58 BEST KIDS’ PARTY GAMES: FUN BIRTHDAY PARTY GAMES FOR CHILDREN (AND HOW TO PLAY THEM)

THE BEST KIDS’ PARTY GAMES: FOR TODDLERS, PRESCHOOLERS AND 6-10-YEAR-OLDS

Here’s a big list of 55 fun kids’ party games for kids’ birthday parties with simple instructions on how to set up and play each game. I also mentioned if you need to buy props for the game.

I’ve divided the list of birthday party games into age groups for toddlers, preschoolers and 6-10-year-olds.

However, children of all ages can enjoy these games, from toddlers to tweens and teens. Some games appear in multiple age groups, with the rules adapted to ensure maximum fun.

The games in the list are some of the best, tried and tested classic party games. Plus, more recent favourites like Minute-To-Win-It and Parachute games.

All the games can be tailored to the size of the party, from small groups to larger groups.

There are indoor and outdoor party games, so you can choose what works best wherever you plan to host the party. Read my kids’ party venues post if you need some venue inspiration.

Plus, I have added a list of party game prize ideas at the end of the list.

58 BEST KIDS PARTY GAMES

I suggest you choose three to five games from the children’s party games list. Let’s start off with games for toddlers.

TODDLER PARTY GAMES

Toddler parties can be A LOT of hard work, so the most important tip I can give you is to play some simple kids party games, so that everyone including you as host, gets a chance to enjoy them.

The main reason there’s an art to making a party full of toddler guests fun is because toddlers don’t have great attention spans.

Plus each toddler will have at least one parent or carer with them, so you aren’t just hosting a party for the toddlers!! 

So which toddler party games will the toddlers at your party find really fun? Which games will really keep them amused? 

Something else important to remember is that toddlers aren’t great at sticking to games rules and they really understand the concept of someone winning and seeing the winner get a prize.

So focus on games where everyone is involved at the same time, the rules are few and simple and where everyone’s a winner!!! 

Here’s a list of really easy to play games to play with toddlers that work equally well for indoor parties at home, parties at a venue or summer outdoor parties. 

Related: How to plan and host an amazing toddler birthday party

BIRTHDAY PARTY GAME IDEAS FOR TODDLERS

1. MUSICAL STATUES

I’m starting this list with a truly classic fun game that toddlers can enjoy. The toddlers (and their parents!) dance to fun music. When the music stops everyone has to stand as still as possible… like a statue!

The first one to stop and stand still each time wins a small prize and then moves to the side. Continue the game until everyone has won a little prize. 

This is a great game to have if you want to keep your child’s party really simple.

I’ve found this fab video that plays musical statues music complete with breaks in the music and stop and start commands. Perfect if you don’t fancy having to shout instructions to a bunch of over-excited little kids!

2. PARACHUTE GAMES

Every toddler loves a parachute game! There are a whole bunch of different games, but I’ve listed three games that are particularly great party games for toddlers.

All three games that I mention are great non-competitive games, which will foster a sense of inclusivity for even the most shy of toddlers.

You don’t have to buy a parachute, a big bed sheet will do equally well.

But if you want to buy one (and they come in very useful for all sorts of toddler fun), Amazon have several, go for a 12ft parachute for a small home party or a 20ft parachute for a larger party (this is the size lots of party entertainers have). 

1. PARACHUTE GAME – TREASURE UNDER THE SEA

Pop a few items of treasure (soft toys, wooden blocks or small prizes like gold chocolate coins) into a box and put it in the centre under the parachute.

Everyone – parents and kids – hold the edge of the parachute and make waves like the sea. Each toddler takes it in turns to run underneath the ‘sea’ to retrieve a piece of treasure. 

2. PARACHUTE GAME – TAG

Everyone one takes hold of the edge of the parachute and lifts it up high. Call each child by their name and have them run, crawl or shuffle on their bottom under the parachute from one side to the other before the parachute comes down and tags them. This game doesn’t need a prize, it’s just for fun!

3. PARACHUTE GAME – MERRY-GO-ROUND

Ask all the toddlers to take hold of the edge of the parachute with one hand, facing the same way as each other. Play some fun nursery rhymes and have everyone move the parachute round like it’s a merry-go-round.

This game doesn’t need a prize, it’s a good energiser that gets all the toddlers focused on something at the same time.

3. BOTTOM SHUFFLE RACE

Ask all the toddlers to sit on the floor at one end of the room and set a finish line at the other end of the room. When you shout ‘GO’, the toddlers have to shuffle along on their bottoms until they cross the finish line.

Make sure to cheer for every child crossing the line and then give out celebratory little gifts to everyone. 

4. MUSICAL ANIMALS

This is such a simple kids party game, but I LOVE it!! Play some music, then when you stop the music, shout out an animal. Everyone has to pretend to be that animal.

You can give a small prize for the best animal, as long as everyone gets a prize by the end of the game!!

This would of course work well as part of an animal theme party. I’ve got a big list of 99 kids party themes if you need help choosing a theme.

5. PASS THE BALLOON/BALL

Although pass the parcel is an absolute classic party game, it can be SUCH A BORE when played with really little children. So, a great alternative for toddlers is to use a balloon or ball to pass round. 

Play some music, everytime the music stops, the toddler holding the balloon/ball gets a small prize. 

6. WALK THE PLANK

This is a challenge game. Create a ‘pirate ship plank’ on the floor, you can use a plank of wood or even just mark out a plank using masking tape. Whatever, make sure it isn’t too high off the ground, health and safety first!!! 

Ask each child to try walking the plank without falling off. Everyone else can stand around the plank clapping in encouragement or pulling faces and making distractions, depending on the vibe of the party guests.

Every successful participant gets a small prize. 

7. WHAT’S THE TIME MR WOLF?

This is a complete giggle-inducer and an absolute classic kids party game! This is a slight riff on the classic version, because very young children won’t necessarily take kindly to being ‘caught’ and having to take a turn as the wolf. 

So, this is how the game goes for toddlers… the host or fellow adult is ‘The Wolf’ and stands at one end of the party room or garden and turns their back. 

Get the toddlers to line up at the other end of the room to the wolf. The toddlers call out “What’s the time Mr Wolf?”. Mr Wolf calls out a time… e.g. “It’s 3 o’clock”. The toddlers move forwards the number of steps that relate to the time.

At any point when asked, Mr Wolf can answer “It’s dinner time”, at which point Mr Wolf turns and chases all the children back to the start line. Then the game starts over. 

Here’s a video that explains how to play What’s The Time Mr Wolf?

8. HOT POTATO

This is a simple parlour game that involves passing a ‘hot’ potato round until the music stops. Sit all the toddlers in a circle on the floor. There are two ways of running this game.

Firstly, you can use an actual baking potato (raw not cooked!!), play music and when you stop the music the toddler holding the potato gets a small prize and leaves the game. 

Or, you can buy an actual Hot Potato game that has a potato with a face. Squeeze the potato to start the music and when the music stops, the person holding the potato wins a small prize and leaves the game. 

9. SLEEPING LIONS

This is a great game to use to calm over-excited or tired children down before they have their party food or sing happy birthday and watch the birthday cake being cut. 

Ask all the toddlers to lie on the floor as still as they can possibly be. You can either give a small prize to every child who stays super still or a child is out if they move, at which point they can have a small prize for trying hard!!!

10. ACTION SONG SING-A-LONG

Action song sing-a-longs make a great party activity for toddlers and their parents. Toddlers might not be able to sing an entire song, but they love joining in and having fun singing along to the music, especially if the song has actions to accompany the lyrics. 

Keep the songs simple and make sure everyone knows the actions before you start a song by doing a quick demonstration first – which is sure to get everyone giggling!

Here is a list of brilliant action songs to sing-along to:

1. The wheels on the bus
2. Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
3. If you’re Happy and You Know It!
4. Here we go round the mulberry bush
5. A ring a ring of roses 
6. Five little monkeys 
7. I’m a little teapot
8. Miss Polly had a dolly 
9. Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
10. Row row row your boat 

11. BUBBLE CHASE AND POP

It can be mesmerising watching toddlers chasing and popping bubbles. Either buy a bubble machine or arm all the parents with a bottle of bubbles to blow. 

Create an element of competition for who can burst the most bubbles if you want to spice things up a little!

This is the best-selling bubble machine on Amazon at the moment.

12. TODDLER DANCE CONTEST

Now I must confess this is a game that will amuse parents as much as it will amuse the toddlers playing. 

Toddlers love moving around and have endless energy, so give them a chance to show off their finest dance moves. Then award prizes. It is important to make sure every child wins a little prize at some point in the dance contest. 

Get creative with prize categories such as fastest dancer, grooviest dancer, bounciest dancer, most creative dancer, happiest dancer.

PRESCHOOLER PARTY GAMES: FUN GAMES FOR THREE YEAR OLDS TO FIVE YEAR OLDS 

Preschooler attention spans still aren’t very long so it is wise to keep games short, simple and focused on the whole group of party guests.

They also can’t cope with too many competition games with winners and losers, so it’s good to play games where everyone has a chance to ‘win’ or simply enjoy taking part. 

Essentially focus on fun games that will keep with rules that are simple to follow.

All this said, three, four and five year olds are capable of increasing amounts of cooperative play, so they are capable of enjoying a wider range of games than toddlers. 

Here’s a list of simple games to play with kids aged three to five. All these games work equally well for indoor parties at home, parties at a venue or summer outdoor parties. 

PRESCHOOLER/FIVE AND UNDER PARTY GAMES

1. DUCK DUCK GOOSE

Get all the kids to sit in a circle. One child stands up and walks around the outside of the circle saying “duck, duck, goose” over and over until they pat someone on the head as they say “goose”.

The child who has been ‘goosed’ has to jump up and try and catch the child who has just ‘goosed’ them. If the child being chased manages to run round the circle and take the seat of the ‘goosed’ child, then the child who was ‘goosed’ starts the game over.

If not, then the original child goes again. Check out this video to see a game of Duck Duck Goose in action.

2. MUSICAL BUMPS

The kids dance to fun music. When the music stops everyone has to sit down as quickly as possible.

The last child to sit down each time is given a small prize (stickers or a single sweet work well) and then the game continues, until there is either one winner left, or a handful of winners, depending on how many kids are playing (remember, attention spans are short!!).

The winner or winners each receive a small gift and a round of applause. 

3. SIMON SAYS 

The party host takes on the role of ‘Simon’ and tells the children what they must do.

If Simon says “Simon says….” ahead of telling the kids what to do next, they MUST do what they’ve been told. If Simon doesn’t say “Simon says…” ahead of telling them what to do next, the children MUST NOT do it.

For example,

“Simon says jump up and down”

The kids all jump up and down.

“Wave your arms”

The children should stay doing the previous activity.

Any kids that get it wrong get given a sticker or small prize and are asked to watch from the sidelines. Continue until you have either a single winner or a handful of winners. 

Here’s a great video you can use that plays Simon Says music and a voice-over does all the commands.

4. PASS THE PARCEL 

Kids aged three to five are just about at an age where the classic party game of Pass The Parcel works.

The key to a successful game with preschoolers is to adapt the game to the number of children playing and to have a small prize within each layer.

I’d suggest having a parcel for every handful of children playing the game.

Sit the kids in a circle, play some music and when the music stops, the child/children holding the parcel unwrap a layer and find the small prize.

Continue the game until all the layers have been unwrapped and the winner/winners have unwrapped a slightly larger prize at the centre of the parcel. 

5. PARENT WRAPPING

This is a great game for getting a couple of parents involved in the activities. It’s also great for photo opportunities and causes much mirth amongst the kids.

The game is as simple as providing each group of kids/ each child with a toilet roll to mummify their parent with. Play some fun music and shout encouragement.

There’s no need for a prize for this game, but you could give a prize for the best wrapped parent

6. BALLOON STOMP

Now this game can get loud and the kids can get super excited, but it is SO. MUCH. FUN!!! 

Pop some little sweets into balloons before blowing them up and tying them. Store all the balloons in big bin bags until you’re ready to unleash them. Free the balloons and challenge the kids to pop them all to find the hidden treasure inside.

I did a version of this game for a pirate themed party using black balloons and filling them with gold chocolate coins as treasure. 

7. MOTHER MAY I?

The host or a child is ‘Mother’ and stands with their back to everyone at one end of the room/garden. The children line up at the other end of the room/garden. Each child, in turn, asks “Mother may I?”

‘Mother’ gives them a command… “You may take X number of giant/regular/baby/steps… either forwards or backwards. The first child to get to ‘Mother’ and tap her on the back wins. Watch this video for a run-through of how to play Mother May I?

8. MUSICAL CHAIRS

This is a perfect game for a large group of kids and is very inclusive as it is so simple to play.

Set up a line of chairs back to back with enough chairs for every child. Play some music as the children dance and move around the chairs.

When the music stops each child must sit down on a chair. From the second round either one or two chairs, so that either one or two children are out each time.

Give the kids who are out a small prize. The last child left is the overall winner. You can also play this game using cushions if you don’t want to use chairs. 

9. FOLLOW THE LEADER

Line all the children up with the birthday child as the leader. The kids have to follow the leader around the room.

You can create an obstacle course for them to go round or you can have different things that the leader has to do at certain points – like blow a raspberry or wiggle their bottom – that everyone following must also do. Change the leader at various points during the game.

There are no prizes needed for this game, it’s just for fun and can be a great way to warm up a bunch of preschooler party guests. 

10. OBSTACLE COURSE

This game is best played at a party venue or outdoors.

Gather a bunch of things to use as obstacles – do think about safety! They can either be things that the kids have to climb over or go round.

Or you can create a series of challenges for the kids to do as part of the race. For example:

• Twirl a hula hoop around their waste
• Skip with a jump rope
• Throw bean bags into a bucket
• Do star jumps
• Limbo under a pole
• Eat a donut without using their hands

11. BEAN BAG TOSS (CORNHOLE GAME)

Bean bag toss is a great challenge game for kids. Either divide them into teams or pit them against each other individually.

You can set this game up as a bucket toss game using a few recepticles from around your home. You will still need to buy some bean bags.

Set rules on how many attempt each player can have and on how you define who is the winner or the winning team.

You could blindfold older kids as a fun way to introduce an extra challenge.

You can buy a bean bag toss game set like this one.

12. BALLOON WADDLE RELAY

The balloon waddle relay is a twist on a classic relay race. Instead of simply running, the kids must run with a balloon between their knees. The challenge is to win the race whilst ensuring that the balloon doesn’t end up on the floor. 

Add an extra element by challenging the kids to pop the balloon at the end of the race.

13. WOULD YOU RATHER

The ‘would you rather’ game is great for getting kids to ask silly questions about things they wouldn’t normally think to ask. 

You can provide them with a box or bowl of questions to get them started. You will often find that once they get going they are happy to come up with their own questions. 

Good questions to get them started include:

• Would you rather eat a wriggly worm or a beetle?
• Would you rather be tickled under the arms or on the feet? 
• Would you rather live in an igloo or a cave?
• Would you rather have green hair or a red nose?
• Would you rather have a bath in baked beans or slime? 

14. SLIP AND SLIDE

This is a great outdoor party game for high summer. Create a slip and slide using a long length of plastic. You will need to use something to anchor it in place – tent pegs could be a good solution. 

A great tip is to use tear-free baby shampoo to mix with water to create the slip on the slide, that way there won’t be any stinging eyes. 

If you don’t want to DIY one you can buy a slip and slide game instead. There are varying lengths available.

KIDS’ PARTY GAMES FOR ENTERTAINING 6 – 10 YEARS OLDS – TWEENS AND TEENS WILL LOVE THEM TOO!

Once kids get to six years old, they can enjoy team and more competitive games.

They also have more of an attention span for taking part in fun party games with different elements to them.

Kids aged six, seven, eight and ten can also wait for their turn during a game and enjoy watching the child having their turn.

This is a great time to include Minute To Win It games that are super popular at the moment, especially if you’re looking for cool party games for 10-year-olds who are too cool for school!!!

Here are some of the best children’s party games for ages six-years-old to ten. Many of these games will also work for tweens and teens. That said, I’ve now put together a list of 28 fun party games for teens.

1. MINUTE TO WIN IT GAMES

Minute To Win It games are HUGELY POPULAR at kids’ parties. They are based on the internationally popular Minute To Win It TV game show. You can either play just for fun or keep track of who is winning and then give out prizes. 

Here is a selection of Minute To Win It games that six, seven and eight-year-olds will love. I’ve chosen games that need minimal props. You will, of course, need to use your phone or a stopwatch to time the minutes!!

1. MINUTE TO WIN IT – KEEP ‘EM UP

Challenge the kids to keep a balloon in the air for a minute. Add interesting rules to the challenge, like keeping one hand behind the back or using no hands or only feet. 

2. MINUTE TO WIN IT – MARSHMALLOW CHALLENGE

Partner the kids up into twos. Give one child a paper cup and the other child a cup filled with regular-sized marshmallows. The pair with the most marshmallows thrown into the paper cup wins. 

3. MINUTE TO WIN IT – JUNK IN THE TRUNK

Play this game two at a time. Fill two empty tissue boxes with ping-pong balls, the same amount in each box. Tie the boxes around the waist of each player.

The kids must shake out the ping pong balls without using their hands. The first to empty their box wins, or the child with the fewest balls left in their box after a minute wins. 

4. MINUTE TO WIN IT – OREO FACE

This is such an easy party game! Place an Oreo cookie (they are the perfect size cookie for kids’ faces!!) on each player’s forehead.

Challenge the kids to move the cookie from their forehead to their mouth without using their hands. The first child to get the cookie to their mouth wins!

I’ve found this great video that demonstrates 50-minute to-win it games for kids to play. Have a watch and start planning which you’ll use…

2. PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY 

This is perhaps the ultimate classic children’s party game! Draw a donkey on a large piece of paper and make a tail from a separate piece of card.

OR pop over to my Pin the Tail Printables roundup post for five lovely printables you can use if you’re short on time or drawing skills. Have a blindfold / scarf ready.

Blindfold the children one at a time. Then get the blindfolded player to try and attach the tail with Bluetak or a pin to the picture.

Write the child’s name in the spot where they pin the tail.

The child who gets closest to where the tail should be is the winner.

3. EGG AND SPOON RACE

Boil some eggs until they are very hard.

Provide paints or coloured pens for the kids to decorate the hardboiled eggs if you want to add an extra party activity to this game.

Line the kids up at one end of the room/garden and give each child a spoon and an egg to balance on it.

The children race to the finish line. Each time they drop the egg, they have to go back to the start and start again.

4. GRANDMOTHER’S FOOTSTEPS

This is an absolute classic kids’ party game, and it is a great game for six, seven and eight-year-olds to play as they can employ an element of strategy to try to win. 

The host or a child stands with their back to everyone at one end of the room/garden. They are ‘Grandmother’.

The children line up at the other end of the room/garden. All the children start to move forwards towards ‘Grandmother’. ‘Grandmother’ can turn around at any time.

Any child caught moving or wobbling when she turns around has to go back to the start line and start again. The first child to get to ‘Grandmother’ without her spotting them moving wins.

Here’s a video that talks you through how to play grandmother’s footsteps.

5. THE CHOCOLATE EATING GAME

This game is great for kids from six years old upwards. You will need a large bar of chocolate, a knife and fork, a scarf, a hat and gloves. Oversized hats and gloves work super well for extra laughs. 

Get the children to sit around a plate with a large bar of chocolate on it. Each child takes their turn to roll a die until someone rolls a six.

The child who rolls a six then has to put on the hat, scarf and gloves and start to cut and eat the chocolate using the knife and fork.

The other children continue rolling the die until another six is rolled. At that point, the child eating the chocolate must stop eating.

Now it’s the turn of the new six roller to don the hat, scarf and gloves and start eating.

The game ends when the whole bar of chocolate has been eaten. And that’s when the real fun starts for the party host as the sugar rush hits!!!!!

6. BALLOON RELAY RACE

This is a simple but effective kids’ party game for teams of children.

You will need two (or enough for however many teams you plan to have) baskets or containers to put an equal number of blown-up balloons in. 

A child from each team has to run from a starting point to their team’s basket and grab a balloon. They then have to sit on the balloon until it pops, at which point they run back to their team, and the next child sets off. The first team to pop all their balloons wins.

7. THE DOUGHNUT CHALLENGE

You will need doughnuts, string and a washing line for this game. Buy enough doughnuts for every party guest and tie strings around them.

Attach all the doughnut strings to a washing line and then hang the washing line across the room – you can always ask a couple of willing parents to hold the line if need be. 

Each child must try to eat as much doughnut as they can without it falling off the string.

The extra tricky bit is that they must do the challenge without using their hands!

• Top tip 1: Make sure to have a kitchen roll to hand for wiping sticking hands and faces.
• Top tip 2: Make sure to have spare doughnuts for disappointed kids who watch their doughnut tumble to the floor.

You could incorporate doughnuts into the party food menu to keep things simple.

8. KIM’S GAME

Kim’s game has been made popular by boy scouts and girl guides using it over the years. It’s a memory game that is an absolute kids’ party game classic. 

You will need a small selection of random items, a kitchen tray and a tea towel. Plus, a pen and paper for each party guest. 

Put the items on the tray and let the kids look at the tray for 30 seconds, then cover the items with the tea towel.

The object of the game is for each child to write down what they remember as being on the tray.

The child with the most correct items listed is the winner.

9. SCAVENGER HUNT

This game works equally well when played indoors or outdoors. I’d suggest sticking with outdoors if there is a large number of kids at the party. 

Kids can play this game as individuals, in pairs or in teams. 

Create a list of things for the kids to find. Choose a theme or go with a bunch of random things. You can illustrate the list with images to help younger kids. 

It’s up to you whether you set a time limit to add extra fun for older kids. The winner is decided by who completes the scavenger hunt list first or who ticks off the most items within the time limit.

10. TREASURE HUNT

A treasure hunt differs from a scavenger hunt in that you must hide treasure. This is a great game to use as part of a party theme. 

Plan where you are going to hide the treasure, then write a set of clues to share with the kids. Hide the treasure, share the clues with them and set them off on their mission. 

Make the clues more cryptic or complicated for older kids. Try creating rhymes or riddles for extra fun.

11. WATER BALLOON TOSS

This is a brilliant outdoor game to play in warmer weather. 

Divide all the party guests up into teams of two. Give each team a water-filled balloon. 

Each team must take turns tossing the water balloon back and forth to each other. A team member must take a step back on successfully catching the balloon. 

Once a balloon pops, that team must sit out.

The team who can keep going the longest – and furthest – without popping their balloon wins. 

I’ve discovered that you can buy self-sealing water balloons, which beats having to fiddle around tying knots. 

Here’s a video of a water balloon toss game being played.

12. ELEPHANT MARCH

The elephant march game is a great way to get all the kids to fall about laughing. You will need to buy a bumper pack of cheap tights (pantyhose) and a bunch of tennis balls. Plus, have a bunch of bottles filled with water to use as skittles (or use skittles!). 

Give each child a pair of tights to put on their head with a tennis ball stuffed in the toe. This is the ‘elephant trunk’. 

The aim of the game is to knock down as many water bottles/skittles as possible in the space of a minute.

13. THE OPPOSITES CHALLENGE

The aim of this game is for the party guests to do the opposite of what they are told to do. Get all the kids playing at once.

For example, “jump forwards’ means everyone has to actually jump backwards.

Each round eliminate whoever doesn’t manage to do the opposite until you are left with a winner.

14. PING PONG BLOW TOURNAMENT

You will need a table and a bunch of ping-pong balls. You could also provide paper straws for more precision.

The aim of the game is for the kids to blow the opposing team’s ping pong balls off the table without using their hands or any other methods.

Divide the party guests up into two or more teams of around four kids per team. Two teams play against each other at a time, and the winner of each round goes through to the next round.

15. THREE-LEGGED RACE

Three-legged races are an absolute school sports day classic that also works really well as a kids’ party game. Getting the kids to work in pairs is a great way to get them interacting and working as teams. 

Divide the kids into pairs – either let them decide or make the decision for them, depending on how well they all know one another. 

Then provide each pair with a scarf or rope to tie the left leg of one child to the right leg of the other child. 

Once the kids are all set, get them on a starting line and watch them try not to fall about laughing as they work out how to run together to the finish line. 

16. ESCAPE ROOM

Escape rooms have become incredibly popular over the last few years. They are particularly great if you want to create one main party game for your child’s party. 

The aim of the game is for the kids to solve the puzzle of the escape room. The kids can work together as one big team or compete against each other. 

There are plenty of free escape room kits that you can find online.

17. TUG OF WAR

This is a great outdoor game for a large party of kids. You will need a large bandana to tie across the central point of the rope and something to create a line on the ground. 

Divide the kids into two teams. Each team grabs their end of the rope and, on the starter’s whistle, pulls the rope in unison. 

The first team to get the bandana over the central line wins. 

You can play round after round or divide the kids into smaller teams and have heats leading to a final. 

18. SACK RACE

This is another idea borrowed from school sports days! I’d suggest using old pillowcases if you have them, or you could buy some cheap sacks. 

Each child must step inside their sack and get to the starting line. The aim is for them to race to the finish line without falling over numerous times. 

19. GIANT JENGA

Jenga is a cult favourite game of manual dexterity and physical skill. Scale it to be a great party game with a Giant Jenga set. The aim is to avoid being the player who causes the Jenga tower to collapse.

You can pit individuals against each other or divide party guests into teams.

Each player must take a turn to remove one block at a time from the Jenga tower and place it on the top. The game gets harder as the tower becomes progressively unstable.

Buy the original Hasbro Jenga set, or go for giant Jenga.

20. TWISTER

Twister is a cult classic party game invented in 1964 and brilliant fun to play. You can really only have two or three players at a time on the Twister mat, so this is a game that you can play in rounds.

Players must move their hands and feet to coloured dots on the mat based on where the game spinner arrow lands.

The loser of each round is the player who falls over first.

PARTY GAME PRIZES

I find that it’s best to have a mix of prizes to hand if you are hosting a kids’ party, especially if you want to keep to a tight budget.

Stickers make great cheap prizes (especially if you don’t want to induce a sugar rush/the wrath of health-conscious parents by giving out sweets!!). 

Fancy Land on Amazon has some brilliant kids’ party stickers that come in rolls of 200, including reward stickers, superhero stickers and super cute animal face stickers.

If you’re looking for inspiration for kids’ party game prizes, it’s worth taking a look at my big list of alternative party bag fillers and favours because many of the items on the list also make great game prizes. Alongside the big list, I’ve also got age-specific ideas for each age group:

• IDEAS FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR FIVE-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR SIX-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR NINE-YEAR-OLDS
• IDEAS FOR TEN-YEAR-OLDS

COMPETITIVE AND NON-COMPETITIVE PARTY GAMES

I’ve included competitive and non-competitive party games (plus games that can be adapted to be non-competitive).

Non-competitive games are particularly great for younger children, toddlers and preschoolers, who don’t really understand the concept of competition or winners and losers. 

Fun, non-competitive games also help create a sense of unity and cooperation, which are great for ensuring that all the kids enjoy the party.

This is especially important for children who are shy or anxious in groups or at a party with many kids they don’t know. 

In short, these really are some of the best kids’ party games around!

PARTY GAMES FOR KIDS CHECKLIST

Here’s a big list of children’s party games, a mix of traditional party games, some of the coolest party games, and party games that can be played indoors at home, outdoors and at party venues.

These games can be adapted to suit the size of the party group and the age of the kids at the party.

1. Musical bumps

Dance to the music, when it stops sit down as quickly as possible. Last one to sit down is OUT! The last child dancing is the winner.

Soften the blow by giving each child a sweet / small token prize when they are out.

2. Musical statues

Dance to music, when it stops stand as still as possible – like a statue! Any child spotted moving is OUT!

The last child dancing is the winner.

3. Musical chairs

Line up chairs, with each one facing the opposite direction.

Dance around the chairs to music, when the music stops sit on a chair immediately.

The child without a chair is OUT!

Remove a chair each round, so there’s always one less chairs than the number of children.

The last child left is the winner.

You can adapt this game to play it using cushions rather than chairs.

4. Musical animals

This is such a simple kids party game.

But I love it!

Simply shout out an animal.

Play music.

When the music stops everyone has to pretend to be that animal.

You could give a small prize for the best animal each round.

5. Musical numbers

Set out number squares – make them from paper and stick them to the floor with Bluetak.

Plus also put smaller number squares into a hat or bag.

Play music, when it stops jump onto a number.

The host pulls a number from the hat/bag.

The child on the matching number square wins a prize or sticker.

6. Hot potato

Cover a raw potato in tinfoil and pretend it is hot!!

The children pass the ‘hot potato’ round as music plays.

Whoever has it when the music stops is out. See the game in action.

7. Bottom shuffle race

Everyone sits on the floor at one end of the room.

Set a finish line at the other end.

The host shouts ‘go’ and the kids have to shuffle along on their bottoms until they cross the finish line.

First, cross the line wins!

8. Crawling race

This is the same as the bottom shuffle race but crawling!!

9. Mother may I?

The host or a child stands with their back to everyone at one end of the room/garden.

They are ‘Mother’.

The children line up at the other end of the room. / garden.

Each child, in turn, asks ‘Mother May I?”

‘Mother’ gives them a command… “You may take X number of giant/regular / baby/steps… either forwards or backwards.

First, child to get to ‘Mother’ and tap her on the back wins. Watch this video for a run-through of how to play Mother May I?

STUCK FOR PARTY BAG FILLER OR FAVOUR IDEAS? HERE’S A BIG LIST OF ALTERNATIVE IDEAS THAT ARE LOW ON PLASTIC AND JUNK FREE!

10. Grandmother’s footsteps

This is an absolute classic kids party game.

The host or a child stands with their back to everyone at one end of the room/garden.

They are ‘Grandmother’.

The children line up at the other end of the room/garden.

All the children start to move forwards towards ‘Grandmother’.

‘Grandmother’ can turn around at any time.

Any child caught moving or wobbling when she turns around has to go back to the start line and start again.

The first child to get to ‘Grandmother’ without her spying them moving wins.

11. Pin the tail on the donkey

Draw a donkey on a large piece of paper and make a tail from a separate piece of card.

OR pop over to our Pin the Tail Printables roundup post for five lovely printables you can use if you’re short on time or drawing skills.

Have a blindfold / scarf ready.

Blindfold each child and get them to attach the tail with Bluetak or a pin.

Write the child’s name in the spot where they pin the tail.

The child who gets closest to where the tail should be is the winner.

We’ve done variations on this game for parties… we did a joint party where my clever artist friend blew up pictures of the girls and then created big paper accessories for the kids to stick onto them.

It was less competitive but made for lots of laughing.

12. Egg and spoon race

Boil some eggs very hard.

Line the children up at one end of the room/garden.

Give each child a spoon and an egg to balance on it.

The children race to the finish line,  each time they drop the egg they have to go back to the start and start again.

13. What’s the time Mr Wolf?

The host or a child is ‘My Wolf’.

They stand at one end of the room/garden.

The children line up at the other end of the room/garden.

Mr Wolf turns his back.

The children call out “What’s the time Mr Wolf?”.

Mr Wolf calls out a time… e.g. “It’s 3 o clock”.

The children move forwards the number of steps that relates to the time.

At any point when asked, Mr Wolf can answer “It’s dinner time”, at which point Mr Wolf turns and chases all the children back to the start line.

The first child caught becomes ‘Mr Wolf’. Watch the video for a run-through of how to play What’s The Time Mr Wolf?

14. Duck, Duck, Goose

Sit in a circle.

One child walks around the outside of the circle saying duck, duck, duck and then pats someone on the head and says goose.

The goose has to jump up and try and catch the child who has just goosed them.

Check out this video to see a game of Duck Duck Goose in action.

15. Pass the parcel

Have a main prize, then wrap multiple layers of wrapping paper/newspaper/recycled paper around it.

Everyone sits in a circle.

Pass the parcel to the music, when the music stops, the child holding the parcel unwraps a layer.

Now with a small group of children this game is fine as is.

But it can be interminable for larger groups.

So you can opt to have more than one parcel going around.

Another little extra is to add a sweet or small token prize in each layer.

16. Pass the balloon

This follows the same principle as Pass the Parcel, but saves you the faff of wrapping up loads of presents.

Every time a child lands up with the balloon they get a small prize token.

17. Food on a string

Thread a lot of Polos or  Hula Hoops or Cheerios onto two or more long pieces of string.

The host and a couple of other adults hold the strings up at child height.

Divide the children up into teams.

The children take turns at putting their hands behind their back and trying to eat until the string is empty.

The first team to finish is the winner.

18. Fishing for presents

Make a big box full of small wrapped gifts with a magnetic washer attached to each of them.

Everyone fishes for presents in the box with rods made from sticks, string and magnets.

19. Walk the plank

Create a balancing plank – a simple plank of wood on the floor is fine, safety first!!

Every child that can get to the end without falling off wins – though of course, you can enrol all the other children in pulling faces and causing general distractions to cause them to fall off.

20. Simon says

The host is ‘Simon’. Simon tells the children what they must do.

If the host says ‘Simon says….” ahead of telling them what to do next, the children MUST do what they’ve been told.

If Simon doesn’t say “Simon says…’ ahead of telling them what to do next, the children MUST NOT do it.

For example.

“Simon says jump up and down”

The kids all jump up and down.

“Wave your arms”

The children should stay doing the previous activity.

Great posts to help you plan a kids’ party: Kids Birthdays and Parties

21. The chocolate-eating game

Yum!

Which child isn’t going to love this game?!

It’s not one for super young children, but great for kids aged five and up.

The children sit around a plate with a large bar of chocolate on it.

Each child takes their turn to roll a die until someone rolls a six.

The child who rolls a six then has to put on a hat, scarf and gloves and start to cut and eat the chocolate using a knife and fork.

The other children continue rolling the die until another six is rolled.

At that point, the child-eating the chocolate must stop eating.

Now it’s the turn of the new six roller to don the hat, scarf and gloves and start eating…

The game ends when the whole bar of chocolate has been eaten.

And that’s when the real fun starts for the party host as the kids bounce off the walls… !!!

22. Hide and seek

One person – this can be the host or a child – is the seeker and hides their eyes whilst counting to 100 (or whatever number is suitable).

Everyone else hides.

The seeker seeks out everyone until they are all found.

The last person to be found becomes the next seeker.

This can be great played in a house or outside, just make sure to have boundaries if outside isn’t a garden.

23. Balloon relay race

This is a simple but effective kids party game.

It’s also a noisy one.

You will need to have two baskets or receptacles.

Then put an equal number of blown up balloons into each basket.

The children need to be divided into two teams.

A child from each team has to run from a starting point to their team’s basket and grab a balloon.

They then have to sit on the balloon until it pops.

At which point they run back their team and the next child sets off.

The first team to pop all their balloons wins.

24. Jelly in the belly game

Make a batch of individual bowls of jelly with a small animal figurine in each. (Do wash the figurines first!).

Use scarves to tie each child’s hands behind their back.

Then get the kids to try and get the animal figurines out of the jelly using only their mouths.

The first one to grab the animal out of the jelly wins.

25. Tag

One person is ‘It’

Everyone runs around.

The person who is ‘It’ has to ‘tag’ someone.

The person is tagged then becomes ‘It’.

Rinse and repeat.

26. Stuck in the mud

This is a variation on tag.

When someone is ‘tagged’ they have to stand still with their arms and legs out ‘stuck in the mud’ until they are untagged.

They can be untagged by someone else in the game going under their arms or through their legs.

27. Sleeping lions

Everyone lies on the floor.

There are two ways to play this….  either a child is out if they move

…or each child who is really super still gets a sticker.

This game is brilliant when you want the children to calm down before they sit down for birthday party food.

28. The donut challenge

Buy a couple of big bags of ring donuts.

Hang each donut on a piece of string.

Use a long piece of string to create a kind of donut washing line.

Hang the doughnuts on string from the washing line.

Each child must try to eat as much donut as they can without it falling off the string.

The extra tricky bit is that they must do the challenge without using their hands!

Top tip 1 – make sure to have kitchen roll to hand for wiping sticking hands and faces.

Top tip 2 – make sure to have spare doughnuts for disappointed kids who watched their donut tumble to the floor.

29. Kim’s game

This is an absolute classic kids party game.

It’s a memory game.

You put a selection of small items on a kitchen tray.

For example, a spoon, a hairbrush,  some dice, a small toy… around 15 items are ideal.

Give each child a pencil and paper.

Let them look at the tray for 30 seconds, then cover it with a tea towel.

Each child has to write down what they remember as being on the tray.

The child with the most correct items listed is the winner.

30. Blind man’s buff

This game is so old that it is reputed to date back to Tudor times in England.

It’s best for the kids to be aged six or older.

You need a blindfold and a nice amount of space for the kids to move around.

You choose one child to be blindfolded.

Then you turn them around a few times to disorientate them a little.

Meanwhile, the rest of the kids dot themselves around the rest of the space.

The blindfolded child then has to feel around the space until they find another child, at which point the blindfold is transferred.

WHAT ARE THE BEST PARTY GAMES FOR KIDS?

In my opinion, the best party games for kids are easy for kids to grasp the rules and fairly short and sweet to play.

A lot depends on the age of the kids at the party, which is why I’ve broken my list of games down into age groups.

Classic games like musical statues and pass the parcel are classics for a reason because they have stood the test of time and never fail to entertain.

So, if you are wondering how to keep kids entertained with party games, I would suggest choosing three or four fun games from the list, making sure you are clear about the props you need and clear about the rules, so you can ensure that the kids can thoroughly enjoy them before having some party food and a slice of birthday cake!