| The most exciting part of a kids party is the party | | | | player touches the pole, he is out. |
| games, and why not start with the classics? We've all | | | | Twist: Pirate Limbo - adults hold a play sword; |
| played musical chairs, pin-the-tail, and limbo. But have | | | | Halloween Limbo - adults hold a witch's broom; Fairy |
| you played them like this? Learn how to give each | | | | Party - adults hold a magic wand |
| classic child party game idea its own unique twist to | | | | Another Twist: Water Limbo - Have an adult point a |
| fit your party theme. | | | | stream of water for kids to limbo under. Great for a |
| BEAN BAG TOSS/FEED THE MONSTER | | | | pool party! |
| Draw a monster face on a piece of poster board or | | | | MEMORY |
| heavy cardboard and cut a hole in the box where | | | | Place about 10 to 15 small items or toys such as a |
| the his mouth would be, large enough for the bean | | | | pencil, watch, comb, spoon, toy car, etc. on a tray |
| bags to be thrown through easily. Lean the monster | | | | and cover with a cloth. Have guests sit in a circle with |
| face against a chair and place it 6-8 feet away | | | | the tray in the middle. Remove the cloth for 60 |
| (depending upon the abilities of the guests). | | | | seconds while guests try to remember as many of |
| Everyone takes a turn tossing three items of "food" | | | | the objects as possible. When time is up, replace the |
| (use beanbags, cloth balls, rolled socks, or other small | | | | cloth. |
| objects such as squeak toys for dogs) into the | | | | Now, each person has to name an object on the |
| character's mouth. After each child'sturn, retrieve the | | | | tray. The first person to fail to name an object, |
| "food" and hand it to the next child. Every time a | | | | repeats an object or names something not on the |
| child successfully "feeds" the monster, he gets a | | | | tray is out. The tray is then removed and some or all |
| small prize such as a sticker or wrapped candy. | | | | of the objects replaced, and the game re-started |
| Twist: Use a character which relates to your party | | | | with the person following the one who is out. If the |
| theme instead of a monster: T-Rex for Dinosaur | | | | game is too easy for the group, add more objects |
| party; Clown for a Circus party; Gorilla for a Jungle | | | | or reduce the time. |
| Party | | | | Twist: Use whatever objects relate to your party |
| DUCK DUCK GOOSE | | | | theme: construction trucks for a Construction Party; |
| Gather your guests to sit in a circle and let the party | | | | make-up items for a Dress-Up Party |
| child begin as the "Goose." He/she walks around the | | | | MUSICAL CHAIRS |
| circle tapping each child lightly on the head, saying | | | | Set up one fewer chair than the number of guests |
| "Duck" with each tap. At any time, the party child | | | | at your party. Start the music and have the children |
| can choose the next person to be the Goose, by | | | | walk in a circle around the chairs, until you stop the |
| saying "Goose" when tapping that person on the | | | | music. When the music stops everyone tries to sit on |
| head. That child gets up and chases the birthday child | | | | a vacant chair. (Only one person per chair) The |
| around the circle. | | | | person who doesn't find a chair is out. One chair is |
| If the new Goose does not tag the birthday child | | | | taken away and the game continues until only one |
| before he/she makes it all the way around the circle | | | | person (the winner)is left. This game can also be |
| and sits in the open spot, then the new Goose | | | | played with pillows or cardboard pictures placed on |
| becomes "it." If the new Goose tags the birthday | | | | the floor for kids to jump on. |
| child, then the birthday child remains "it" for the next | | | | Twist: Musical Anthills for a Bug Party; Musical Islands |
| round and the game continues. | | | | for a Pirate Party; Musical Webs for a Spider Man |
| Twist: Buzz, Buzz, Sting for a Bug Party; Tick, Tick, | | | | Party |
| Tock for a Pirate Party | | | | PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY |
| GUESS HOW MANY? | | | | When it's time to play the game, mount your poster |
| Before the party, fill a jar with candy or small toys. | | | | on the wall and place a piece of tape on the back of |
| Count them before you put them into the jar. As | | | | each object the children will be pinning on the poster. |
| your guests arrive, have each one guess how many | | | | Blindfold each child, spin them around, and point them |
| toys or candies they think are in the jar. Write down | | | | toward the poster. The child who pins their object |
| each person's guess. At the end of the party, the | | | | closest to the designated spot, is the winner! |
| person who guesses the closest number is the | | | | Twist: Pin the nose on the clown; Pin the Tooth on |
| winner and gets to take home the jar. | | | | the T-Rex; Pin the Spider on the web for a Bug |
| Twist: Small plastic insects for a Bug Party, black and | | | | Party; Pin the X on the treasure map for a Pirate |
| orange jellybeans for a Halloween party; small plastic | | | | Party |
| dinosaurs for a Dinosaur Party | | | | SIMON SAYS |
| HOT POTATO | | | | Children stand in a group in front of the leader. The |
| Played like the classic Hot Potato game. Children sit in | | | | leader says, "Simon says, 'Do this,'" as she taps her |
| a circle and pass an item around while an adult leader | | | | head, claps her hands, turns around, etc. The children |
| plays music. The child holding the item when the | | | | must follow the leader's actions, but only if she |
| music stops is out. Last player left not holding the | | | | begins with "Simon says..." If the leader just says "Do |
| item is the winner. | | | | this," the children must do nothing. If a child makes a |
| Twist: Pass a big hairy toy spider for a Halloween | | | | mistake, he is out. The last child "in" is the winner. |
| party; rubber snake for a Western Party; teddy bear | | | | Twist: Change "Simon Says" to a character relating to |
| for a Teddy Bear Party | | | | your party's theme: "Blackbeard Says" for a Pirate |
| Another Twist: Cold Potato - Kids throw a water | | | | Party; "Spider Man Says" for a Spider Man Party; |
| balloon back and forth across the circle. The player | | | | "Cinderella Says" for a Princess Party. |
| holding it when it breaks is out. Last player left dry is | | | | SPIN THE BOTTLE (for opening gifts) |
| the winner. | | | | Direct guests to sit in a circle holding the gift they |
| LIMBO | | | | brought. The birthday child spins a soda bottle and |
| Two adults hold a pole, mop or broomstick at child's | | | | opens the gift of the party guest at whom the |
| height. Start the music (Caribbean is best). Children | | | | bottle is pointing when it stops. If it stops at a |
| must walk under the pole without touching it. After | | | | person that has already given a gift just go left until |
| each round, the adults lower the pole an inch or two. | | | | you find someone that hasn't had the gift they |
| When the pole gets very low, children may bend | | | | brought opened. A calm and quiet way to open gifts |
| backward and shimmy under, or even crawl. If a | | | | without all the pushing and shoving. |