Children simply love parties! To be honest, what’s there not to love about them? Cakes, snacks, balloons and friends are certain to get everyone excited.
But we bet, the enthusiasm doesn’t last long!
And if you want your child’s party to be really fun, you better add some party games for kids to keep them laughing and entertained throughout.
Party games are the secret sauce to making the occasion a hit (or a miss!). Add to them a healthy dose of Birthday Knock Knock Jokes and you are set for the most fun party ever!
Party planning is a tough job and an epic responsibility in itself and so is contemplating enjoyable party games for kids!
And not to mention, it can be immensely time consuming.
With so much on your hands, you can certainly use some help. Here is a list of some awesome party games for kids that will ease your burden of party planning and are certain to make your kid’s party memorable.
But before we dive into these fun games for kids, here are a few pointers to keep in mind.
How to Choose the Perfect Kids Party Games
1. Age Appropriate
The golden rule to choosing a game is to keep it age appropriate. You do not want the game to be over-challenging to suck out all the fun.
At the same time, it should be exciting enough for kids to get motivatedto participate. In simple words, not too lame!
2. Skip Competitive Games
This is one rule we strongly recommend to follow, especially with younger kids – Avoid competitive games.
Young kids get disheartened easily on losing and the last thing you want is a crying child at your party.
3. Keep Them FUN!
Keep the games fun! That’s the only rule. It doesn’t matter if the game is little out of the theme or is not the most innovative game.
Children hardly care if the game is out of party theme or if they have already played it a million times before, as long as the game is FUN!
4. Choose Short Duration Games
Keep your party games short. Children lose interest in long games and find them boring.
The games that are most entertaining are quick, short and pack just a few instructions to follow.
5. Stay Away From Educational Games
Skip educational/ general awareness games. Your child’s birthday party game should not remind their friends of the school setting.
6. Bring On Some Music
Musical games are a great hit with all children. Make sure to add at least one musical game to your kiddo’s party.
7. Let Them Get Wet!
If the season permits, add anoutdoor water game! Children simply love getting wet. However, do mention to carry spare clothing in the party invite.
Now that we have pretty much outlined the tenets of picking the perfect party games for kids, lets dive into fun games that are sure to make your kid’s party a HIT.
Fun Party Games for Kids
1. Blindfold Taste Test
Blindfold games are a great hit with children and challenge them to use senses other than sight.
A far cry from the routine games, this game will add the necessary zing to your kid’s party.
What you will need:
- 10 to 15 Food Samples/Assorted Candies
- Blindfolds for every child
- Spoons
How to Play:
- Let all the children sit in a circle or a straight line.
- Blindfold all the kids.
- Start with one food item and give its taster to every child and let him/her guess what it is. The child, who guesses it right, wins a gift.
- Continue with the remaining food items. Each round will have winners. This way there is no one winner and plenty of chances for every kid to win a prize.
For food samples, you can choose different flavoured jellies, popular chocolates & candies, small cubes of fruits, dry fruits and ice creams.
With all these yummy things to taste and guess, no child will feel left behind.
Quick Tip: This is a great game for a family get-togethers as well as a perfect Thanksgiving Game!
2. Balloon Dance
This musical game uses everyone’s favourite party prop – Balloons! What you need is a music player and of course balloons.
A great twist to passing the parcel, balloon dance packs just enough excitement to get kids dancing with glee.
How to Play:
- Gather children in a nicely spaced circle.
- When music is turned on, all children start to dance at their respective spots while passing the balloon to their neighbor. The rule is not to stop dancing while the music is playing and also not to pop the balloon.
- The player holding the balloon, when the music stops, gets eliminated. The last dancing player wins the game!
3. Balloon Pirates
Another balloon party game for kids, this one challenges kids to scoop up as many balloons as possible.
What you will need:
- Balloons – Loads of them
- Timer
How to Play:
Blow several balloons and keep them together in a neat pile.
Each child gets a minute to go to the balloon grab pile, grab as many balloons as possible and come back to the starting line.
Count the balloons grabbed and return them to the pile.
Popped balloons do not count! The one who gets most balloons wins the title of Balloon Pirate and a treat!
4. Bubble Wrap Race
This fun outdoor party game for kids that will get even the grown ups excited.
Immensely easy to set up and play, this one requires little prep except for a large roll of bubble wrap, which is a prerequisite for this game.
A perfect party game for preschoolers and kindergarteners, bubble wrap race is truly entertaining.
How to Play:
Cut out a 5-6 foot piece of bubble wrap and lay it flat in your backyard.
The challenge is to cross over the bubble wrap but without popping any bubble.
Sounds fun right! We bet you will soon have adults trying their luck at the bubble wrap race too! The player who pops the least bubbles wins the race!
5. Freeze Dance
Freeze Dance is a classic kid’s party game that can be played both indoors and outdoors.
The reason this indoor party game is called a classic is because it never fails to make kids laugh. Children love music & dance and this game combines both!
How to Play:
Turn on some upbeat party music and let kids show you their moves.
Once they have got into their grooves, secretly pause the music.
All children need to freeze when the music stops. Anyone caught moving, gets eliminated.
Hand out small gifts like whistles, candies or stickers to the eliminated players to keep their spirits up.
6. Blindfold Drawing
This pajama party game is perfect for just any party- including birthday parties.
The Blindfold drawing party game is hilarious and has everyone as a winner in his or her own right.
What you will need:
- Blindfolds
- Sketch Pens
- Paper
- Clip Boards
- A Picture Card
How to Play:
- Every child gets a sketch pen and a paper set up on the clipboard.
- Let all the children sit comfortably. Show them the picture card. Your picture card could be a simple drawing of a flower or an easy-peasy dinosaur, depending on the age group of the children playing. Like for kids younger than 5 years, choose something very simple like Sun.
- Once everyone has seen the picture card, blindfold all the kids.
- Tell the kids to draw the picture blindfolded.
You will be amazed with the artwork children come up while being blindfolded! Reward every child with a candy bar or a simple gift.
7. Bubble Burst
Hands down the most favourite game for all preschoolers and kindergarteners.
This non-competitive party game for young kids challenges children to burst as many soap bubbles as they can.
Just get multiple bubble wands or an automatic bubble maker and let the fun begin. You will be astonished how much joy a simple game of bubbles can add to your party.
Related: Make Bubble Solution at home with this easy bubble solution recipe. It also share great ideas for bubble wands as well!
By the end, you may hand out bubble wands as party gifts for each child and let them blow their own bubbles.
8. Musical Chairs
Musical chairs is a plain-old classic party game that can never run out of style.
We all have grown up playing this game and there is no reason why our kids shouldn’t. It is simply fun!
This fun game is perfect for all parties — be it outdoors or indoors! Kids of all ages enjoy it. That makes it really versatile and helps it keep its status as a classic party game.
9. Candy Guessing Game
The name of the game itself will get children excited! This indoor party game is a great hit among children of all ages. And everyone gets to eat candies.
What you will need:
- A few jars
- Assorted candies
How to Play:
Fill the jars with different candies. As you start the game, display one jar at a time and ask children to guess the number of candies in it.
Each round will have a winner who guessed the number of candies correctly or had the closest guess.
Reward all children with candies after every round. The winner gets to take home candies equal to their guessed number. Continue with the remaining jars.
This fun game can be also perfect for keeping kids busy and entertained on Easter Sunday!
Related: Check out more fun Easter Activities for Kids.
10. Animal Charades
Give the classic game of dumb charades a twist to get young children moving, acting and guessing!
This exciting game for kids can be played both indoors and outdoors. It is a great team game that is both fun and exciting.
The wild guesses inject the necessary humour and make it a true hit with children. It can be easily adapted for older kids (even adults!) by simply changing the guess cards.
11. Balloon Pop!
This fun balloon party game for kids is perfect for all children. Easy to set-up, it is best played indoors in a well-defined space.
What you will need:
- Balloons
- Markers
- Music Player
How to Play:
- Give a balloon and a marker to every child.
- Ask children to write their names on the balloon. They have to be careful not to burst it. For younger kids, any adult can help.
- Once everyone has written their names on their balloons, toss all the balloons in the middle of the room.
- Make the children stand around the balloon pile.
- When music is turned on, all children run to the balloon pile and stomp on the balloons, except for the one that has their name on it.
- Stop the music after 20-30 seconds and check the names whose balloons have been popped. These players move out of the game.
- Restart the music and continue till one last balloon remains. The player whose name is on the last balloon is the winner.
12. Apple Bobbing
This super-hit water game for kids is sure to get all your little guests excited! It can be easily played indoors, if you don’t mind a little mess.
If playing indoors, we suggest you keep a large floor towel to keep the floor from getting wet.
Mostly played around Halloween, Apple Bobbing is one of the most popular Halloween games for kids. But you don’t need Halloween to play this fun water game.
What you will need:
- A Large Wide Mouthed Bucket
- Plenty of Apples
- Timer
How to Play:
- Fill the bucket with clean water till three-fourth full.
- Add in the apples to the water bucket
- Each child gets a turn to kneel down next to the bucket and grab the apples from the bucket using only their mouth. You can set a timer for 40 seconds or more.
- The child, who picks up the most number of apples, wins the game.
Related: Also check out Fun Halloween Games.
13. Pin The Donkey’s Tail
This is a classic blindfold party game for kids (and adults) that never fails. It’s been around for generations and continues to entertain kids and adults alike!
So much is its popularity that now you get ready-made templates for this game at game stores and online!
14. Balloon Burst
Balloon burst is a truly exciting birthday party game for kids. It requires little preparation but that’s ok when your guests have as much fun as this.
For this game, you will need to make small challenge cards or truth/dare cards corresponding to your guest list.
Think of funny challenges like touching your nose with your tongue or include tongue twisters or would you rather questions to make the game exciting and fun!
Once you have made these notes, insert them into the balloons and inflate them.
How to Play:
Play on the music and let children bob the balloons.
When the music stops, the child who touches the balloon last gets to pop his/her balloon to reveal the challenge card inside it and gets to do as written on the card!
15. Limbo
It is a sensible idea to involve parents if you wish to make your kid’s party a true hit.
Limbo is one such game that interests both kids and adults! Simple set-up with even simpler instructions, make it a favourite with hosts as well.
16. Pass the Water
Children love getting wet and this game let’s them do just that but in a controlled, host friendly fashion. We understand you don’t want too much mess and water everywhere.
What you will need:
- Cups
- Water
How to Play:
- Make children stand in a line.
- Give a cup to each child.
- To start the game, pour water in the cup of the first child in the queue.
- To play, the child has to pass the water to the next child in line without turning around. So she/he will have to take the cup over the head and pour the water down for the second player to catch it.
This water game for kids has no winners or losers, only silly fun and lots of laughs!
17. Spoon Race
This is an age-old game that all children love to play.
All you need is spoons and lemons to balance on the spoons to let the fun begin. To make it more fun, swap lemons with water balloons.
18. Water Balloon Catch
This is a fun, outdoor water game for kids that will make catching fun. What you will need is water balloons and good open space.
How to Play:
- Pair kids up and have them stand apart from each other. The distance should be enough for them to throw and catch the water balloon.
- Hand one water balloon to each pair.
- On the count of three, children have to throw their balloon to their partner. Each time they catch, both the kids take two steps back to increase the distance between.
- The pair that catches the balloon over the longest distance wins the game!
19. Bucket Toss
Another great water game that is fit for every party!
Though this activity involves water, it isn’t really messy. Bucket toss is an enjoyable game for adults as well. You just need to plan your gifts accordingly.
What you will need:
- 6 Buckets
- Ping-Pong balls
- Water
How to Play:
- Arrange the buckets next to each other in a neat row.
- Fill all the buckets three-fourth with water.
- Line up the kids a little distance away from the buckets. If possible, draw a line to prevent them from getting too close to the buckets.
- Each player gets a turn to toss the ping-pong ball into the buckets. If they get the ball into the bucket, they get to move to the next bucket.
- The player(s) who gets all the tosses right in the buckets, gets the prize.
20. Koekhappen
If you are looking to add some novelty games for your kid’s party, we suggest you play this Dutch outdoor game for kids.
Even adults can play with little modification! Just perfect for everyone to explore his or her silly sides!
21. Truth or Dare
This pyjama party game of Truth or Dare Questions for kids is adaptable and can be made to fit almost any age group.
And of course, you need not host a sleepover to play this game. It is equally fun at any other party as well.
22. Cookie Stacking
This minute to win cookie game will certainly get kids excited to test their stacking skills.
While it may appear immensely easy but with only a minute at hand and a single try, it is trickier than it appears.
How to Play:
Give each player a packet of chunky chocolate chip cookies.
The challenge, as evident from the name of the game, is to stack the cookies on top of each other to make the tallest tower!
The player to get the tallest tower is the winner.
Remember, we choose chocolate-chip cookies for a reason. They are not perfectly flat making stacking atop on each other tricky!
23. Junk In The Trunk
Junk In The Trunk is a super fun game for kids that promises lots of laughs for everyone!
The rules are simple – everyone gets one minute to let off the junk from their trunks.
24. Suck It Up!
Another candy game for kids, Suck it Up is a one-minute game that is competitive, fun and simply perfect for your kid’s birthday party.
It is easy to set-up and requires readily available supplies. The challenge is to suck up maximum candies from the plate.
What you will need:
- Gems/ M&Ms
- Straws for each player
- Paper Plates
- Paper Cups
How to Play:
- Pair players to compete against each other.
- Hand over a straw and an empty cups to each player
- Place a paper plate of gems between each pair of players.
- On the go, each player uses only their straw and one hand to transfer gems from the plate to their respective paper cups.
- The player, who transfers most gems in a minute, wins the game. And of course, all players get to eat the gems they got in their cups! Win-win for everyone!
25. Cookie On My Face!
This is a hilarious, no fail game that everyone (including adults!) loves to play.
This one minute game for kids promises enough thrill, excitement and challenge for every kid, regardless of the age.
What’s better, you don’t need anything special, out-of-the box supplies for this – just cookies.
How to Play:
Each player gets a cookie (or any other delicious thing they want you to bake) and places it on their forehead.
The goal is to get the cookie to their mouth by using only…wait for it…facial muscles! To add to the challenge, you only get a minute to achieve the task.
26. Floating Balloon
Kids can never have enough of balloon games! These games are always fun and are a tremendous hit with children.
With just an instruction or two to follow, Floating Balloon promises an enjoyable, easy to play game.
How to Play:
Each player gets two balloons. The challenge is to keep both the balloons floating for a minute.
Any player, whose balloon touches the ground before a minute, gets eliminated. Trust us, it is trickier than what appears.
To make it more challenging for teens, increase the number of balloons to three and watch them juggle!
27. Chopstick Race
Remember we advised you to keep party games short and simple to keep up the excitement.
Here is another short and sweet one-minute game for kids that is fun and has one of the most loved treats – marshmallows as a game prop.
What you will need:
- Big Bag of Marshmallows
- Chopsticks for each player
- Plate
- Paper Cups
- Timer
How to Play:
Empty the marshmallows in a big bowl or a plate and let the kids sit around it to form a circle.
Each child gets a paper cup and chopstick of their own. On the go, all players race to transfer most marshmallows from the plate to their respective cups.
28. Dice Race
Inspired by the spoon race, this game is far more challenging and the perfect party game for tweens and teens.
It requires participants to race to the finish line while balancing a stack of dice on a popsicle stick.
What you will need:
How to Play:
- Each player gets a jumbo popsicle stick and at least 2 dice.
- The players have to balance the dice on their popsicle stick while holding the latter in their mouths and run to the finish line.
The player who reaches the finish line first without toppling her dice stack wins the game.
It is a challenging game that grown-ups can play as well! Perfect for both indoor and outdoor settings, this is one of the most exciting party games.
29. Nose Dive
We all know how much kids enjoy getting creative when playing games. This unique, one-minute game is just that!
Kids have to use their ‘nose’ to transfer cotton balls from one tray to another. Fast and funny, Nose dive promises lots of laughs.
What you will need:
How to Play:
- Empty cotton balls into a plate and place it on the table.
- Hand an empty plate to each player.
- Invite two players at a time and let them dab petroleum jelly on their nose. It’s the jelly that will make the cotton balls stick to their noses.
- On the go, let each of them try to transfer maximum cotton balls to their respective plates. Remember that no hands are allowed! The player who gets maximum cotton balls in her plate within a minute wins the game.
- After their turn, the players can then use facial tissue to wipe off the jelly from their faces.
30. Unwrap The Candies
This indoor game is all about unwrapping the candies BUT with kitchen mitts on! Really easy to set-up, this quick game for tweens will test their motor skills.
How to Play:
This game is best played in pairs of two. Keep a large bowl of candy in the middle. Each child has to unwrap as many candies as possible in a minute while wearing kitchen mittens.
31. Noodling Around
As the name suggests, Noodling Around challenges participants to noodle the pasta!
Exciting and fun, this kooky party game for kids never fails to delight kids. Be it any party or just a casual get-together, this game doesn’t really need any occasion to indulge in.
What you will need:
How to Play:
- Each player gets a strand of uncooked noodle and puts one end of it into his/her mouth.
- Without using hands, players have to pick at least six pieces of penne pasta with their noodles. The player, who gets his/her pasta fastest, wins the game!
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