1            Egg toss 

Have your guests pair up and stand close to each other to start. They start by playing catch with the egg. If they both catch it, they each take one step backwards and do it again. For smaller kids you might want to use hard boiled eggs; for tweens and up it’s more fun with eggs that haven’t been cooked

2          Pass the parcel

Get a few small presents and wrap them in multiple layers of wrapping paper. Everyone sits in a circle and passes the parcel to the person beside them while the music plays. When the music stops, the person holding the present removes a layer of paper until someone finds the present!

3          Musical chairs

This classic party game has no shortage of variations! All you need are enough chairs for all of your guests, some music, and a bit of imagination.

4          Balloon pop

You can’t have a proper party without balloons! Here’s a game for the end of your event: everyone tries to pop as many balloons as they can.

5          Balloon surprise

Here’s another fun idea with a slight variation on the previous game: Fill enough balloons for each guest with a small prize. Everyone picks a balloon and has to break it but can only do so by sitting on it. 

6          Who or what am I?

This board game can be transformed into a party game that everyone can play. Everyone takes a card with the name of a person or thing on it, and they tape it to their forehead without looking. Then guests have to ask each other questions to figure out who or what they are.

7          Duck, duck, goose

In this classic game, the kids sit in a circle except for one person, who walks around the circle patting each person gently on the head and saying ”duck” or “goose.” When they say “goose,” that person has to chase the head patter around the circle back to their spot in the group.

8Red light, green light

One person stands on one side and everyone else stands in a line facing him or her on the other side. When the person says “green light,” everyone moves forward. When they say “red light” everyone has to freeze. Anyone caught moving has to go back to the starting line.

9          Sack race

For this game you’re going to need a bunch of burlap sacks, or even pillow cases will do. Everyone gets inside a sack and then they race to the finishing line, jumping the whole way!

10Obstacle course

This can be organized outside or inside. Make the kids run, jump, move through tunnels and slide under strings as they navigate an obstacle course in your house or in the yard.

11          Bean bag toss

Grab some paper plates and write different numbers of points on them, like 10, 20, 30 and 40. Have everyone stand behind a line and toss their bean bags. Then tally up the points to find the high scorers.

12Dice stacking

This is a great game for older kids. Everyone puts a wide popsicle stick in their mouth. The goal is to stack six dice on the end of the stick and hold it without falling for five seconds.

13          Musical statues

Everyone dances to music but as soon as the song stops, everyone has to freeze. Those who don’t stop fast enough are eliminated.

14Three-legged race

You’ll need to get outside for this one. Have everyone pair up with someone else who is similar in height. Have them stand side by side and use scarves or fabric strips to tie each pairs’ inner legs together. Then let the race begin!

15   The pasta challenge

Each player holds one piece of uncooked spaghetti in their mouth and must use it to pick up five pieces of penne pasta.

16Breakfast puzzle

For this one you’re going to have to save as many cereal boxes as possible. Cut them up into small squares and give them out to your guests. The person or team to put together the cereal box puzzle the fastest wins!

17   Feathers in the air

Everyone gets a feather and they have to blow it and keep it up in the air. Whoever does it for the longest time wins. Feathers can be replaced by balloons in this game as well.

18         Ball grab

Fill several buckets with water and fill them with balls of all sizes. Have the kids pair up, take off their socks and shoes and roll up their pants. They can share buckets. From a sitting position, everyone puts their feet in the buckets and has to get out as many balls as they can with their feet.

19   Indoor bowling

Set up a tower or pyramid with large paper cups and give the kids balls. Let them take turns bowling and trying to knock down the cups.

20        Ring toss

You can use construction cones, stakes in the ground, or anything else “tall.” Get a few rings and have the kids try to throw them onto the cones.

21          Balloon catch

If your party’s in summer, fill up a bunch of water balloons and have the kids play catch, until they break, of course!

22      Lego spoon race

Fill up a bowl or bucket with Legos and place the other one on the other side of the room or yard. Kids line up behind the first bowl and, one at a time and with a spoon, they have to scoop the Legos out and carry them to the other bowl without dropping them.

23Balloon funnel catch

Blow up enough balloons and make enough paper funnels so that each child has one of each. Then throw the balloons up in the air and the kids have to catch them in their funnels.

24        Pantomime

Before the party draw around 20 pictures on index cards. One person looks at the cards and then has to act out what they see while everyone else tries to guess what it is.

25Bubble wrap competition

Lay out an extra large piece of bubble wrap that either covers the floor or a big section of the yard. Kids take off their shoes and socks and try to cross from one side to the other without popping any of the bubbles.

26The doughnut challenge

This is one of our favorite birthday party games. Tie a rope to something strong (like a tree branch if you’re outside) and then use ribbons to tie a doughnut to the ropes so that they’re hanging in the air. One at a time, the kids have to try to eat the doughnut off the ribbon without it falling to the ground and without using their hands.

27  Dress-up relay race

Create small teams and give each team a bag full of clothes. One person has to put on all of the clothes and then run to a designated point and back to his or her team. Then he or she has to remove all the clothing and the next person has to do the same.

28 Egg and spoon race

Test your guests’ coordination and balance with this one! Kids have to balance a hard-boiled egg on a spoon and race from one spot to another without dropping it. If it falls they have to start over.

29         Mummy wrap

Pair off the kids and give them rolls of toilet paper. The first team to entirely wrap one member up like a mummy wins.

30         Make a play

This is a great game for slightly older kids. Create small groups and give each one a bag with props, which can be anything from kitchen utensils to toys. Then each group has to come up with a skit using the props and perform it for the rest of the kids.

31Pin the tail on the donkey

This is a classic game that can be adapted to any party theme. Skip the donkey and use a picture of a pirate, Elsa, Spiderman, or whoever or whatever is appropriate. Take turns blindfolding the kids and spinning them around and then letting them have a go!

32           Memory

Create a tray with a handful of small, random objects and cover it with a cloth or towel. Let kids look at the tray for a minute (no touching!) and then cover it back up. Have them write down all of the things they remember.

33           Under and over

Have your party guests create two lines/teams. Use a ball (or a water balloon if it’s summer). The first person passes it over their head backwards to the person behind him or her. That person passes it under their legs to the person behind him or her. This continues, alternating, until reaching the last person and then goes backwards to the first person in the line. The first team that finishes, wins!

34      Chocolate feast

For kids five and up, this is a popular one. The kids make a circle with an unwrapped bar of chocolate in the middle of them. They roll a dice and the first person to roll a six puts on a hat, a scarf and gloves and starts eating the chocolate bar with a fork and knife. The other kids roll the dice and until the next person rolls a six. Then that person has to put on the clothes and gets to eat with the fork and knife.

35Hot potato

This is a great game for kids of all ages. Everyone sits or stands in a circle and they pass something small and round (a ball, a toy, etc.) the group while music is playing. When the music stops, the person holding the “hot potato” is out.

36Tug of war

Mark a spot on the ground as the “middle” and organize two teams on either side. The goal is for one team to pull the other team across the mark on the ground.

37Scavenger hunt 

There are so many ways to organize a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt, and the best part is that you can do it inside or outside your home. Get creative and let your kids have a blast!

38           Draw me

Pair everyone off and give them a small bag with household items. The partners sit back to back, one holds the bag and the other has a pen and paper. The partner with the items has to describe them to the other person but cannot say their name. The other person has to draw them. For every item they get right, that team gets a point.