10 BEST PARLOUR GAMES FOR KIDS: THE PERFECT WAY TO KEEP THEM OFF THEIR SCREENS

I research and evaluate all products and services. If you buy through links on this site, I may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure for more info.
Here is a list of ten brilliantly fun parlour games for kids that will have them so thoroughly entertained they will forget they even have screens!! Oh, and be warned, they could also unleash your inner child.
I love breaking out a parlour game on a slow-paced weekend or for parties and get-togethers.

10 BEST PARLOUR GAMES FOR KIDS
Here is a list of ten of my absolute favourite parlour games and how to play them.
1. CHARADES
Charades involves acting out a word or phrase without speaking while the other players try to guess what it is.
HOW TO PLAY:
The game is played by dividing players into teams. One player from each team acts out a word or phrase without speaking while their teammates try to guess what they are acting out.
The player who is acting out the word or phrase may use gestures, facial expressions, and body language to convey the meaning of the word or phrase.
The team that correctly guesses the most words or phrases within a set time limit wins the game.
2. PICTIONARY
Pictionary is another great parlour game for kids. The game involves drawing a picture of a word or phrase while the other players try to guess what it is.
HOW TO PLAY:
The game is played by dividing players into teams. One player from each team draws a word or phrase on a piece of paper while their teammates try to guess what they are drawing.
The player who is drawing may not use any words or numbers to convey the meaning of the word or phrase.
The team that correctly guesses the most words or phrases within a set time limit wins the game.
3. SIMON SAYS
Simon Says is a classic parlour game that is perfect for younger kids. The game involves following instructions given by a leader, but only if the instructions are preceded by the phrase “Simon says”.
HOW TO PLAY:
The game is played by choosing one player to be ‘Simon.’ Simon gives commands to the other players, such as “Simon says touch your toes” or “Simon says jump up and down.”
The other players must only follow commands that begin with “Simon says.” If Simon gives a command without saying “Simon says,” and a player follows that command, they are out of the game.
The last player standing becomes the next ‘Simon’.
4. MUSICAL CHAIRS
The game Musical Chairs involves walking around a circle of chairs while music plays and sitting down in a chair when the music stops. The catch is that there is always one less chair than there are players, so someone is always left standing.
HOW TO PLAY:
The game is played by arranging chairs in a circle, with one less chair than the number of players. Players walk around the chairs while music plays.

Make party planning easier
Free Single-Page Party Planner & Checklist.
When the music stops, players sit in the nearest chair. The player who is left standing is out of the game.
One chair is removed, and the game continues until only one player is left sitting in a chair, who is declared the winner.
5. DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE
Duck, Duck, Goose is a game that involves sitting in a circle while one player walks around tapping the other players’ heads and saying “duck” until they tap someone and say “goose”.
HOW TO PLAY:
Players sit in a circle, and one player walks around outside the circle, tapping each player on the head and saying “duck” each time.
Eventually, the player taps someone on the head and says, “goose.”
The “goose” must then stand up and chase the player around the circle, trying to tag them before reaching the empty spot.
If the “goose” tags the player, they continue to be “it,” and the game starts again. If the player reaches the empty spot, the “goose” becomes “it,” and the game continues.
8. TELEPHONE
The Telephone game involves a phrase being whispered from one person to the next to see if the original phrase stays intact.
HOW TO PLAY:
The game is played by one player whispering a phrase or sentence to the person next to them, who then whispers it to the person next to them, and so on until the last person hears the message.
The last person then says the message out loud, and everyone compares it to the original message.
The game is very much played for laughs, as the message gets distorted as passed from person to person.
9. HOT POTATO
Hot Potato is a fast-paced game that involves passing a potato around a circle of players while music plays. The catch is that the player who is holding the potato when the music stops is out. It really is much more fun than it sounds!!
HOW TO PLAY:
You can use an actual potato (raw, not cooked!!) or any other potato-like object.
Or you can buy an actual Hot Potato game that has a potato with a face and plays music when you squeeze it!
All the players sit in a circle, and the game begins when the music starts, and the potato is thrown to a player at random in the circle.
When the music stops, the person holding the potato must leave the game. (You can sweeten this by giving each child a piece of candy or a small prize as they leave).
One player is eliminated each round until only one player remains, who is the winner.
You can make the game more challenging by varying the speed of the music or by adding more than one potato to the game.
10. SARDINES
Sardines is a kind of hide-and-seek game. It involves one player hiding while the other players try to find them.
HOW TO PLAY:
The game is played by one player hiding while the other players count to a predetermined number, such as 10 or 20.
Once the counting is done, the players split up and search for the hidden player. When a player finds the hidden player, they join them in their hiding spot (hence the name, ‘sardines’.
The game continues until only one player finds the hiding spot, leaving that last player to hide in the next round.
The game can be made more challenging by setting a time limit for finding the hidden player or by limiting the hiding area to a specific room or area.
WHAT ARE PARLOUR GAMES?
Not entirely sure what a parlour game is? Parlour games are group games that can be played indoors. They first became popular during the Victorian era, and it’s a testament to the fun that can be had playing them that they are still popular today.

Hello, I’m Luci, founder of Mums Make Lists. The site is full of fun ideas and inspiration for birthdays and seasonal celebrations. Plus a growing selection of instantly downloadable fun printables and party planners. Read more.