General
- Know Your Space. When planning your activities and games, consider the limitations of your party space. How active can the children get without damaging something or getting hurt? Close quarters can lead to bumps and bruises of bodies and broken valuables as well.
- Prepare for timing issues. Some games move more quickly than expected, other games the kids may want to keep playing, you just never know. Plan more games than you have time to play (to be conservative, plan twice as many as you expect to play). But if the kids get into something, don't rush them on to the next activity - to a certain extent, take your cues from the kids.
- Schedule your games. If you have all active games your guests will be exhausted, if you have all quiet games the energy of the party will quickly overcome your activities. Mix it up.
- Assume not everyone arrives at the same time - so have something planned that allows a child to join in upon arrival.
- Once most of your guests arrive, start with something active to take advantage of the initial party energy.
- Have an actual schedule with how you expect the party to progress, but leave a little room for flexibility. If you notice your guests are getting a little tired, swap a quiet activity for an active one, or if your guests are all amped - give them something to DO!
- If you are planning some outdoor activities, have a back-up plan in case of inclement weather.
- If you have a large group consider dividing the children into two or more groups for games. This prevents the need for patience that children so frequently lack!
- Organize your games. Have everything you need for each game in an individual container. Have the game rules right up front so you don't have to scrounge. This way you can grab a box and get started.
- GET HELP! Friends, family, neighbors, other parents - these people are all resources. Plan ahead for who is willing and able to help by preparing them for the task they are assisting with and a rough estimate of when their assistance will be necessary.
- Entwine your activities with your Theme. Whatever activities you select, try to give them a spin that matches your Theme. You'll see examples of that below You can adapt purchased party games or traditional party games so that they will work with your theme. "Princess, Princess, Frog" converts "Duck Duck Goose", or "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" becomes "Pin the Tail on the Dinosaur" for a Dinosaur Theme.
- Spearhead the energy.
- Be positive! Encourage and acknowledge each small success with a "Great Job!, high fives, or rounds of applause.
- Keep at eye level - be part of the crowd so that your energy is infectious.
- Don't be afraid to get silly, particularly with younger (under six or seven) kids.
- Competitive games can lead to frustration and negative energy. If you have games that are competitive, particularly with younger guests, have something ready for players that are eliminated so that they immediately turn their attention to something positive. A great idea is to have a competition to see who can cheer on the remaining players the loudest!
- Party Poopers. Someone doesn't want to play, or worse, lots of someones don't want to play your game, what do you do?
- If it's only one, or just a few, try to encourage them to participate, or, at the least, cheer the other guests on. If that doesn't work, have a craft area where the guest can sit quietly and work on something during this particular activity.
- If it's several of your guests, your activity may just not be that cool. Scrap it and replace!
It's party time, and chances are you are a little overwhelmed at the thought of entertaining a crowd of kids. Don't sweat it - keep them busy, keep them laughing and if possible, keep them moving - and you'll not only survive your child's party, but you'll have a blast doing it!
A couple of quick tips to start, then have fun choosing what your child and your guests will enjoy.
Arts / Crafts
Arts and Crafts are activities that allow kids to get creative and have fun, but at a slightly lower energy level. These are great activities for the start of a party while you are waiting for guests to arrive or as a "breather" between more exuberant activities that can get everyone spun up. They provide a balance in energy for your party games. Remember, the Arts and Crafts projects can also be party favors at the end of your party and decorations during your party!
Make sure that your craft is age appropriate and won't require much adult assistance or leadership or kids are going to get frustrated as they wait for someone to help them.
- If kids are in their party clothes, moms probably won't appreciate paint and glue all over everything, so try to avoid really messy stuff! Replace glue with tape or glue sticks, and use washable paints and markers.
- If your child's birthday falls around a holiday, consider making the craft holiday related so that their craft can also be hung up at home.
- Safety Note: If your party includes children in all age ranges be careful not to have arts and crafts elements that can pose a hazard to your younger guests (such as small beads). Your older guests are sure to drop something and little hands will manage to find it!
Art Centers
Sometimes when there is too much excitement and energy kids can need a place to bring their energy back down a little. Having an activity center set up that your guests can visit when they get a little overexerted or between organized group activities is a perfect diversion.
Supplies: Anything and everything. Select a couple of potential "projects" and have supplies ready. Glue sticks, popcicle sticks, construction paper, scissors, crayons, markers, preprinted coloring projects - whatever! Consider your theme and select a couple of projects that would sork (like fairy wands for a princess party or create your own dinosaur or bug… whatever!
Instructions: Try to have an adult overseeing this area at all times. They will be there to supervise the guests, as well as assist with instructions or elements that may be a little tricky or difficult. Have the table sectioned for the two or three projects that can be done with supplies set out and an example or two of the completed project. Try to select projects that will take no more than 10 or 15 minutes to complete. Have a place for finished or "in progress" projects to be placed so they won't be disturbed or ruined.
T-Shirt Painting
My children love when a class activity or birthday activity does a personalized T-shirt! Sometimes the kids can do anything, other times there is a specific creation, such as a reindeer made out of footprints or a butterfly from hand prints. Consider your theme and the creativity of your guests. If everyone wants to do their own thing, great, but you may want an idea or two available for the kids that aren't sure what they want to do. Note, if you use fabric pens/markers, they dry instantly and simply need heat setting (ironing). So, if you have this activity at the front of your party as guests are arriving, each guest can where their creation throughout the party!
Supplies: T-shirts for each of your guests, fabric paint or markers, cardboard pieces or waxed paper, sponges and brushes (if using paints as opposed to markers) and an iron (if using markers as opposed to paints!)
Instructions: Cover a work space with a sheet or plastic table cloth to protect your furniture, then place supplies along the center of the table so everyone can reach. Have T-shirts laid out for each child and, before painting, line the inside with either a piece of cardboard or waxed paper so that the colors won't bleed from the front to the back. Use fabric pens, or have paints available with sponges and brushes. After the kids are one, let them sit somewhere they won't be disturbed to dry, or iron the fabric pen creations to heat set them.
Decorate a Birthday Banner
Supplies: Large piece of butcher paper and crayons, markers, glue sticks and embellishments
Instructions: Cut your butcher paper for the space you want to hang your banner and write "Happy Birthday" with your child's name. Mount the banner within reach of your guests and have all of your supplies in cups and containers along the length of the banner. (Note, you can lay it on the floor but usually you will end up with crumpling and potentially tearing from children leaning on the creation). If you are worried about damage to your wall from an errant marker line the space around the banner with posterboard or even newspaper. Let the kids color, write notes and messages and ultimately create a masterpiece dedicated to your birthday child. Have each guest sign it and get your group photo in front!
Energetic Activities
Balloon Stomp
Supplies: Balloons, string or yarn
Instructions: Have pre-blown balloons ready for each child to tie to their ankle with string (one child, one balloon tied with a few inches of string between leg and balloon). At the "Go" signal, everyone runs around trying to stomp on everyone else's balloons. The last person with an intact balloon wins!
Jump Rope Relay
Supplies: one jump rope per team
Instructions: Form teams (two or more) and have a race course set up. At the "Go" signal, the first set of relay racers skip rope to the end of the course and back. They hand off the jump rope and the next relay racers do the same. The first team to have all team members complete the course wins.
Hot Potato
Supplies: Radio and a potato (raw, unpeeled)
Instructions: Guests stand in a circle and the host starts theme appropriate music. The guests pass the potato around from person to person until the music stops. Whoever is holding the potato when the music stops is out. To ensure fairness, have the radio-controller stand with his/her back to the group so that the music is completely unbiased.
Hula Hoop Contest
Supplies: Hoola hoops for each child (this is a great favor for the end of the party!)
Instructions: Start up the music and see who can hula hoop the longest. If the hula hoop hits the ground or the player touches it with their hands, they're out.
Scavenger Hunt
Supplies: Printed lists of items for each team and an adult chaperone to ensure safety and boundaries (if you want kids to stay out of certain areas don't rely on their good judgment…)
Instructions: Give each team a printed list of items to be found. The first team to find/acquire each of the items and report back wins. This game can be played indoors or outdoors, just be sure to clearly establish boundaries.
Examples: rock, leaf, dead bug, pine cone, twig, something a certain color, paper clip, rubber band, pencil, blue pen, marker, lined paper, a white sock, bobby pin, a sticker, plastic utensil, paper plate, napkin, golf ball, tennis ball, yarn, safety pin, party ribbon, balloon, a nail, bottle cap… the possibilities are endless.
Water Balloon Toss
Supplies: Balloons filled with water
Instructions: Divide group into teams of two players and line the players up facing each other (you'll have two straight lines of children facing each other). Give each team one water balloon. Players toss the balloon to their partner. If it is broken (dropped, caught roughly, etc.) that team is eliminated. After each successful toss everyone takes one step back one step. They toss again and repeat until the last team to be eliminated. If you end up with a tie, have a tie-breaker by repeating the process.
Prepare to get wet!
Freeze Dance
Supplies: Stereo
Instructions: Play some theme related music (preferably with a great beat!) and let all the kids dance. Stop the music and everyone freezes. If you move, you're out! Give prizes to the last dancer standing as well as to the best dancer and most creative dancer… the prizes here are limitless!
Duck, Duck, Goose
Supplies: None!
Instructions: This classic game is fun for any party, and can be easily tailored for virtually any Theme. Have guests sit in a circle and let the Birthday Child begin the game as the "Goose." He/she walks around the circle, tapping each child on the head, saying "Duck" until they select someone to name "Goose". As they tap the child and say "Goose" they begin running around the circle. If the tapping child can make it around the circle and sit in the spot vacated by the newly crowned "Goose" then the new child is now the "Goose." If the tapped child, however, is able to catch the first child, then the first child remains the "Goose another round.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Supplies: A poster with a picture of a donkey (or your theme related pinnable object!), a blind fold, and the pinned object with each child's name on it.
Instructions: This game can easily be made to fit your theme by pinning any object that is relevant to your party's theme. Place your poster on a wall or door where there is a wide open spot in front. Place tape on the back of each object (identified with that child's name) the children will be pinning on the poster. Before each child takes their turn, have them put on the blindfold (or you can simply have them close their eyes) and spin them around several times and point them toward the poster. Have them aim and attach their pinned item to the poster and the child who pins their object the closest to the designated spot is the winner. You may want to play several times so that more children have the option of winning.
Freeze Tag
Supplies: None!
Instructions: You need an open space for this game. Have the children spread out in your party space (outside is best). Let the Birthday Child be "It" first. The person whose "It" tries to tag all of the other guests. As each player is tagged, he or she must freeze. Players who are not frozen can "melt" frozen players by touching them. The first player to be frozen three times becomes the next "It".
Knots and Tangles
This game can be manipulated to any theme, you can be making jungle knots, asteroid belts, or a bumble bee hive!
Supplies: None!
Instructions: Have the guests form a circle, facing inward. Everyone then extends their right hands into the circle and takes hold of someone else's hand. Then they repeat this with their left hands. Everyone should be holding the right hand and the left hand of other party guests. The object is then to untangle your "knot" by stepping over, ducking under and turning around without letting go of the other people's hands!
Water Brigade
There are several derivations of this game, but ultimately, the object is to transfer water from one place, to another either individually or as teams (relay style). You can make it as easy or as difficult as your guests coordination can handle!
Supplies: Depending on how you plan on doing this, you will need a transferring container, a water supply container and a filling container for at least one player - oh, and of course some water!
Instructions (version #1): Have the children line up in a line facing a large bucket approximately 20 feet away (you can do more or less depending on your space, etc.). At each child's feet is a small container and they will have in their hands a "transferring" container (a deep spoon, a ladle, a small cup, etc.) On "Go" the children all run to the large container, fill their transferring container and carefully return to dump their water into their filling container. You want to have around 10 trips to fill your container so plan accordingly. With jostling, tripping, and spillage it will probably take around 15. The first to fill their cup win!
Instructions (version #2): Have relay teams that are set up to accomplish your water transfer. Create an obstacle course that has to be accomplished with the transferring cup (don't use a spoon for this, it will simply be too difficult). Start the children out in the beginning with an empty cup, have them travel the obstacle course, fill the cup, then return through the obstacle course to fill their container. Hand off the cup to the next child and repeat. Have each child go twice (or even three times, depending on the size of your groups) and the group that has filled their container the fullest wins!
Step on the Spot Relay
Supplies: Two large cardboard shapes (approximately 1.5 feet in diameter) in a shape appropriate to your theme for however many teams you will have.
Instructions: Divide the guests into teams (around 4 kids per team) and line them up. Have a race path that your teams must travel down and back, passing off the cardboard shapes when they get back to the start. The players travel by only stepping on the cardboard shapes. This is done by placing one shape on the ground and stepping on that, then placing the next shape on the ground and stepping on that. The player then must pick up the first shape, and place it in front of them to step on that again, and so on. If a player steps off of the cardboard shape, they must return to the beginning and begin again!
Jell-O Eating Contest
Supplies: One bowl of Jell-O per child (have a few extra in case you need them). If possible, make the Jell-O in a tray and cut into small, bite-sized squares for easier eating.
Instructions: Have fun with your Theme - place the Jell-O in something theme related, or make the eating tie in with the theme. Each player lines up in front of their bowl and places their hands behind their back. When you say "Go!" each player begins eating their Jell-O. The first one to finish wins! Take lots of pictures of this messy fun!
Where's the Cake???
Well, the birthday cake is a pretty major element of any party, and usually we spend a lot of money on a cool decorated concoction just to have the kids see it for 3 seconds before it gets cut and eaten. So, why not make the cake a bigger player in the party?
Supplies: Um, well, the birthday cake… and index cards.
Instructions: Divide the kids into teams and provide each team with a set of clues. The clues will lead them to the location of the cake. Start the teams out with one clue that leads them to the next, etc. You can have party favors at each clue station if you want an added element of excite
Quieter Activities
Telephone
Supplies: None!
Instructions: Have guests sit in a circle. Help your Birthday Child think of a message related to your party's theme. The Birthday Child then whispers the message to the person on their left, and that child whispers to the next, and so on. When the message has made its way all the way around the circle, the person on the Birthday Child's right tells the message out loud. Then the Birthday Child tells the original message and everyone enjoys the unexpected twists and turns the original message took. Try again with another player.
Bingo
Supplies: Bingo set and LOTS of prizes
Instructions: This is a quiet game that adults and kids love to play. It's great when you need a breather.
Story Time
Supplies: A favorite story that will appeal to the age range of your guests and is theme related. Try to keep it to a reasonable length for the attention span of your age range AND considering the party atmosphere. Probably ten minutes max!
Instructions: Getting the kids to sit for a second while you read them a story is a great way to calm everyone down and have them get a breath without sending everyone to time out! Take the kids to a new space that isn't surrounded by things they'll want to touch and play with and have everyone seated facing you. PRACTICE reading this book in advance, and with young children, don't be afraid to get a little goofy! They may be laughing AT you, but they are laughing, right?
Dress Up
Whether your party is boys, girls, or co-ed, dressing it up can be a fun element as well as an activity. It can even have arts and crafts tossed in to the mix! Whether you are creating a dressing room for little divas, scalliwag central for budding pirates, or fairy dust glade for the glittering of guests at a party full of whimsy, dressing up is fun for everyone. You can incorporate make-up, face paint, temporary tattoos, hair styling, as well as hats, accessories and even clothes! Create a station that guests can enter with adult assistance to transform into something theme related! If the adults have set the example it's even more fun! Don't forget to get pictures of everyone! If you can snap a picture of each guest with your birthday boy/girl it's a great personalized Thank You note and memento!
Party Games
Catch the Balloon
Indoors
Equipment: 3 or 4 balloons
Formation: Circle
Arrange the players in a circle on the floor
and have them number off. Put the highest
number in the center to act as 'it'.
"IT" holds a balloon and calls out a number while dropping the balloon
to the floor. The holder of that number then tries to catch the balloon before it touches the floor. If the player is successful 'it' tries another number. If the balloon touches the floor then that player is "it".
Buzz-Bomb Balloon
Indoors
Equipment:
1 balloon per player, not inflated
Tape or string to make a target
Formation: line or circle
All players inflate their balloon. Some players may need help
When the adult helper says "1,2,3,GO!"
The players release their balloons in the direction of the target.
If you are having a theme party, use a picture from the theme as
the target center. Score 5 points for the closest balloon and 15 points
for a direct hit. This game works well with teams - each team gets their own colored balloons; red, blue, green etc. Or, you do not need to keep score at all and just have fun playing the game several times.
Back-to-Back Balloon Pop
Indoors
Equipment: A supply of balloons
Formation: Pairs
Pick teams of two.
Have the pairs stand in a line or circle back to back, with a balloon held between their backs. On the leader's signal, the players press together, trying to burst their balloon. The first team to pop its balloon wins.
If you prefer not to have winners, play until all of the balloons are popped.
Simon Says
One player is the leader and orders the other players to make
motions by saying
"Simon says thumbs up" or
"Simon says hands on your head."
The leader also makes all of these motions. If he omits "Simon says," however, and just orders "Thumbs up," the players should not make the motion. Any player who does, is out of the game. The winner is the player who remains in the game the longest.
Hot Potato
Players form a circle.
A bean bag is passed from player to player while one player sings, whistles or claps. When the music or clapping stops, the player who has the bean bag is out and sits in the center. The last one out wins. Stops should be made frequently so the game moves quickly and players will not be out for
a long period.