Some might say the cake is the star of a kid's birthday party. If you'd ask the kids though, they would probably say the games. Kids' birthday games take up a large portion of a kids' party. A birthday party game can even set the tone for the party. A boring game can cause distracted complaining kids while an interesting game can help kids stay busy and have fun. No matter what the games, they are a main component that will make the party a success. Does this Spark an idea?
Function
Birthday party games are played to have fun, but they can also serve a deeper function. Frequently at birthday parties, there is a mix of children. The children can be different ages or they may not know each other already. In addition, kids have different personalities. Birthday party games serve as a way to bring all the different ages, personalities and new faces together. They break the ice and gather all the kids into group activities they can share. Finally, birthday party games can teach sportsmanship, confidence and encourage friendships.
Types
Kid's birthday party games can be categorized several different ways. They can be indoor or outdoor games or low or high activity games. From there, party games for kid's birthday parties can be categorized further into types, such as balloon games, brainteasers, races and more. A game can be as simple as playing a boxed game such as Twister. It can also be something that includes specific instructions and parts created from scratch. There are literally hundreds of birthday party games for kids.
Balloon Game Ideas
Balloon games are very popular at kid's birthday parties. There are several games you can play:
Balloon race--Fill balloons with water. Have the kids get their balloons to the finishing line. The catch is they have to do it with the balloon on the ground and pushing it with their nose.
Target game--Place a target somewhere in the room. Have the kids stand a few feet away and blow up a balloon but don't tie it. Have them let go so the balloon deflates as it goes across the room. The one that lands closest to the target wins.
Balloon hunt--Before the party, write numbers on small pieces of paper and fold them up. Place inside the balloon then blow it up and tie it. Number a variety of small prizes with corresponding numbers. Hide the balloons around the house. The kids can hunt for them and when they find them, pop the balloon and give them the prize that matches the number on the paper.
Brain Teasers
Brain teaser games can be fun if they aren't too complicated. They are perfect for indoor birthday parties too especially in smaller spaces. Try some of these:
Pass the message game--Have the kids sit in a circle. Whisper a phrase in the first child's ear. The child whispers in the next child's ear and so on and so on until the last child has heard the message. The last child then repeats what they have heard which is almost always completely different then the initial phrase. Some end results can be pretty funny.
Memory game--Place a lot of individual small items on a tray. Give the kids a piece of paper and a pencil. Allow them to look at the items a few minutes then take the tray away and remove a few things. Show the kids the tray again and have them write down what is missing
Outside Games
Outside games are great for letting the birthday party guests run off energy created by birthday party excitement. These games are usually for older kids, as most can be competitive:
Pinata--This game is a favorite of kids. You hand up a container full of candy and the kids are blindfolded one by one and allowed to hit at it with a stick. When the pinata breaks, they get to gather the candy and toys that fall from it. There are pinatas sold in stores in all kinds of animals shapes.
Egg run race--In this race, the child must be the first to get an egg from the start to the finish line. However, they have to do it by placing the egg in a tablespoon and keep it from falling off while running.
Hula Hoop race--Another race game, where the children run to the finish while twirling the Hula Hoop without letting it touch the ground.
Considerations
These are just a few ideas out of hundreds of kid's birthday party games. When choosing games, take into consideration the age of the child, how many children there are and where it will be played. Try to choose a variety of games so that there will be something that each child will be interested in. When playing balloon party games, make sure the age is appropriate to play the game because younger children can choke on deflated and broken balloons
