Parties are usually about chatting and socializing, which could be boring! But kids parties are fun because all that you get to do is play, play and play until you are tired. If you are planning to host a party for your kids' birthday or any other occasion, you need to prepare for it with the right kind of activities.
Here are some fun-tastic party games for kids! Try these and we promise that your little guests will go home with a smile plastered on their face. We have divided the games into three categories - games for girls, boys, and both.Party games for girls and boys: When you need to engage boys and girls from different age groups, these games we have listed for you can help.
Find your partner: Finding easy party games for kids can be difficult. Or is it? We begin with this icebreaker game that will encourage the kids to interact with each other and have fun as well.
You will need: Post-its lPen l10-16 players
How to:
* Create a list of famous duos - the kids must know them too. Here are some examples -
lBatman and Robin lMickey and Minnie Mouse lCharlie Brown and Snoopy lHumpty and Dumpty lPopeye and Olive lPrince and Princess lKing and Queen lAsterix and Obelisk lLaurel and Hardy lCalvin and Hobbes
* Write these names (separately) on post-its and pin each name to a kid. If the kids do not know the partners, then write the names of partners on a board or a chart for kids to see.
* Ensure that everyone gets a partner.
* If you have an odd number, make a triplet.
* Ask the kids to go around the room and look for their partner.
Greetings, O' great one: This game makes it a must for kids to greet each other in a fun, dramatic way. We guarantee a lot of giggles from this one.
You will need: A blindfold l10-16 players
How to:
* Pick a child to be 'It' and blindfold him or her. Let the other kids form a circle around It.
* Turn them around three times or more and leave them there.
* One of the kids from the circle should go to the player in the center and say "Greetings, O' Great One' in a masked voice.
* If it recognizes the person correctly, the person will become It, and the game continues.
Pin the tail on the donkey: One of the best birthday party games for kids, pin the tail on the donkey will never get boring. You will have fun watching the kids play this one.
You will need: A large cardboard with a picture or drawing of a donkey without a tail. lA tail for the donkey lBlu-tak lA blindfold l6-8 players
How to:
* Place the cardboard at a height that the children can reach.
* Attach the Blu-tak to the top end of the tail.
* Pick a kid and blindfold him.
* Give him the tail with the Blu-tak and ask him to attach the tail at the right place on the cardboard.
* The others can guide the child. The kids who can pin the tail correctly get a gift.
Shadow bluff: Can your kids recognize a person by his shadow? Find out with this entertaining party game for kids.
You will need: A white curtain lA strong light or battery-operated torch lSpace win the room - preferably an empty wall to cast the shadows on l6-8 players
How to:
* Choose one child to be "It".
* Set up the curtain between the wall and the doorway. Let it sit near the wall, behind the curtain.
* While it watches the curtain - the other kids will come and stand silently between the light and the curtain.
* It has to guess who the child is, based on the shadow.
* If it guesses right, the other kid becomes it, and the game continues!
Party games for girls: No, these games for kids party are not 'girly'. They just demand less physical force and more use of the girls' gray cells.
Who has the Button? This is a simple game that requires only a simple button from a shirt, coat, or skirt. And it also needs all the attention from the girls. It can be played with younger kids too.
You will need: A regular-sized button l10-12 players
How to:
* Gather the girls in a circle, and ask them to hold their hands together such that their palms touch their fingers.
* Choose one person to be It and ask her to stand in the center of the circle. It should also hold her hands together like the others.
* It takes the button and goes around the circle, putting her hands between the palms of each girl, and secretly drops the button with one of the other players (the other player must not reveal that she received the button).
* Once the circle is complete, It comes back to her position, and the girls say "Button, button, who has the button?"
* Anyone in the circle can guess who has the button - if they guess right, they become It and start the next round!
What's in the Bag? That's the question the girls have to answer, but they cannot look into the bag! This is a fun game that you can organize for your daughter and her friends.
You will need: A bag, preferably a satchel lObjects to put in the bag l8-10 players
How to:
* Select a few objects such as cotton wool, a vegetable, a piece of jewelry, a toy or anything else that can go into the bag.
* Let the girls sit in another room, while you put something in the bag.
* Ask one of the girls to figure out what is in the bag without peeking into it.
* Pass the bag until one of the girls gets it right!
* The one with most guesses gets a gift!
Name game: This is similar to the game called Twenty Questions. However, the roles are reversed. Confused? Read on, and you will know.
You will need: Post-its lPen l6-10 players
How to:
* Write a name of a famous person on the post-it. Prepare as many post-its as you want.
* Get the girls to sit in a group. You can also make teams if you want. One of them will be It.
* Stick one of the post-its on Its forehead. Make sure that It does not see what's written on the forehead.
* It has to ask a series of questions to the girls to guess who she is or what's written on the post-it!
Party games for boys: Boys, boys - they like to run around and show off their physical strength. Engaging the little men such that their energy is put to good use is what you will be doing with these fun party activities for kids.
Chopsticks: Chopsticks are for eating food. So what are we talking about here? Keep reading to know.
You will need: Chopsticks - as many pairs as there are kids l5-8 players
How to:
* Get the children to sit at the table.
* Give them a pair of chopsticks.
* Place a hand towel in front of them and put around ten raisins on it.
* Set another cup or plate in front of them and ask them to transfer the raisins from the towel to the cup.
* See who manages to transfer most or all of the raisins to the cup.
Sleeping lions: This makes a great game for a slumber party. It can also be played on other occasions when things get out of control and kids need to be calmed.
You will need: Floor space for the kids to sleep l6-8 players
How to:
* Get the kids to lie down on the floor, and pretend to be sleeping like the lions.
* An adult or a child can be chosen to walk around the sleeping lions and try to disturb them by tickling them, shaking them, etc. (no violent or aggressive methods).
* The objective is to get the lions to move, while the lions try to not move or be disturbed by the person.
Try these party games ideas for kids aged between five and 12. Younger kids may not be able to play all the games, while the older ones and teens may find them boring. But if you tweak them a little, these games can be enjoyed even by adults!
The writer is a freelance contributor. ------------Sagari Gongala
The write-up has appeared on
www.momjunction.com