Fun birthday party games to keep everyone entertained, along with some simple decorating ideas.
Sticky Party Game
Something fun for the kids to do - Get those silly blow out party blowers
for kids birthday parties - unroll each one and on the end put a small piece of stick on
Velcro - this now becomes your frog's long sticky tongue - give one to each child and make
bugs from felt and have the kids try to "catch" the bugs with their tongues!
Ice Breaker
Games
International Theme -
"We
are all Americans Game"
Highlight the different backgrounds of your guests. Use
flags from different countries. Use foods from around the world...booths with
different foods to try. Create a poster with hands of different colors and write on each
hand the word HELLO in a different language.
Game: As guests arrive give them a list of twenty five
countries. On a table in the room have
flags or pictures of flags . Have guests figure out
which flags go with each country.
Community Theme -
"Hats
Off to our Community Game"
Use a hat motif.
Put together a fashion show of hats throughout history. Put guests in groups and
form circles. Provide battered hats for all contestants except one. Then the music starts,
each contestant will grab the hat from the person in front of him/her and place it on
his/her head. When the music stops whoever is not wearing a hat is out. Continue until
only one is left in each group. Award a small prize.
Peanut Hunt Game
Before guests arrive, hide peanuts around the room/hall. Divide guest
into groups of 5-10. Assign a captain for each group. Give each group a barnyard animal
name. Only the captain may touch the peanuts. Guests hunt peanuts; when they find some,
they must make the animal sound to attract the captain. He/she them comes and picks up the
peanuts. This is hilarious!
200
Treasure Toys
BINGO
Make up BINGO cards for guests.
Each square on the card includes a brief description. (Examples: Visited
Florida , Is an avid water-skier, Has brother and sister, Was born in another country,
Lives nearest the school, Knows how to ski, Didn't see the movie "Titanic,"
Likes anchovies on pizza, Was born in the same month as you, Favorite subject in school,
Has an ear pierced more than once, Father's name is "Jim," Read more than one
book this winter, Speaks two languages, Has two Pets...etc.) Guests must walk around the
room and get the signature of someone who fits the specific description in each box. The
goal is to be the first to fill the BINGO card with signatures. To make it harder, have
guests fill every square with a different signature and set a time limit. When a guest has
a BINGO (one name signed per square) give them a small prize.
An alternative: Set this up as a scavenger hunt with a series of
questions, each question with a line beside it. Guests are given a time limit to circle
the room and find someone who has "been there, done that." That
"someone" writes her/his name in the blank space.
"Getting to
Know
You Game"
Each guest is given a sticker to put on his/her hand when they enter the
room. Be sure there is a partner (matching sticker) for every guest, and when the time
comes ask guests to find their partners and interview them (name, occupation, hobbies,
etc.). Then, each interviewer is responsible for introducing each interviewee to the at
least 2-3 other guests. You might find that guests find it less threatening when someone
else shares information about them than when they are asked to share about themselves.
"One
Big Community" - Puzzle Piece Search
Required: Precut puzzle pieces and open table Players: Small to medium
groups You can do this with a pre-made puzzle or use a large unwanted poster and cut into
several pieces depending on the number of players. Hide pieces throughout the room while
players are out of the room. Have a table or work area where the puzzle can be
reassembled. When a player finds a piece they are to bring it to the table to fit it
together with the other pieces. Once they have found where that piece goes they are off
searching for another piece of the puzzle. At the end, have the players think about all
those pieces, each one a different shape, size and color but they all come together to
become one big community.
Scavenger Hunt Game
Required: Just a pencil and paper
Great game for adult groups, great icebreaker!!!
Make a list of things for teams to look for through their wallets, purses, and possibly
what’s on their bodies. Divide into teams by tables, pairs, individuals or what seems
best. Here is a list of ideas of what they can look for but modify the list to your
liking. Do not list where they might find these items. 1975 Penny, $2 bill, $100 bill, red
ribbon (found in a bible), hologram (usually found on a credit card, don’t tell them
this!!!), a bird (usually found on a credit card), pick a few states from the new quarters
(Delaware, Michigan, Florida), pearl (earring or ring), black sock, roman numeral (found
on a watch), Susan B Anthony dollar, picture of a tree, tic tac, paper clip, measuring
tape, ruler, peppermint candy, toothpick, the word Moses (if they have a bible), M&M,
Tums, children’s Tylenol, thermometer, white button, pink nail polish, screw driver,
nose ring, tweezers, mirror, ankle bracelet, red hair, raisin, triangle, charge slip over
$200 and so on. Make a list and copy off the list for each team. Have them check off which
items they have, the team with the most checked off, wins!!!! At the end, tell them where
they could have found some of the items.
Group Games
Conductors Train Ride
Ages 7 – 11 / Players needed 8 – 18
- Sit in a circle with your guests.
- Explain the game as follows: "You are going on a train trip.
Everyone wants to go on the trip but no one can go unless the Conductor says they can join
the club and have what they need for the trip. If you have what you need you can board to
train for the trip but if not you have to wait until your next turn to tell what you would
bring. There is a trick connected with what the conductor would like to have you bring but
I can’t tell you that until the end of the game. If you listen carefully you may be
able to figure it out." (Here's the trick; each person must bring something along
which begins with the same letter of their name…to make it more challenging you may
have them use first and last name initials and bring two objects.)
- Begin by telling your guests what you would bring on the trip. Don’t
hint that it has anything to do with your name. If your name is Jerry Smith, say
"I’m going on a train trip and I’m taking a "jacket"
and a "suitcase". Encourage one-word answers such as "cake" rather than "a piece of
cake."
- Go around the circle counterclockwise, asking each child in turn what
he/she would bring. If someone uses your answer, but has different initials, explain that
you can go on the trip but the Conductor won’t let them on the train with the same
items. Someone may guess correctly purely by accident. Capitalize on that guess by
repeating: Bobby can bring a "basketball", Scott can bring a "soda",
and Amber can bring an "apple", what can you bring?
- If the game drags on with no correct guesses, try this: Shane just
guessed a "flashlight", he can’t get on the trip, neither can Eddie, but
Frank could go with a "flashlight".
- The trick will soon become clear to the majority of your guests. Suggest
that they explain it to those who still don’t understand.
Variation – For Halloween have them join the Witch’s broom
trip, at Christmas the Santa sleigh ride, at Easter the Bunny’s road trip.
ESP Game
To play this game have your guest sit in a circle. You will need an
assistant for this game and explain the game ahead of time to your assistant.
When the guests are seated in the circle explain that you have one guest
who has ESP and you are going to ask him/her to demonstrate.
Ask the assistant to leave the room (out of sight) but remain within
hearing distance. You will point to one guest in the circle and ask your assistant who you
are pointing to. The assistant should be able to answer without any hesitation. Ask the
assistant to come back into the room and repeat the trick a second time.
Get your guest guessing: "How does it work?" Your guest should
be the ones who try to figure out the trick. After several rounds some guests may begin to
catch on. If someone thinks they know your trick allow them to tell you what they think
your ESP trick is but go outside the room so as to not tip off the other guests.
Here is how it works. When you and your assistant give the directions
and your assistant leaves the room pay attention to the last guest who made a comment or
spoke to either of you. You point to the person in the room that was the last one to speak
before the assistant left the room. It is a simple trick but you’ll be surprised how
many people you can catch in this ESP game.
Railroad Crossing
Game
- Sit in a circle with your guests.
- Tell them you are going to ask them to say something. Also tell them
there is a trick to the game.
- Say "Railroad crossing lookout for the cars - can you say that
without any R’s" without emphasizing any of the words. Ask the guest to try what
you told him. Go right around the circle.
- If someone says the phrase correctly, indicate at the end who it was.
(The trick is that you are telling the guest to say that without saying
anything else. Thus the only correct response is just the single word "that")
- If no one said the phrase correctly, go around the circle again. Most
children will try to imitate an inflection in your voice. Or perhaps they will try to copy
the position of your feet or hands.
