winner. No-one wants a birthday party to become a battlefield of competition so in order to maintain a carefree environment, the party games need to be easy enough for all to participate in, and frivolous enough that no one child feels sad afterwards.
And the final four are:
1. Pin The Tail On The Donkey
One of the most traditional birthday party games ever, this game consists of pinning up a poster of a donkey without a tail, blindfolding the children one by one, spinning them around, and having them try to pin the tail on the donkey in the right spot. The one closest to the correct place wins the prize. Surprisingly, most people do not realise that you have to stick with a tail and a donkey.
Take the idea and apply it to your theme. For example, a princess party could have a “pin the kiss on the frog” game, or a garden party theme could have a “pin the bee on the flower” game.
The possibilities are endless.
2. Pass The Parcel
Wrap up a small gift in coloured wrapping paper. Then wrap it again in newspaper, then again in coloured paper, and so on for as many times as you like. The parcel will be passed around a circle of children to music and when the music stops, the child holding it unwraps one layer. If it is the last one, they win the prize. If not, they pass it on.
Why not add a few extra “tasks” to your pass the parcel game to liven it up? For example, when the music stops, the child has to find 3 items the same colour as the paper before opening it up again?
3. The Chocolate Game
This is particularly popular at children’s parties, but is really more suited to parties for children over 5 or 6. Take a large block of chocolate and unwrap it. Have ready a knife, fork, and a die.
Each child takes a turn rolling the die and when they roll a six, they have a chance to cut the chocolate with the knife and fork, eating it once they have cut one square out. In the meantime, the other children still roll the die. As soon as another child rolls a six, the first child must hand over the knife and fork to the one that rolled a six, and roll the die along with everyone else. There are no prizes for this game, save the amount of chocolate eaten by the winning rollers.
4. Guess How Many…
Not so many parties nowadays seem to play this game, probably because it is not one that you just stop still and play, nevertheless, it is a highly successful game.
Fill a medium-sized plastic container with sweeties, chocolates, little knick-knacks and small party favors or toys. Place it in an obvious position and invite everyone at the party to guess how many items are inside, with the winner taking the container home. Everyone writes their name on a list and next to it, their guess (little children can get an adult to write their guess for them). This is usually the last game to be played for the day at a party because the winner is fairly undisputed.
This game is also great because the announcement of the winner can be a little drawn out as you read out the different guesses first or it can be immediate, if you have run out of time for any more games.
Fillers for the container can consist of marshmallows, chocolate shapes, chocolate-coated biscuit shapes, candies or sweets, dolly sweets, sherbet saucers, licorice, bath squirty toys, party favor games such as mazes, themed spoons, rulers, or pens, balloons, and other small items.
With children’s birthday parties only lasting a few hours at a time, these four games will keep your guests entertained the entire time – or at least until the food is served!
