Fun Birthday Party Games for Vancouver Kids

Good birthday party games are sometimes like jokes – you’ve probably heard them before, but sooner or later you forget the punchline. Below you will find several classic birthday party games that will help you make the party more fun. (All of the games listed are play at your own risk.)

 

 1. BALLOON RELAY RACE

This game is fun to play indoors and outdoors – just make sure you have a good stash of balloons before you begin just in case any of them unexpectedly pop in the rush of the game!

What you need:

  • Packet of balloons

Activity:

Instruct the children to stand in two single-file lines, facing forward.

Place a balloon between the knees of the first child in each line.

When the race starts, the first child on each team turns to face the next person in line.

The second child must grasp the balloon with his or her knees and turn to pass it on to the third person, and so on. If the balloon falls to the ground, the team must start over. The first team to successfully pass the balloon down the line wins!

 

2. DIGGING FOR BURIED TREASURE

Kids love playing around in the sand and so a fun party game that can have everyone involved at once is hunting for buried treasure – the perfect game to play in the backyard sandpit or at the park or beach.

What you need:

  • Spade/shovel/spoon and bucket for each child
  • Treasure

Activity:

Before the party begins, hide a number of small toys in a sandpit.

Give each guest a spade or spoon and a small bucket and let them start digging to find the buried treasure. Make sure you put anything that isn’t in sealed packaging in a re-sealable plastic bag before you bury it!

 

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 3. SPONGE RELAY

What you need:

  • Bucket, bowl and sponge for each team

Activity:

Great fun for a hot Vancouver day! Put a bucket full of water at the start line and an empty bowl at the finish line. Start some music. The goal is to fill the bowl at the finish line with water carried in the sponge before the music ends. This game can be played either as a competition game – i.e. 2 teams competing who will finish first or as a cooperation game when everyone is on the same team and work together to finish before the music (song) stops. Lots of fun!

 

 4. JELLY EATING CONTEST 

Be sure to have a video camera/smart phone ready to capture the hilarious snapshots from this game! Guaranteed fun.

What you need:

  • A bowl of jelly for each player

Activity:

Make one bowl of jelly for each child (plus have a few extra on hand).

Line up the bowls along the ground. It’s a good idea to put a tablecloth or other protective covering on the ground for easy clean up. Each player kneels and places their hands on the ground beside their bowl. They must keep their hands on the ground throughout the game. When the command is given to start, all the contestants begin eating their jelly. The first one to clean their bowl completely wins.

Additional tip: depending on the theme of your party you can place names on the bowls. For example if you are doing a My Little Pony party theme, put a MY LITTLE PONY name on each bowl (Pinkie Pie, Sweetberry, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, etc.); If you are doing a Star Wars party: have Star Wars character names on the bowls so Yoda & Darth Vadar compete in eating jello!

Have the birthday child pick his/her favorite name. Naming all the bowls will make calling this contest so much more fun!

 

5. MUSICAL STATUES

Tell your kids to dance, dance, dance, but once the music stops they have to freeze into musical statues. Whoever laughs or smiles will be out of this party game. Can your kids keep a straight face while having this much fun?

Number of players:

5+

What you need:

  • sound system and music

Activity:

Have the children move around the room while the music is playing.

Children are free to dance or run around until the music stops.

Once the music stops children are to freeze where they are and not move.

The child who moves first is out of the game.

If all of the children are doing an excellent job of remaining still restart the music.

Eventually children will flinch and you will get a winner.

 

6. EGG AND SPOON RACE

Get into the racing spirit with this fabulously fun party game. Your kids will love the classic egg and spoon race as they learn to balance and co-ordinate their egg to win!

Number of players:

4+

What you need:

  • teaspoon
  • eggs – preferably hard boiled or golf balls (one egg/child)

Activity:

A race of balance and co-ordination, the egg and spoon race is a classic game that will have kids laughing right up to the finish line!

Arrange all of the children at a start line with an egg and a teaspoon each.

When you are ready to start the race, ask them to place the egg onto their spoon and then place their other arm behind their back.

When you say go, the children will race – as fast as they can without the egg rolling off the spoon – to the finish line.

If the egg falls, the child starts again!

Whoever crosses the finish line first with their egg still balanced on their spoon and an arm behind their back, wins.

 

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7. DUCK DUCK GOOSE

Duck, duck, goose is a party game favorite to energize and enthrall children of all ages. Get your kids active with this chasing game and enjoy the sound of laughter at your party.

Number of players:

4+

Activity:

In this game, kids sit down in a circle facing each other.

One person is “it” and walks around the circle. As they walk around, they tap people’s heads and say whether they are a “duck” or a “goose”.

Once someone is the goose they get up and try to chase “it” around the circle. The goal is to tap that person before they are able sit down in the goose’s spot.

If the goose is not able to do this, they become “it” for the next round and play continues. If they do tap the “it” person, the person tagged has to sit in the centre of the circle.

Then the goose becomes it for the next round. The person in the middle can’t leave until another person is tagged and they are replaced.

 

 8. PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY

Pin the tail on the donkey is a classic party game for kids. This game can be played at any kind of themed birthday party and will have the kids dizzy with excitement once they spin about 3 times and get that tail on the … … nose!

What you need:

  • picture of donkey, missing a tail
  • paper donkey tails
  • scotch tape or sticky tack

Activity:

Place scotch tape or sticky tack on the end of the donkey tail that joins the donkey body.

Hang the donkey picture on a wall that is roughly eye level to your party guests.

Have the children line up in single file and blindfold the first child in the queue.

Give them the donkey tail and gently spin them around three times.

Point the blindfolded child towards the donkey and ask him to place the tail on the donkey.

Mark the spot where he places the tail with his name.

Once every child has had a turn, the child with the donkey tail closest to the correct position wins.

 

 9. MUSICAL CHAIRS

Nothing beats playing an exciting game of musical chairs. Play as a family, a kids birthday party game or rainy weather kids activity. Whatever the reason musical chairs will prove a crowd pleaser as kids compete for a seat!

Number of players:

6+

What you need:

  • music
  • chairs

Activity:

The chairs are set up in two rows back to back (one chair less than the number of players).

The music is turned on, and the players walk around the chairs.

When the music stops the players race to sit in the available chairs.

The player left standing is taken out of the game.

The players all stand again and a chair is removed.

The music is started and the walk around the chairs begins again.

This procedure is continued until only one person remains.

This person is the winner.

 

 10. BUCKET OF COINS CONTEST

Divide the children into groups. Have a decorated empty coffee can (for younger children) or smaller soup can (for older children) at the opposite end of the room for each group. Have a cup full of 5 cent pieces for each group. The groups race against each other to see which group can get the most coins in their can. Only one child from each group goes at a time. They have to place a coin between their knees and walk all the way to the can to drop it in. Use a kitchen timer.

 

11. JELLY BEAN JAR

Make a fun guessing game out of a jar of jellybeans. All your party guests will love to have a guess – especially if it means that they get to take the jellybean jar home!

What you need:

  • Jar
  • Jellybeans
  • Scraps of paper

Activity:

Before the party, fill a jar with jellybeans – choose pony colours to match your party scheme.

Count the jellybeans before you put them into the jar. As your guests arrive, have each one guess how many beans they think are in the jar. Write down each person’s guess.

At the end of the party, the person who guesses the closest number is the winner and gets to take home the jar of jelly beans or can win a small prize!

 

12. BIRTHDAY CAKE HUNT

Kids love to hunt for surprises! So on your child’s big day, create a special hunt for the birthday cake! You will need the help of a few family members, neighbours or friends.

Number of players:

6+

What you need:

  • Clues
  • Party favours
  • Cake

Activity:

Separate the children into teams and give each team a set of clues and party favours to find.

Give each child a bag to put their favours in and make sure that each guest has at least one favour so nobody feels left out. The clues and favours should lead them to the location of the cake. We recommend keeping the cake close at hand and under adult supervision. Excited children running through the house with a cake can be messy! The first team to locate the cake gets served first.

 

13. BLIND MAN’S BLUFF

An all-time favourite party game, blind man’s bluff provides a fun and challenging kids activity that will entertain and engage the whole family. You and your kids will have hours of fun as you put your hearing to the test to win this game.

Number of players:

4+

What you need:

  • a blindfold

Activity:

Choose one child to wear the blindfold.

The child then has to wander the room until they find another child.

Once they touch them they are to guess who they think they have found.

If they are correct, the child they found gets to be blindfolded next.

If they are incorrect, they get to be blindfolded one more time.

If they are wrong a second time, they get to choose who is to be blindfolded next.

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14. PASS THE PARCEL

Pass the parcel is an exciting and fun kids birthday party game that can be played indoors or outdoors. Grab a treat and wrap it tight over and over and watch the delight on the children’s faces as they eventually discover the secret contents.

Number of players:

6+

What you need:

  • Wrapping paper
  • Sticky tape
  • Chocolate or small gifts
  • Music

Activity:

Wrap a bar of chocolate (or some other small gift), in a layer of wrapping paper.

Now wrap it in another layer with a new bar of chocolate/gift and repeat until you have 9 or 10 layers (or however many children there are).

Sit everyone in a circle and play a short snippet of music.

When the music stops, the person holding the parcel removes one layer of wrapping and gets that treat.

Repeat until the last layer of wrapping has been removed, restarting and then stopping the music each time.

You can use different treats for each layer to add a bit of mystery and keep the children interested longer.

 

15. FLOATING BALLOONS

Balloon games are fun for kids of all ages – and this simple party game, played indoors or ouside, is a great way to get kids in the mood for party fun!

Number of players:

2+

What you need:

  • Packet of balloons

Activity:

Pass out a large balloon to each guest. Let them blow up their balloon and offer your help tying each one securely.

The object of this game is to hit the balloons up into the air and keep them afloat for the longest period of time.

This is a fun and easy way to start or end any party!

 

16. FISHING POND

You will need a helper for this fun party game – and make sure that you tie the string at the shoulder height of your party guests.

What you need:

  • String
  • Single bed sheet
  • Fishing rod (or a homemade version using a stick and string)
  • Pegs
  • Small treats or gifts

Activity:

Tie a string across the room (or between trees) and lie a sheet over it so no one can see what is on the other side.

Use an old fishing rod, or make one using a stick and some string. Attach a peg on the end of the fishing rod’s string.

Let guests take turns “casting” their line over the sheet. Have your helper stand on the other side and attach small gifts, favours, or treats to the peg. When they’re done, the helper gives a slight tug on the line.

When the kids “reel” in their lines, they’ll be delighted to see what they’ve caught!

 

17. BOBBING FOR APPLES

Kids of all ages will love this classic party game – it may look easy but they’ll learn quickly it’s harder than it looks!

Number of players:

2+

What you need:

  • Small apples with stems
  • String

Activity:

Before the party, purchase a small apple for each child who will be in attendance and tie a string to the stem of each one.

Then either hang the apples from a tree branch or a swing set. This game can also be played indoors by hanging the apples from a fixture in your home. Be sure that the apples hang low enough so the children can reach them with their mouths.

To play the game, the children must try to take a bite out of their apples without using their hands. The children will have a challenging time keeping the apples still long enough to take a bite.

This game makes a wonderful photo opportunity, so be sure to have your camera ready!

 

18. TUG OF WAR

Line the kids up and let the craziness start as they compete to be the strongest side. Tug of war is a classic birthday party game and a great kids activity to keep children active and laughing.

Number of players:

6+

What you need:

  • a rope – the longer the better

Activity:

Split the children and adults evenly on either side of the rope.

It works best with the smaller or weaker players towards the middle and the stronger players at the ends.

Find a spot on the ground to mark as the middle. The objective is for one team to pull the other over the mark on the ground.

To start, someone yells “go” and everyone starts pulling as hard as they can … until one team crumbles and they’re all pulled across the line.

Source: kids spot

 

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