30 Kid Birthday Party Games Guaranteed to Bring Laughter and Joy
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When you look back at your childhood and remember some of your very best birthday parties, you likely recall eating that delicious Funfetti cake, the balloons and confetti, and the thoughtful presents you opened. But perhaps most of all, you remember all the fun birthday party games you played as a kid. After all, the party and birthday festivities really got started when the piñata or Pin the Tail on the Donkey came out.
And as it turns out, things aren’t so different today! A lot of your favorite kid birthday party games from back in the day continue to be popular. Classics continue to endure, like treasure hunts, sack races, and Hide-and-Seek. These easy and simple games are always a home run for children’s birthday parties, and if you need to jog your memory, we’ve included some of the very best on our list.
Then there are some new ones to try. For instance, some of the latest crazes for birthday parties include “Prize Punch Boxes,” a ring toss with a twist (think: glow in the dark), and DIY games you and your child can make together ahead of the party.
So, once you’ve decided on a birthday cake to make and picked out the perfect birthday Instagram caption to celebrate the day, read through this list of entertaining birthday party game ideas to make the festivities for kids of all ages interesting and boredom-free (P.S. adults will love these games, too!).
Musical Chairs
You remember how Musical Chairs goes: Set up chairs in a circle, one less than the number of party guests. Start playing music (Taylor Swift might be a fun choice!), and when the music stops, everyone has to find their seat. If you don’t find a seat, you’re out. But if you’re the last one seated, you win.
Would You Rather?
Would You Rather? is a game that’s guaranteed to get the giggles going. And it’s a great way to get to know your friends even better! Skip To My Lou provides printables of the questions, making planning for this game a breeze. It’s just the thing for a birthday slumber party!
Get the full Would You Rather? tutorial at Skip To My Lou.
Pink Prize Punch Board
Here’s another twist on the prize punch board. Theme it to the colors used in party decorations! For instance, if you’re throwing a pink party, you can make this one from The DIY Nuts. Outfit it in the birthday kid’s very favorite colors for a personal touch.
Get the full Pink Prize Punch Board at The DIY Nuts.
Memory Game
According to Meri Meri, this is a calming game the kiddos can play before heading home to their parents. Fill a tray with memorable objects, which can be themed to the party. Set a timer for one minute as the kids look over the objects. When time is up, take away the tray. The kids will write down as many things as they can remember from the tray. The kid who remembers the most objects wins.
Get the full Memory Game tutorial at Meri Meri.
Birthday Bingo
Bingo is always a good time! And now, you can purchase a set of 24 bingo cards that are adorable and birthday-themed. Little crowns serve as the bingo pieces. Keep some great prizes on hand for the bingo winners.
Candy Bar Game
Place several candy bars in the middle of a group of kids in a circle. One player will roll the dice. If they roll a 7 or 11, they’ll get to pick a candy bar from the pile in the middle or steal one from a fellow player. Continue rolling the dice until the candy bars are gone.
Get the full Candy Bar Game tutorial at Play Party Plan.
Limbo
It’s Limbo time! Whether party guests are toddlers, as seen on A Visual Merriment, or older kids, like tweens, pretty much everyone loves to limbo. Hold a piece of rope with a partner and bring it lower and lower. See who can limbo their way to being the winner.
Get the full Limbo tutorial at A Visual Merriment.
Egg and Spoon Race
Set up a course for this game of balance in your backyard, with a starting line and finish line. Each player or team will be given a spoon and an egg. Players will have to prevent their eggs from falling off the spoons. The first player or team to cross the finish line with an intact egg wins.
Pass the Parcel
This is a twist on Musical Chairs. Wrap a small gift in wrapping paper or tissue paper. The kids will get into a circle and pass around the parcel while music is playing. When the music stops playing, the child holding the parcel will get to remove a layer of paper. The kiddo who takes off the last layer of paper wins the prize inside!
Banana-Themed Prize Punch Box
A prize punch box is sort of like a piñata, but instead of having all the prizes come out at once, guests can win them one by one! The kids will take turns punching through the tissue paper until a hole is made and the prizes are revealed. There are lots of ways to theme prize punch boxes.
Get the full Banana-Themed Prize Punch Boxes tutorial at Lovely Indeed.
Obstacle Course
An obstacle course is a classic party game that the kids will enjoy. And it will inspire some competitiveness! See who can make it the quickest through challenges. This can include skipping through pool noodles made into circles, as seen here through Just Measuring Up, or balancing on a balance beam (or a piece of tape on the ground), and using cardboard boxes to make tunnels to crawl through.
Get the full Obstacle Course tutorial at Just Measuring Up.
Rainbow Punch Piñata
How about a rainbow take on the prize punch box game? As seen through Made with Happy, each circle is a color of the rainbow. Like other prize punch games, guests will each take turns punching the paper until they win prizes. Bonus points if the guests wear colorful outfits, too!
Get the full Rainbow Punch Piñata tutorial at Made with Happy.
Pin the Tail
Whether it’s Pin the Tail on the Donkey or another creature (mermaid or llama perhaps?), you can’t go wrong with this game. The guests will line up and get blindfolded. Each person will try to get as close as possible to “pinning” on the tail (or tape or a Glue Dot placed behind the tail). The one who is closest to the tail wins the prize.
Glow-in-the-Dark Ring Toss
Perfect for a nighttime soireé! Gather the kids into the backyard for a glow-in-the-dark version of the classic ring toss game. Each peg is marked with points. See who can score the highest number of points by the end of the game.
DIY Party Hats
With this kit, guests can make their own silly party hats. Turn it into a competition and it will act as a DIY activity and a game. Have awards and prizes ready for every guest. For example, you can hand out awards for “Funniest Face” or “Cutest Hat.”
Rainbow Stacking Game
For a birthday party that’s oh-so colorful, consider making this rainbow version of giant Jenga from A Kailo Chic Life. Use the colorful stacked-up blocks as a piece of party decor. Then the guests can play it as a party game. See who can keep the tower up the longest.
Get the full Rainbow Stacking Game tutorial at A Kailo Chic Life.
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Three-Legged Race
This one will take you back to your childhood! The kids won’t be able to stop laughing during a three-legged race. Partner the kids up and use thick cord to tie their legs (just tell them to hop carefully so no one gets hurt!). The team to cross the finish line first wins.
Treasure Hunt
Make treasure maps of your backyard (don’t worry — professional art skills aren’t necessary!). “X” marks the spot of a major prize. Kids can go solo or team up to find the prize. As a bonus, place the prize in a small treasure chest, and the kids will feel like pirates in no time.
Bubble Wrap Twister
Twister is definitely a go-to birthday party game! But to mix it up, why not create a version on bubble wrap? That way, guests will make the wrap “pop” every time they put a foot or hand down.
Get the full Bubble Wrap Twister tutorial at Chica Circle.
Photo Scavenger Hunt
Take photos of spots around your backyard or a local park and put them all on sheets to hand out to the kids. Think: Tree bark, a chain on a swing set, or other close-up things that might be tough to find. Put checkmarks next to each photo. The kids will check off the items as they run around and find them, and the winning team gets prizes.
Flamingo Ring Toss
If you’re throwing a beach-themed bash or having a birthday pool party, this is the perfect game to play! For a variation on ring toss, use plastic pink lawn flamingos and follow these steps from Sugar & Cloth. Put them in planters filled with sand to keep them sturdy. The one who can land the most rings on a flamingo wins.
Get the full Flamingo Ring Toss tutorial at Sugar & Cloth.
Cupcake Decorating Contest
Get out all the cupcake-making supplies, because it’s time to have a contest! Between the tiny candies, frosting, and sprinkles, party guests can let their creativity shine. Assign different awards to the cupcakes. “Most Colorful” and “Tallest Pile of Frosting” would be good ones!
RELATED: The Little Bakers in Your Life Need These Birthday Gifts
Bean Bag Toss
Like the game played at the carnival, create your own bean bag toss game for a party, as seen through this astronaut-themed party on The Happy Flammily. Purchase bean bags. Then assign points to several buckets. The one with the most points is the winner.
Get the full Bean Bag Toss tutorial at The Happy Flammily.
Hide-and-Seek
Hide-and-Seek is always fun! And you know what’s also great? No supplies are needed! All you need is a backyard full of good hiding spots.
RELATED: Fun Two-Player Board Games All Kids Will Enjoy
Twister Ultimate
This is Twister like you’ve never played it before! Nowadays, there’s “Ultimate” Twister. That means it’s a larger mat with a whole lot more spots. The greater challenge will make the game even more fun to play.
Pom Pom Game
Follow the steps on Delineate Your Dwelling and make this cute game. Make the pom poms (or purchase some if you’re strapped for time). Paint a few flowers onto a large sheet of paper. Guests will each be spun around three times before they try to put a pom pom onto a flower. See who can get the closest!
Get the full Pom Pom Game tutorial at Delineate Your Dwelling.
Carnival Games
Turn your backyard into a carnival! This is a lot easier than taking a birthday party full of kids to an actual carnival, right? Instead, bring the games to you with this kit that has everything you’ll need. Toss rings, knock down cans, throw bean bags, and more.
Water Balloon Toss
Whether it’s a pool party or a hot summer day, this game is just the thing. Partner the kids up and have them line up with each one facing their partner, a little distance away. Each kid will *carefully* toss the water balloon to their partner. For an added challenge, have the kids take one step back each time. The last team with an unbroken water balloon wins.
Sack Race
Does it get any more classic than a Sack Race? You can purchase burlap sacks (they make Sack Race kits these days!), choose a starting line and finish line in the backyard, and boom! Then the kids will get into their sacks and see who can hop the fastest.
Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It games are super popular at birthday parties, and there are lots of ways to play the game. As Mom of 6 details, in one minute each, players will take on different challenges. For instance, can you move a cookie from your forehead to your mouth in under a minute? Stack five apples on top of each other? Move Skittles with a straw?
Get the full Minute to Win It tutorial at Mom of 6.
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