Find-it Fast
Cut out squares of paper in five different colours so there is one of each colour for every child (i.e. For 8 kids, make 40 squares in five different colours). Scatter them around the house or garden. Stand in the centre with large bowl and have the kids stand closely around your feet. Call out each of the colours you have used one at a time. The kids must dash off and collect a square of that colour and bring it back to you as fast as possible. The last child to drop their matching square into the bowl is out. The game continues until there is only one player left and he/she is announced the winner.
Bucket Balloon
Using a funnel, fill up one balloon for each child with a handful of uncooked rice. Squeeze out any air, tie a knot to seal and label each one with the name of a guest. Have all the kids stand around a bucket in a circle. Start quite close (say 1 metre away) and ask them try to throw their balloon into the bucket one at a time. Have a few practice throws first then start the game. Any child that misses the bucket is out. Those who get it in take one small step back and the next round begins. If no-one gets it in the bucket start that round again. If only one child gets it in on any round they are announced the winner.
Treasure Hunt
Take an object such as a small stuffed toy, golf ball or something similar, show it to the kids and ask them to wait in another room or inside until they are called – make sure no-one peeks! Hide the object somewhere a bit hard to find. The better it is hidden, the longer it will take to find and the more fun the kids will have. Once hidden, call the kids to come and find it. The one to do so will be announced the winner. Alternatively, hide many very small items, such as marbles around the room or in the garden, give each child a bag with their name on it and the one with the most after a selected length of time (say 1 or 2 minutes) is declared the winner.
Noodle Necklaces
Buy some shoelaces, one for each child and tie a piece of uncooked tubular pasta to one end. Have the kids sit in a circle and put a bowl of the same pasta in the middle. On the count of 3 each child needs to start threading pasta onto their shoelace as quickly as possible. The first one to finish their “necklace” is the winner.
Pretty Pucker
Have the kids sit in a circle. Blindfold someone and hand them a cheap red or dark pink lipstick. The object of the game is to put lippy on the next person in line. The result of course is lipstick from one ear to the other, including teeth because they won’t be able to stop smiling! Continue around the circle until all the kids are looking gorgeous. Afterwards, get the kids to judge the prettiest pucker. The person responsible for it is awarded first place. Be sure to have the camera handy – you’ll want a group shot at the end and naturally, plenty of facial wipes! If you want to make sure your guests party clothes are safe, throw an old towel across their chests and shoulders.
Freeze!
This game does not require music, so it can be played anywhere, unlike musical statues. Ask the children to run, jump or dance around wildly when you shout “go” - the bigger the movements the better. Let them know anyone barely moving will be automatically out. Once they’re all moving, shout “freeze!”. Anyone who moves any part of themselves after they freeze will be out (this method is so much easier than trying to decide if anyone is still moving immediately after you shout “freeze”. The kids will move around more freely if they’re not afraid of being in mid-air at the wrong time). Anyone who falls over, laughs or moves in any other way is out. Last one standing is the winner.
Lion Hunter
Have all the kids lie face down on the ground except for one. He or she is the “hunter”. The “lions” must keep perfectly still while the hunter moves in and around them, trying anything and everything possible to “wake” the lions without touching them. They can tell jokes, make funny noises, talk in a strange voice, whatever they like. If a lion moves or laughs, they also become a hunter until only one lion is left and they are declared the winner.
Memory Tray
Place several items on a tray, some big, some small, some obscure, some common, the more unrelated the better. Cover with a tea towel and sit in front of the gathered children. Uncover the tray and allow the kids time to memorize each item on it. Then cover with the tea towel again, slide your hand under and take hold of one random item. Pull your hand away, still covered by the towel and ask the kids to guess which item has been removed. The first one to guess correctly gets a point. Keep a tally and after several rounds the one with the most points wins. For older kids, use more items, allow them a minute to memorize everything, then cover and ask them to write down as many as they can remember. The one with the most correct items on their list wins.
Can I Help You?
Have the kids stand in a circle. One takes the centre, is blindfolded and turned around three times to disorientate. They must then move forward slowly until they can reach out and grab someone. The mystery person must say in a silly voice “Can I help you?” and the blindfolded child must try and guess who they have caught. If they are wrong, they must start again. If they guess correctly, they both swap places and the game continues. No winner or prizes for this one, but everyone will certainly have a good laugh.
Shark!
This game is a version of musical chairs but is so much easier to organize and play, especially if you are at the park. Lay several sheets of newspaper (“boats”) randomly on the floor/ground - one less than the number of kids at the party. When you shout “Swim” the kids must move around between the newspaper boats pretending to swim – no lingering! When the time is right yell “Shark!” and the kids must get to any piece of paper as quickly as possible. The last one without a place is “eaten” and out. Remove a single piece of newspaper and start the next round. When only one child is remaining they are declared the winner. If the day of the party turns out to be windy, replace the newspaper with something heavier or weigh the pages down, but be wary of tripping hazards.
