Kids’ birthday party games

Take me back to the birthday party page

By Nikolaj Holm
Father of 3

Kids’ birthday party games

Take me back to the birthday party page

By Nikolaj Holm
Father of 3

Head basketball

Age 2-5

1. Musical chairs (yep, it’s the one with the missing chair!)
This is a true classic, and all you need is music and one chair per kid, with one chair taken away (that’s kind of the fun of it!).

Place the chairs in two lines back-to-back.

Gather the kids and turn on the music! When you stop the music, all the kids must find a chair to sit on. The kid who fails to sit on a chair is out of the game and another chair is removed for the next round.

You have a winner when there is only one chair and one kid left.

The winner gets to control the music in the next round, how does that sound?

2. Treasure hunt
A treasure hunt is always a lot of fun, and you can design it according to those taking part. You could hide one lollipop for every kid and let each kid find one, which they get to keep.

If the kids are closer to age 5, you could draw a small treasure map and mark where you’ve hidden the treasure. The purpose of the treasure hunt could also be to collect different things for an activity, e.g. paint, glue and stickers to decorate a stone in the same theme as the birthday party.

@mum_needs_coffee

3. Row, row, row your boat
Singing a nursery rhyme will make the little ones smile, for sure. And singing is a great way of bonding too.

Pair up the kids and seat them so that they face each other and their feet touch. Ask them to hold hands and sing “Row, row, row your boat // Gently down the stream”.

To make it more playful you could add boat props. This party game works well for a pirate-themed birthday!

Age 5-8

Egg toss
Pair up the kids with each kid standing close to their partner. Give a hard-boiled egg to each pair. They now have to throw the egg to each other. Every time they catch the egg they must move one step away from each other. If a pair drops the egg, they’re out of the game. Who’ll be the catchy winning pair…?

Balloons

Find your partner in crime
If you want the kids to bond and start chatting to each other, this game is a true ice breaker!

Think of some famous (cartoon) couples and write their names on separate pieces of paper. An example could be Mickey and Minnie Mouse (Bonnie and Clyde is a no-go!). Give each kid one of the pieces of paper and ask them to move around the group and find their respective partner by asking deductive questions – without revealing their own identity. If this is too complicated, allow the kids to ask more directly (“Are you xxx?”)

You can also skip the pieces of paper and whisper the names in the kids’ ears (if they can’t read yet).

Musical chairs (yep, it’s the one with the missing chair!)
This is a true classic, and all you need is music and one chair per kid, with one chair taken away (that’s kind of the fun of it!).

Place the chairs in two lines back to back.

Gather the kids and turn on the music! When you stop the music, all the kids must find a chair to sit in. The kid who fails to sit on a chair is out of the game and another chair is removed for the next round.

You have a winner when there is only one chair and one kid left.

The winner gets to control the music in the next round, how does that sound?

Age 8-12

Egg toss (level 2)
This game is great fun but can create a mess (that’s the cracking part). Anyway, you may wanna ask your guests to bring an extra t-shirt…

Pair up the kids and ask them to stand close to their partner. Give an uncooked egg to each pair. They now have to throw the egg to each other. Every time they catch the egg they must move one step away from each other. If a pair breaks the egg, they’re out of the game. Who’ll be the catchy winning pair…?

Treasure hunt
A treasure hunt is always a lot of fun, and you can easily design it according to those taking part.

For kids aged between 8 and 12, you could create small tasks which the kids have to solve before you give them the next clue. One task could be to ask the kids to find five previously hidden objects that don’t belong in a garden.

Or let the kids solve a mysterious riddle: It belongs to you, but your friends use it more. What is it? Answer: Your name.

Freeze dance
Dance, stop, dance! This game is fun for pre-teens and if you’re throwing a disco themed party.

Get all the kids out on the dance floor and play a crowd-pleaser. When you stop the music, everyone must freeze immediately and hold that position until the music begins again. Anyone who fails to do so is out of the game.

The last kid on the dance floor is announced the winner.