Good Party Games for Children

Blind Man’s Bluff

This game is best played in a spacious area, either outdoors or in a large room, where one child is blindfolded and “it”. Whoever is “it” must grope around, unable to see, in order to catch the other players, who must in turn avoid being caught, hiding in plain sight.

Whoever is caught becomes the next player to be “it”.

Pass the Parcel

Pass the Parcel is a simple and fun game that children can enjoy at parties. Simply wrap a small gift, and then take this first parcel and wrap it again, adding several layers until a large parcel is made. You can add more small prizes at each layer.

Sit the children in a circle and start playing some jolly music, passing the parcel around until the music stops. When it does stop, the child holding the parcel gets to unwrap one layer and keep the present inside. When each layer has been peeled away and the final present is left, that child wins the game.

Apple Bobbing

Although apple bobbing is traditionally played at Halloween parties, it is an excellent game for birthday parties too. All you need is a large bowl of water containing lots of bobbing apples. Each child has their hands tied behind their back and they have to pick up an apple with their teeth. Adults must remember to supervise children when they are playing with or near water.

Musical Chairs

This game is similar to other musical games that are popular at parties, including “Musical Statues” and “Pass the Parcel”. Make a row of chairs in the middle of the room, with one less chair than there are children. Gather the kids together, playing some happy music so that they can dance around the chairs until the music stops. When the music stops, each child has to sit down on a chair.

The child who is slowest to sit down will be left standing and out of the game. One chair is taken away each time until there is only one person sitting – the winner of the game.

Pin the Tail on the Donkey

This game works by painting a picture of a donkey and pinning it on a wall. The donkey has everything drawn on except for a tail. The tail is a piece of rope that has to be pinned on. Like “Blind Man’s Bluff” this game is played with each child taking turns wearing a blindfold and trying to pin the tail on the donkey. The winner is the person who tags the tail nearest to where it should be.