Planning a party for youngsters can be fun or it can be stressful! Not surprisingly, activities are one of the top things parents agonize over when organizing such an event.
Let’s face it, children must be kept busy or the party will flop, and produce cranky, unsatisfied little guests and a disappointed birthday boy or girl. To prevent this scenario, choose some of the delightful games listed below and make your child’s party a smashing success:
1. Merry-Go-Round Parachute
If you need an easy party game opener for very young guests, play merry-go-round parachute. Have all the youngsters hold the edge of the parachute, facing one direction, and move it around like a merry-go-round, seeing how high they can make it go.
This can be played with as many guests as can fit in the circumference of the parachute. Let them play until they get bored, and then move on to the more complicated games.
2. Sundae Roll
Sundae roll is a great game for boys and girls of all ages. Select six different sundae toppings and give each child a dice and a bowl of ice cream. Allocate a dessert topping for each number and let them roll to see what topping they’ll add next.
Play as many rounds as necessary to use up all the toppings. If anyone rolls the number of a topping he or she already got, let that child roll again.
3. Jump or Dive
Jump or dive is a great game for any number of children if you have a swimming pool. Perfect for 9-12 -year-olds, it’s played by having everyone line up alongside the pool with one child already in the water.
The children must jump into the water as the person in the pool calls “jump” or “dive.” The players must try to obey the command in midair, and whoever does it wrong is “out.”
4. Hot Potato
This simple game is fun for all ages and any number of children can play. Sit everyone in a circle on the floor or ground and pass a “hot” potato while the music plays.
When the music stops, whichever child has the potato is awarded a small prize and exits the game. The length of the game depends on how many children are playing.
5. Duck, Duck Goose
Loved by boys and girls of all ages, this indoor-outdoor game is played by having all the youngsters sit in a circle. One child walks around the circle’s outer perimeter while saying “duck, duck, goose.”
The child randomly pats someone’s head on “goose,” and that child must rise and chase him or her around the circle. If the youngster being chased can get to the “goosed” child’s seat first, the “goosed” youngster begins the game again.
6. Pass the Parcel
For a quick, can’t miss game option for both boys and girls, 3-5 years of age, try Pass the Parcel. As long as you have enough layers, any number of children can play.
The kids sit in a circle with music playing, and when it stops, whoever’s holding the parcel unwraps a layer to discover a small prize. Keep going until the final prize is claimed!
7. Balloon Stomp
This game may make your youngsters a bit hyper, but it’s worth it! Blow up some balloons containing little sweet treats inside, and set them free.
Let the children pop them to find the hidden treasures. All children love sweets, so this game is perfect for any age, and can be played indoors or out with as many children as you can supply with balloons!
8. Mother May I?
The child designated as “Mother” stands in front of the rest in the yard or playroom with her back turned. Each child is spaced out randomly and “Mother” doesn’t know where anyone is.
The children take turns asking, “Mother, may I?” and are given a command, such as “you may take X number of baby, regular, or giant steps, and the first youngster to reach “Mother” and tap her back is the winner.
9. Musical Chairs
This old standby is perfect for children of all ages and simply requires setting up a circle of chairs. Let the children move and dance around, but when the music stops, they must quickly sit down.
Whoever didn’t make it to their chair fast enough is “out.” This can be played outdoors with lawn cushions for a fun variation, but either way, make sure each child gets a little prize.
10. Minute to Win it– Keep ‘Em Up
Boys and girls of all ages love Keep ‘Em Up. Give each child a balloon that he or she must keep from landing for one full minute.
If you like, you can play a more difficult variation of this game, by having the youngsters keep one hand behind their back or using only their feet. To avoid broken objects, though, play this game outdoors!
11. Rattlesnake Tag
This easy and fun outdoor game is perfect for 5-8 year-olds and is played by having the youngsters hold hands in a line, not letting go for any reason. The Rattlesnake’s “head” is the first person, and he or she must attempt to tag the “rattle,” which is the last person.
When this is accomplished, the “rattle” becomes the leader and goes to the front of the line. The game is continued until everyone has caught the rattlesnake’s tail.
12. Camera Game
This easy party game is terrific for tweens and can be played indoors or out. Pass an easy-to-operate camera around to all the youngsters, with each one briefly posing for a selfie.
The catch is that there is a timer set to go off, but no one knows when that will be. Some very funny photos will emerge and the game can be played as long as the children want.
13. Punch Box
Punch boxes can’t miss because kids love surprises, and this simple game can be made or bought for boys and girls of all ages. It’s always a hit because everybody is a winner!
The kids choose a hole and punch through to grab the prize behind the circle. If you want to, you can use one featuring pink and blue circles to make the prizes gender specific.
14. Treasure Dig
Treasure Dig is perfect, especially for little boys. Hide some candy or a toy in a designated area, pass out small shovels, and let the kids excavate!
You can make this as easy or difficult as you like, and any number of children can play. This game is suitable for ages 7 and up, just be sure to have some consolation prizes for the ones who don’t find the treasure.
15. Lego Spoon Race
LEGO spoon races are easy, fun, and perfect for children 7-12. All you need are bowls and LEGO pieces.
Give each child a spoon, and have them scoop up a LEGO piece and carry it across the room or yard to place it in a bowl. The child who manages to collect the most LEGOS in his or her bowl wins.
16. Musical Dare
A great variation of truth or dare is musical dare, and it can be played with any number of children, indoors or out. This game is great for boys and girls ages 8-12.
Have them all stand in a circle and put a microphone in the center ( or something symbolizing a microphone.) Spin the object and the person it lands on must either sing a song or complete a dare.
17. Water Balloon Piñata
If you’re looking for an outdoor activity to please kids of all ages, have a water balloon piñata as the party’s featured game.
Fill an oversize balloon with water, and of course, the goodies, and have each child take turns stabbing it with a stick or bread knife to break it open. For a fun variation, have the children find their own stick somewhere on the property before they begin.
18. Carnival Fishing
Carnival fishing is a great game for boys and girls ages 7-12. Just like on the midway, fill tiny bowls with water and have the children toss ping-pong balls to see if they can land on a bowl.
Use fake plastic fish, and then hand out nonliving prizes to each child who makes the target. If the other parents have no objection,you can also go all out with this one and buy some goldfish from your local pet store!
19. Airplane Toss
Breakout some hoola hoops and newspapers to make airplanes, and you’re all set with a great game for boys and girls of any age. This game is best played outdoors, and the object is simple: toss the paper airplane and get it through the hoop.
You can make this as easy or difficult as you like simply by the distance you have the children stand from the hoop. This game can go on as long as the children express interest.
20. Cracker
This observation game is perfect for any age child, boys and girls alike. Each child is given a party hat, and throughout the festivities, each hat gets taken off when no one’s observing.
The goal is to avoid being the only one left wearing a hat. This game doesn’t require prizes or anything fancy; it’s designed to simply get laughs.
21. Toe Grab
Toe grab is perfect for youngsters ages 8-12. Fill a large container with marbles, and place an empty container a few feet away.
Have the children see how many marbles they can pick up and move to the empty container using nothing but their toes. For a hilarious variation, put the marbles in a large container filled with water.
22. Unwrap the Present
This is a fun game for girls and boys 9-12, but unlike Pass the Parcel, it only involves a single prize! Wrap a small gift in layer after layer of plastic wrap, foil, wax paper, newspapers, etc., and have the children sit in a circle.
Each child removes one layer and passes it to the next, and the guest who removes the final layer of wrapping gets to keep the gift. Make sure party favors are given to the others, though.
23. Wacky Dice
To play Wacky Dice, simply assign an activity to numbers one through six, and roll a pair of oversized, fuzzy dice to determine what each child must do.
Make the activities things like “slither like a snake” or “quack like a duck.” This easy indoor-outdoor game is particularly fun for young children, ages 4-6, and can be played as long as it has the children’s attention.
24. Feather Blow
Give each youngster a feather, and see who can keep it in the air the longest simply by blowing on it. This game is a lot of fun for children 9-12, and can be played indoors or outdoors.
For a different variation, give each child a paper fan, and have them keep the feather in the air by waving the fan as opposed to blowing on it.
25. Who Is It?
Have the guests make a ring around one guest who stands in the middle of the circle blindfolded. When given the command, the child in the center grabs somebody from the circle and asks who it is.
The child must disguise his or her voice when answering, and if the player in the middle can guess who it is, that person puts on the blindfold and starts the game again. This game is great for outdoors or indoors, and children of all ages typically enjoy it.
26. Fox and Hen
This easy indoor-outdoor game for all children begins with everyone sitting in a circle. Give one child an item signifying a fox and give a child on the opposite end of the circle an item signifying a hen.
Have them start passing them around to see if the fox can “catch” the hen. When the fox “catches” the hen, the child who was holding the hen is “out,” and the game continues until only one child is left.
27. Laughing Game
Sometimes simply referred to as “Ha,” this game is perfect for children 4-10 and can be played with any size group. It begins with all guests sitting in a big circle.
Each child says “Ha”, “Ho” or “Hee,” and whoever breaks out into an actual laugh is “out.” Keep playing until there is only one person left and then start again for another round if everyone is still having fun!
28. Three-Legged Race
Three legged race is an exceptionally fun game for boys and girls of any age, and all you need is something to tie little legs together. Divide the children up into groups of two, and tie the child’s left foot to the right foot of his or her partner.
Designate a sound for the “starting bell,” and they’re off! Mark a specific point at which the race ends, and give the winning “three-legged man” two prizes.
29. Noodling
Noodling is particularly fun for children ages 8-12, but younger kids can play too. Using an uncooked piece of spaghetti or linguine, each child must pick up five pieces of penne or rigatoni shaped pasta.
To make this game extra fun, make them carry each individual piece across the room or yard once they have picked it up. The goal here is to hold it in such a way that the piece of spaghetti or linguine does not break!
30. Pool Noodle Target
For a game involving a different kind of “noodling,” try Pool Noodle Target if you have a swimming pool. Get some balls and discs, and assign a point value to different colored pool noodles.
The child who hits the most targets wins the game. Any age child can play this game, but it may be difficult for children who have never played target games.
31. Sock ‘Em
Sock ‘Em is a great game for children ages 4-8 and begins with the youngsters sitting in a circle around a basket of socks.
Set a timer for a specific number of minutes, and have the children try to put on as many sock layers on one foot as possible. When the timer stops, the child with the most socks on his or her foot wins the game.
32. Sweet Sucker
Children ages 7 and up will love this sweet game. Gather some small candies, such as M&Ms or Skittles, some straws, and two small finger bowls for each child who’s playing.
The goal is to suck one of the sweets onto the end of the straw, and transfer it to the other bowl without dropping it. This can be made easy or difficult, depending on how far away the candy bowl is placed from the empty one.
33. Flashlights Treasure Hunt
For a great outdoor game for children 8-12, create a Flashlight Treasure Hunt. Hide glow-in-the-dark items, such as bugs, stars, or animals, and give each child a flashlight that can be used to locate the items.
For a different variation, have the children create teams instead of doing the treasure hunt individually.
34. Hole in My Bucket
Tweens are the best age group for Hole in My Bucket. Take the children outdoors, divide them into teams, and give each team a “holey” bucket and place a bucket that’s in good condition several feet away.
At “Go!” team members must pour water into the “holey” bucket and carry it to the intact bucket, but on their head! The water that is left in the “holey” bucket must be transferred to the intact bucket, and the team that ends up with the most water in the second bucket wins.
35. Bubble Gum
In this fun game for boys and girls of all ages, each guest is given a bowl of whipped cream with a fresh piece of bubblegum buried inside. The goal is to be the first to find the bubblegum.
For a fun variation, make the winner the one who not only finds the bubblegum first, but is the first to blow a bubble with it!
36. Find Your Partner
For a great icebreaker party game for children 4-9, play “Find Your Partner.” This will get nervous kids engaging with each other in no time.
Make name tags with the names of famous pairs, such as Donald and Daisy Duck, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Tom and Jerry, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The children must find their other half and the ones who become a “pair” first are the winners.
37. Treasure Hunt
Create a treasure hunt with a degree of difficulty appropriate for the ages of the children at your party. This game is particularly fun when played outdoors with a lot of children.
Choose a theme for the hunt, such as dinosaurs, pirates, or Disney, and provide clues so that the youngsters must work together to find the treasure. When writing the clues, make them difficult enough to be fun, but not so challenging that the kids get bored and give up.
38. Garbage Pail Toss
This game is fun for girls and boys ages 6-12. Begin by handing out a small bag of colored ping-pong balls to each child, and place a trash can in the middle of the floor or yard.
Have the party guests walk in a circle around the trash can taking turns tossing their balls. The person who gets the highest number of balls into the can wins!
39. Balloon Bull’s Eye
Give each child a balloon, but ask them to squeeze the neck shut instead of tying it closed. Use a designated object as a target, such as a stuffed animal or ball.
On the count of three, everyone releases their balloon, and the one that lands closest to the bull’s-eye wins. Children of all ages can play this game, and it can be played indoors or outdoors.
40. Spin the Bottle
In this fun variation of Spin the Bottle–which is perfect for 8 to 12 year olds–arrange some plates in a circle, some with tasty treats, and some with things like sour gummies, pearl onions, or even tiny pieces of Limburger cheese.
Spin the bottle for each child, and those who get a “yucky” food can pass and leave the game, or eat the tidbit, get points, and keep going. Give double points for each yucky food consumed, and the person with the most points at the end wins.
41. Obstacle Course
For a fun game that can be tailored to boys, girls, or both, make your own obstacle course. Keep in mind the ages of the children at your party, and make tunnels from old boxes, set up pylons for the children to dart around, and use string to make small hurdles to be leapt over.
To make the obstacle course competitive, set a timer and give a prize to the child who completes the course the fastest.
42. Candy Chopsticks
A great game for children 10-12 is Candy Chopsticks. This game is particularly fun if there are enough children to divide into teams.
Fill a tray with skittles, M&Ms, and similar small round sweets, and have the members of each team move the sweets from the tray to a bowl, with only the chopsticks as their method of transportation. The team with the most pieces in their bowl at the end of the game wins.
43. Drama Bag
Boys and girls ages 8-12 will love this game. Fill several small shopping bags with 5 random items. Any number of children can play this game as long as the party guests can be divided into equal teams.
Give each team a bag, and send them to different rooms to create a play or skit from the items in the bag. For a great variation of this, the guests can create a tribute, commercial, or song in observance of the birthday child.
44. Mystery Fishing
A simple but fantastic game for kids of all ages is to have one of the children hide under a table or behind a door, hidden from view. Let each child take turns “casting” a string with a clothespin to the hidden person.
That person tugs on the string to let the “fisher” know that something is biting! What the child actually does, is clip a small prize onto the clothespin for the fisher to “reel in.”
45. Nail Polish Spin
Nail Polish Spin is a great game for girls of any age, especially if it’s a spa or make-up themed party. It can be played by placing several nail polish colors in the middle of a circle of girls.
Let the birthday girl spin one of the bottles, and when it stops, whoever it’s pointing to must paint one of their fingernails that color. The game continues until everyone has all their nails painted, and the girls can laugh at the eclectic mix and match of colors it produces.
46. Pirate Treasure
If you’re having a pirate-themed birthday party for children ages 4-8, play Pirate Treasure! Fill a sandbox or small pool with hidden party favors, rings, coins, or other small objects.
Give each child a sifter, and let them pan for treasures. Make sure you have a lot of small prizes though, because children will thoroughly enjoy this game and want to stay at it!
47. Party Auction
Party Auction is perfect for boys and girls of any age, and any number can play. On the invitations, ask guests to bring inexpensive, used items that are still in good shape.
Divide $20 in play money among the guests and have auctions for the items. Keep the gifts wrapped and don’t let anyone know what they are until the highest bidder opens them, and let the kids buy or trade each other’s presents as desired when the game is over.
48. Marco Polo
If you’re having a pool party, any number of children ages 4 and up can play Marco Polo. They simply select a child to be “It,” who then closes his or her eyes and attempts to tag other guests.
Players must answer “Polo” each time “It” calls out “Marco,” and when a player is tagged, then that player becomes “It” and the game starts again.
49. Foil Fashion Makeover
Girls 9-12 enjoy Foil Fashion Makeover, which is a simple but fun game any number of children can play.
Pass out enough aluminum foil to make runway outfits, such as tanks, shirts, skirts, or even jewelry and shoes.When everyone is costumed up, have a runway show and take pictures of all the foil fashions!
50. Quack, Quack, Who’s There?
Have all the children sit on chairs in a circle, and place a blindfolded child in the middle to be “It.” The blindfolded person walks around and chooses someone’s lap to sit in, and that person must say “quack quack” in a disguised voice.
If the blindfolded person correctly guesses which person it is, then the blindfolded child takes the other’s seat and the first child moves to the middle of the circle and becomes “it.” Children of all ages like this game, and any number of youngsters can play.
Party Games For 4 Year Olds
Four-year-olds can be challenging, but when you find the right activity, they become little angels! If you’re looking for fantastic party games for 4-year-old children, look no further than the list below:
1. Musical Statues
Start the party games with a simple, fun activity called Musical Statutes. Play some fun kids music and let the youngsters wiggle and jiggle.
When the music stops, every child must stop dancing and sit down as quickly as possible, and the first one to do so wins a small prize. This game can be played with as many children as you like, and can be played indoors with chairs, or outside with cushions or just the grass!
2. Tag Parachute
This is a great variation of the game Parachute. Each 4-year-old takes hold of a parachute’s edge and lifts it up high.
Call each child one at a time, and have them crawl, run, or shuffle on their bottom to the other side of the parachute before it falls down and touches them. You can hand out prizes for the ones who make it to the other side fastest, but offer some consolation prizes as well.
3. Pass the Balloon/ Ball
Pass the parcel can be kind of boring for 4-year-olds, but this variation they will love. Play music, and start with one child, who bounces a ball or balloon at random to another child who then does the same.
When the music stops, whichever child is holding the ball or balloon is given a small prize. Get inexpensive party favors, and keep going till every youngster gets a little treasure!
4. Sleeping Lions
Four-year-olds get surprisingly interested in this game, perhaps because they are pretending to be lions. This can be played indoors or out with as many children as you like.
Have all the kids lie on the floor or the grass and pretend to be sleeping lions. The one who can manage to be still and quiet the longest gets a prize.
5. Pirate Balloon Stomp
All children are fond of a balloon stomp, but if you’re having a pirate themed party for your 4-year-old, a terrific variation awaits!
Simply use black, white, and red balloons, in the classic pirate colors, and instead of generic candy, fill them with gold chocolate coins as the “treasure.” With 4-year-olds, it’s best to play this game outdoors, and it’s a great choice for large or small parties.
6. Follow the Leader
Follow the Leader may seem dull to adults, but for a 4-year-old it’s a fun and exciting party game. The children must line up and follow one child around the room who’s designated as the leader.
Have the leader stop at certain points and instruct the other children to do certain things, such as make a funny noise, wiggle their bottom, or make a face. Change the leader during the game at different points to make it fun for everyone.
7. Bottom Shuffle Race
This simple party game is an absolute favorite among 4-year-olds, and begins with everyone sitting on the floor at one end of the room or yard. When the host counts to three, the kids shuffle along on their bottoms until they reach the designated finish line at the other end.
The first one who crosses the line wins a prize. You can also do boys against boys and girls against girls if you feel it would be more fair.
Party Games For 5 Year Olds
That milestone age of five is a joyous occasion to watch come and go. Make your 5-year-old’s birthday party memorable with these unforgettable games.
1. What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?
If you want to get the giggles going, this game is perfect and can be played indoors or out with as many participants as you like. Have the children line up and call out “What’s the time, Mr Wolf?” to a designated adult who calls out a time.
The kids then move forward that number of steps, but at any point, “Mr. Wolf” can say, “It’s dinner time,” and then turns to chase the youngsters back to the starting line to begin again.
2. Simon Says
With this lively game, an adult is designated as “Simon” and gives the children a command. However, if a command is given without the phrase “Simon says” ahead of it, the children are not to follow the command, but rather must continue doing the previous activity.
Any children who get it wrong are “out” and leave the circle. Continue the game until there is a single winner, but make sure each child gets some type of small prize, even just a sticker or piece of candy.
3. Balloon Relay Race
Five-year-olds love Balloon Relay Race, and this simple game is good for large groups of children. Have a basket for each team, and put an equal number of balloons inside.
A youngster from each team runs from a starting point to the designated basket and gets a balloon which they must pop by sitting on it. The child then races back to the starting point, and “sends” the next teammate to do the same, and the first team to pop their basket of balloons wins.
4. Jelly in the Belly
Making sure to wash the figurines first, make a batch of jelly bowls with a small animal figure buried in each one. Tie the children’s hands behind their backs and tell them to retrieve the animal figures using only their mouths!
The first successful player wins the prize. For a different spin, put two animals in one of the bowls and that child gets an extra prize.
5. Tag with a Twist
Tag is a quintessential party game for 5-year-olds everywhere, but Blob Tag is even more fun. This game is most enjoyable when it’s played outdoors with a large group of children.
Two children link arms as the “blob,” and they are “It” and must try to touch two other people who then become the “blob.” The two children who are “It” must really coordinate their efforts to tag others!
6. Mummy Wrap
This is a fun and easy game for any size group of 5-year-olds. Divide the group into teams of two or three, and provide two rolls of bathroom tissue to each team.
Let the players choose a “mummy” and then compete to see who can wrap their mummy in the least amount of time. Stock up on paper for this one, though, because the youngsters will want to play longer, switching out mummies as they go.
7. Elephant March
All 5-year-olds enjoy Elephant March. Supply giant stockings or pantyhose in which tennis balls or baseballs are placed.
Have the children wear their “trunks” on their heads and set up targets for them to knock over as they imitate elephants swinging their giant noses. To make this one even more hilarious, challenge each child to do his or her best elephant roar.
Party Games For 6 Year Olds
If you have an energetic 6-year-old whose birthday party is looming, you know how important it is to come up with some interesting games that will please the whole gang. The ones outlined below are sure to put a smile on the face of any child this age.
1. Balloon Waddle Relay
A great game to start out with, Balloon Waddle Relay is not the easiest game to play, but will lead to lots of laughs. Each child is given a balloon, and must run to reach the finish line with it.
The twist is that they must hold the balloon between their knees. If the balloon breaks or drops, that guest must start over!
2. Pin the Tail on the Donkey
A traditional party game loved around the world, Pin the Tail on Donkey is always a big hit with this age group. If you can draw, make the donkey and the tail yourself, or if not, order it in advance as a printable.
Each player is blindfolded, and must attempt to pin the donkey’s tail in the proper area with a pin or blutack. Write each child’s name where they pinned the tail, and the one who gets closest is the winner.
3. Grandmother’s Footsteps
This classic kid’s party game is ideal for 6-year-olds to play since they’re at the age where they’re learning how to use strategies to solve problems. The host is “grandmother” and stands at one end of the yard or room with her back turned to the children.
The children advance towards her, but the catch is that Grandmother can turn around at any time. Any child who does not freeze before grandmother sees him or her must go back and start again.
4. Minute to Win it – Oreo Face
There are many versions of Minute to Win It, but the funnest one for 6-year-olds is Oreo Face. This easy game can be played with any number of children, and is suitable for indoors or outdoors.
Challenge the youngsters to place an oreo cookie on their forehead and somehow get it to their mouth. The first child who accomplishes this wins.
5. Egg and Spoon Race
For a challenging game that all 6-year-olds will enjoy, make some hard boiled eggs, and give each child a spoon and an egg.
Have the children line up at one end of the room or yard and have them balance the egg on the spoon and race to the finish line without letting it fall off. Each time the egg is dropped, they must start again.
6. The Doughnut Challenge
Buy enough doughnuts for every child, and tie them to a washing line outside with a piece of string. Each youngster must try to consume as much of his or her doughnut as possible without it falling off the string.
The challenge is that this must be accomplished without the use of their hands! Always a hit with 6-year-olds, this easy party game is great for any size group.
7. Fishing for Presents
This simple game makes all 6-year-olds smile. Create a full box of small gifts wrapped in tissue paper, and attach a magnetic washer to each one.
Each child gets to “fish” for a present in the box with homemade fishing rods that you assemble from magnets, string and sticks. Prizes can be candy, stickers, high bouncers, or any inexpensive party favor.
Party Games For 7 Year Olds
Party games for 7-year-olds must be simple enough to be fun, but challenging enough to keep the children interested. Rest assured, the games on this list are guaranteed to create an unforgettable party for your child and every guest.
1. Stuck in the Mud
This terrific variation of “tag” creates hilarious fun for 7-year-olds. Follow the traditional rules of tag, but when each youngster is tapped by the child who is “It,” that child must stand with all appendages straight as if they are “stuck in the mud.”
Another child must “untag” the “stuck” child by running through their legs or under their arms. This game is surprisingly enjoyable for all boys and girls of this age group.
2. Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts get kids working together, and make fantastic outdoor games for 7-year-olds. Split the children into small groups of 2-4, depending on the size of your guest list.
Give each group a list of items they must find in the yard or garden, and the first team to return with their list completed wins the game.
3. Opposites
Seven-year-olds love this fun variation of Simon Says. The object of the game is for the players to do the opposite of what Simon tells them, such as sticking out their left foot after being told to stick out their right.
If a guest follows the command instead of doing the opposite, that guest is out of the game. Eventually, everyone will make that mistake, and the last child standing wins!
4. Minute to Win it-Junk in the Trunk
Always a winner with 7-year-olds, Junk in the Trunk is played by filling two empty tissue boxes with high bouncers or ping-pong balls, with the same number of balls in each box. Tie the boxes around each player’s waist.
The youngsters must jiggle and wiggle to shake the balls from the box without the use of their hands. The child who empties his or her box first, or has the fewest balls left after 60 seconds, wins.
5. Blind Man’s Bluff
Seven is the perfect age to play Blind Man’s Bluff for the first time. Play this game outdoors by choosing one child to be blindfolded, and spinning him or her around several times, while the other children spread out.
The child with the blindfold must feel around until he or she eventually finds another child, at which point the first player transfers the blindfold to that child and the game begins again! .
6. Relay Race with a Twist
Gather your youngsters for a hilarious relay race. Unlike the traditional version of this game, use an item that is made slippery with oil or Vaseline.
Proceed with the typical rules of a relay race, only the stakes are much higher because the item is difficult to hang onto. Anyone who drops the object is out and another child must jump in and take their place.
7. String of Food
This simple game can be played with any number of children, and is not easy, but not excessively difficult either. String Cheerios or Fruit Loops onto a long piece of string, and have two adults hold the contraption at the children’s height.
Divide the children into teams and have them put their hands behind their back and proceed to eat until the string is empty. The team who finishes their “string of food” first wins.
Party Games For 8 Year Olds
Your youngster is 8 years old already, and it’s time for some challenging games for his or her party. If you’re having trouble coming up with something unique, try one of the foolproof options below.
1. Kim’s Game
Kim’s Game is a memory game made popular by Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and it’s both entertaining and challenging. Gather a small collection of random items, and give each child a pen and paper.
Place the items on the tray and give the youngsters 30 seconds to try to memorize them. Cover the items with a towel, and have the children write down what they remember from the tray, and the winner is the child with the longest list of correct items.
2. Parent Wrapping
Eight-year-olds are the perfect age group for this game. It’s easy to play and great for photo opportunities.
Divide the children into teams, and have some parents volunteer to be the “mummies.” Give the children an ample supply of bathroom tissue to mummify their team’s parent, and the team who accomplishes this first wins.
3. Walk the Plank
This is a challenging game that all 8-year-olds will love. Mark out a plank with masking tape or use actual wood.
Have each child try to walk from one end of the plank, one foot directly in front of the other, while keeping his or her balance. Allow the others to create distractions or make faces to impede the plank walker’s progress, and give every successful player a small prize.
4. Breakfast Puzzle
All kids love cereal, and this game involves putting those empty boxes to good use! Cut the fronts of cereal boxes into puzzle pieces and give one to each child.
Have them compete to see who can get their puzzle together first. Give each child a “cereal box prize” for their efforts, regardless of who wins.
5. Balloon Forfeits
Write some funny tasks on slips of paper, such as “do a dance,” “touch your nose with your tongue,” or “hop on one leg 6 times.” Place the papers inside balloons that you then inflate.
Give each child a balloon with instructions to keep it from making contact with the floor. If someone drops their balloon, that child must pop the balloon and perform the task inside.
6. Gossip
Gossip is a classic children’s party game, and 8 years old is the perfect age to play it for the first time. The children sit in a circle and the first child is given a sentence to tell the next child.
The sentence is whispered from one child to the next until the last child is told. Compare the last child’s version of what was said to the original message and enjoy the forthcoming laughter when the group realizes how much changed as it was passed along.
7. Balloon Burst
In this great variation of balloon stomp, place a small prize or a piece of candy inside a balloon, with one for each child. Let each youngster select a balloon.
The objective is similar to the traditional version of this game, which is breaking the balloon to get the prize. However, with this variation, the children must break the balloon with their elbow only!
Party Games For 9 Year Olds
It can be challenging to come up with terrific party games for a 9-year-old. However, those outlined below are can’t-miss options that will please every guest.
1. Face Cookie
Face cookie is similar to Minute to Win It Oreo Face, only it’s made a bit more challenging to accommodate 9-year-olds. A wafer cookie is placed on each child’s forehead and of course, the goal is for the children to get the cookies into their mouths.
However, unlike Oreo Face where anything goes, with Face Cookie the children must move only their eyelids and eyebrows to shake the cookie loose and catch it!
2. Wagon Slalom Obstacle Course
Place pool noodles straight up in buckets of sand and use them to create an obstacle course. Fill a wagon with water balloons, and give each child a chance to pull the wagon through the course.
The key is not to touch any of the foam pool noodles and to avoid allowing any of the water balloons to fall off the wagon! This game is best for smaller groups, since each child goes individually and you don’t want the others getting bored while waiting for their turn.
3. Minute to Win it – Marshmallow Challenge
Partner your guests up in twos and give one child a cup filled with marshmallows and the other child an empty cup. Stand them a few feet apart and have the child with the marshmallows try to toss them into the other younster’s empty cup.
The pair with the most marshmallows in their cup after a minute is the winner. Nine-year-olds should have just enough dexterity to do this game but not enough that it will ruin the challenge of it.
4. Glow Ring Toss
For a fun variation of Ring Toss, use glow-in-the-dark necklaces and plastic bowling pins instead of construction cones. See how many times each child can ring the bowling pin without missing.
If you have a lot of guests, you can divide the children into teams and have them compete against each other. This game can also be played in the pool, using foam noodles and small hula hoops.
5. Balloon Pop
This fun variation of Balloon Pop is perfect for 9-year-olds who are just getting to that age of competitiveness. The balloons are filled with candy or small prizes, and the objective is to pop them to retrieve these items.
However, rather than each child getting a balloon to pop on his or her own, the goal is to steal and pop someone else’s balloon!
6. Crabwalk Race
Every 9-year-old loves this fun outdoor game. Have all the youngsters sit on the grass, lean back, lock their elbows and bend their knees and then “walk” in this position to a designated finish line.
This game is particularly funny at the last moment when the children are rushing to the finish line. Anyone who topples over is “out” and the one who crosses the line first while still in the crab position wins.
7. Ping Pong Blow
For energetic 9-year-olds, create a great game with ping-pong balls and a table. Divide the group into two teams, and have them kneel at the table.
The goal is to blow the opposing team’s ping-pong balls off the table. To make this more challenging, put “obstacles” on the table that guests must try to blow the ping-pong balls around, such as cups, salt shakers, or small knick knacks.
Party Games For 10 Year Olds
Your child is 10 years old already and you are at a loss with regard to party games for the upcoming celebration! Have no fear, choose one or more of the games below and your party will be an outstanding success.
1. Partners in Pen
This game is perfect for 10-year-olds and can be played with any number of guests. Divide the group into teams of two, and give each one a bag in which there is a single object.
One team member looks inside the bag and tries to describe the item to the other child without naming it over indicating its use and the other child must then try to draw a picture of the item. A point is given for every successful attempt, and the team with the most points wins.
2. Team Bag Toss
Have the guests sit in a circle for this innovative 10-year-old’s variation of bean bag toss. The host asks a series of questions, and every time the answer is “yes” the youngster moves one seat to the left.
If the answer is no, the guest must stay seated, but eventually the youngsters will end up sitting on each other’s laps, which leads to some boisterous laughter. The first child who makes it back to his or her original chair wins the game.
3. Blindman’s Swag
Blind Man’s swag is a perfect game for 10-year-olds, and it begins with dividing the youngsters into teams. One team member is blindfolded, and a desirable prize is designated that he or she needs to get to.
The team member who is not blindfolded must guide the sightless one to the object with verbal clues. The first team to successfully get their prize wins the game.
4. Bingo
Don’t forget bingo for a perfect indoor game for 10-year-olds! Any number of children can play, and you can have both a “grand” prize, and smaller prizes so that everyone wins.
For a fun variation of this game, make a “wildcard” bingo sheet by writing something on the back of it. At the end of the game, have all the children turn their cards over to see who won an extra prize!
5. Squeal Piggy, Squeal
If you want a game that will surely lead to peels of laughter, get the kids in a circle and pick one child to be blindfolded in the middle. That player must hop onto another child’s lap and say “Squeal piggy, squeal.”
That child must then squeal like a pig but say nothing else. If the blindfolded player can guess who it is, then that child replaces that player, but if not, that player must continue.
6. Red Rover
This game should be played outdoors and requires two teams to face each other in a line, holding hands. One team chooses an opposing team member and chants “Red Rover, Red Rover, we call (child’s name) over.”
The child called must leave that team and try to run through the opposing team’s line. If unsuccessful, the child must join that team, but if the run succeeds, he or she chooses someone from that team to join the opposition and the game is played until everyone’s on one team.
7. Sardines
This old-fashioned party game is great for 10-year-olds, and is played like hide and seek in reverse. One youngster hides while the group counts to 100, and then they spread out to locate the hider.
Whoever finds the hider joins him or her in the hiding place until it eventually looks like a tin of sardines! The last one to find the hiding place is the one who hides next time.
Party Games For 11 Year Olds
You can hardly believe your child is 11 years old, and your dilemma is how to come up with age-appropriate games for the party. Below are some outstanding choices for this age group to keep them happy and occupied for the entire party.
1. Name That Tune!
Locate a playlist of your tween’s favorite songs and divide guests into two or three groups. Play a tiny segment of each track and let the groups guess the song’s name.
Have a prize for the winning team, but also some on-the-spot prizes for especially tricky tunes. Have a substantial playlist ready, though, because 11-year-olds will probably want to play more than once!
2. Musical Animals
Another great musical game for 11-year-olds is Musical Animals. Play music for a designated length of time, and then suddenly turn it off, shouting out the name of an animal.
Each child must imitate that animal and you can give a small prize for the best actor. For an interesting variation on that, have them pretend to be an insect, but pick something simple like grasshoppers, bumblebees, flies, or spiders.
3. Dice Stick
With this simple game, each guest is given a large popsicle stick or craft stick to hold in their teeth. They must then make a stack of six dice and hold them for three seconds.
It sounds easier than it is, and it’s great for youngsters who enjoy a challenge!
4. Claim the Treasure Parachute Game
For a unique variation of the classic parachute game, invest in a collection of treasures and place them under the parachute in the center.
Have all the guests hold the edge of the parachute and make a large wave. Each child takes his or her turn running underneath to retrieve one of the treasures before the parachute falls back down.
5. Guess the Number in the Jar
For a low-key game that is still quite challenging, fill a jar with jelly beans, chocolates, or pretzels and have each child guess the total.
Have prizes for the first, second, and third closest guess, and then break out the jar and have all the youngsters help to polish off the treats.
6. Who or What Am I?
Give each child the name of an object, animal or person, taped to their back or forehead. Each player gets to ask various guests a total of 20 questions to figure out what or who he or she is supposed to be.
To make it super challenging, allow only seven questions and then make the player guess!
7. String Treasure Hunt
This game is a failsafe choice for any 11-year-old. Use a different color string for however many teams you choose to divide your group into, and wind them around the entire party venue.
Have each team unwind their string to reach a treasure at the end, and the team who does this the fastest is declared the winner.
Party Games For 12 Year Olds
Planning games for 12-year-olds is not an easy task, since they are at that in-between age where they are not teenagers yet, but not little kids. The games below are designed to appeal to tweens and each one will be a big hit in its own way.
1. Freeze Tag
Freeze Tag is a terrific variation of the traditional game. One player is designated as ‘It’ and chases other players.
However, when a player is tagged, instead of becoming “It,” that player must freeze until tagged and unfrozen by another player. The game is played until everyone has been frozen and then someone else is designated as “It” and the next round begins.
2. Limbo
For a tween party, Limbo is a must. Get a limbo pole or broomstick, and hold it horizontally above the floor, with a person at either end to keep it even.
Players line up and attempt to lean back and pass under the pole without bumping it or toppling over themselves. After everyone makes it through, drop the pole an inch and repeat this pattern until only one person makes it through, and then designate that person as the winner.
3. Tug of War
This is a great outdoor game for 12-year-olds, and all you need to provide is a rope or some bed sheets tied together and a pair of gloves for each child.
Divide the guests into two teams, and use something to mark the middle point over which each team must attempt to pull the other. The first team to overpower the other wins the game!
4. Make a Commercial
This comical birthday game is always loads of fun. Place a variety of items on the table, and have one player fetch one and hand it to someone at random.
The person it’s handed to must make a 30-second commercial for the item they were given and then choose an item to give to someone else. The game keeps going until everyone has had a turn.
5. Wink Assassin
Sit everyone in a circle, but take one person out to be “it.” Then, designate someone as the “assassin,” and every time that person winks at another player, he or she must pretend to die dramatically.
The job of the person who is “It” is to try to catch the assassin winking at the next “victim,” but “It” does not know who the assassin is, so he or she must have eyes on everyone at all times to try to catch the wink. When the assassin is caught, the assassin becomes “It” and the game begins again.
6. Watermelon Push Relay
For a funny game at a pool party, have players push a watermelon from one side of the pool to another, but without their feet touching the pool’s bottom.
To make this extra difficult, grease the watermelon with Vaseline. This makes it extra slippery, and even more difficult to move!
7. Wear That!
For this game, fill a black garbage bag or large shopping bag with all types of crazy clothes like feather boas, large underwear, funny hats, platform shoes, goofy glasses, and polkadot bikinis.
Have the guests roll the dice one at a time, and if it lands on a six or a one, that person must put one of the items over their own clothes. Keep playing until the bag is empty, and the person who is wearing the fewest pieces wins the game.
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