11 Games Perfect For Any Kids' Birthday Party (Slideshow)
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11 Games Perfect for Any Kids' Birthday Party
Kids get restless if they don't have activities planned, and a good afternoon can quickly turn into chaos if you don't have any games on the schedule. Luckily, planning out games for a kids' birthday party isn't a particularly difficult task. From new favorite board games to classic party activities, all a children's game needs is a solid structure, instructions that are easy for any age to follow, and adult supervision.
5 Second Rule
Quick! Name three states that begin with the letter "A" or three things that you brush. While these tasks seem like a snap, under the short time clock of five seconds, they become pressure-filled moments that lead to a lot of laughs. This board game exploded onto the scene a few years ago and remains a staple at parties. To bring it down to a child's level, sort through the cards and make some of your own, and don't be afraid to be lenient on how long five seconds really is.
Bingo
Sometimes you just have to rely on a classic to rally the kids together. Don't feel compelled to keep this classic callout game in its original BINGO and numbers format; it can be easily customized to fit the theme of your birthday party with a game template, pictures, and any fitting five-letter word.
Cake Walk
Take inspiration from this classic carnival game by making a "prize walk." To set up, arrange sheets of construction paper with numbers on them in a large circle on the floor. Also be sure to have small pieces of paper with corresponding numbers on them in a basket that you draw from and a table filled with prizes. Then, think musical chairs. Play music as the children walk around in a circle. When the music stops, the children stop on a number, and you draw a winning number. The child standing on that number picks a prize, the number is removed, and the game continues.
Hedbanz
This popular card game is a spin on the classic "Who am I?" party game. The board game comes complete with headbands, cards with kid-friendly items on them (dinosaur, hamburger, socks) and the children have to ask a series of yes or no questions to guess what they are. If you don't want to spare the money to buy this board game or want to stick to your party theme, this game is incredibly easy to make yourself with some notecards, a pen, and extra-sticky tape.
Pie Face Showdown
Though only two kids can play at once, this board game is spreading like wildfire. Two players place their chins on a chin rest as a small plate filled with whipped cream sits between them. Then, they need to rapidly press a button to avoid getting a pie in the face (and to ensure their rival gets a face full of whipped cream). This game is fun and easy, and even if you lose, you win a bunch of delicious whipped cream to eat.
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Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Like Bingo, there's no going wrong with a party classic like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. It's easily customizable for any party (pin the crown on the princess, pin the cherry on the cupcake, pin the eyepatch on the pirate) and easy enough for very young children to understand. You blindfold them, lead them to the hanging donkey (or whatever) on the wall, and whoever puts the object closest to its goal wins.
Plastic Wrap Presents
Before the party, buy a variety of small gifts and an industrial-sized box of plastic wrap. To start, place one present in the center and start forming a plastic wrap or newspaper ball around it. As you continue to layer the plastic wrap and build the ball, put in various other presents, such as candy, dollar bills, and little plastic toys. To play, one person will start by unwrapping the massive ball while the person to their right rolls a pair of dice, trying to get doubles. Once they land doubles, the gift ball will be passed on (and so on) until the prize at the center is revealed.
Red Light/Green Light
This game is good for getting a lot of energy out of a rambunctious pack of kids. One child (or adult) will stand at one end of your yard and act as the stop light while others acts as cars at the far end of the yard. The "stop light" will then call out "red light" or "green light." When the light is green, the "cars" will run toward the stop light. Whoever reaches the stop light first wins the round and is then designated the stop light.
Scavenger Hunt
Everyone knows the basic rules of a scavenger hunt. You make a list of items, perhaps hiding a few around the house, and the children race around to find them. Like many of the other games on this list, this game is perfect for a kids' birthday party because it's easy to understand, can easily be aided by an adult, and is easily customizable for whatever theme you choose.
Telestrations
This new board game is a hybrid between the classic game of Telephone and Pictionary. Each person gets a word they need to draw, such as "doggie bag" or "ski slope." Then, each person draws that phrase and passes the booklet to their right. Based off the drawing they receive, the next person has to write down a guess, pass it on, the next person draws the guessed phrase, and so on. The end result is just as funny as a game of telephone, with the added bonus of terrible illustrations.
Twister
First introduced in the 1960s, Twister has truly stood the test of time. Using the signature dotted plastic mat and a spinner, any number of children can twist and turn into pretzels and stumble onto the floor, resulting in plenty of giggles along the way.