Popular Party Games for Kids   

Finding a theme for a child’s birthday can often be a lot easier than figuring out what to do with all the kids once they are at the party. 

Read on to find some ideas for kids birthday parties that will help keep the troops entertained.  

Life Size Candyland 

This will take some work and creativity, but a life size game of Candyland set up and played in your backyard will not quickly be forgotten.  

Pinatas 

Kids love to eat candy and they love to destroy things. Pinatas combine those two activities into one. If you’re doing a theme birthday party, you will more than likely be able to find a piñata based on the theme. Most major cartoon characters are available in piñata form at local party supply stores.  

Just be sure that this game is heavily supervised and that the swinging of the stick only takes place in the designated area.  

Pick a Duck 

This is a very simple game for small children in which everyone can be a winner. Buy a dozen or so rubber ducks and write a number on the bottom with a waterproof marker. Then, once the ink dries, float the ducks in a small wading pool or something similar. The children are allowed to choose a duck and they get a prize that is in a bag or bin with the number that corresponds to the number on their duck.  

Who Am I? 

This game is fun for kids who are 7 and older.  One person is selected from the group.  The rest of the kids form a circle. The person who was selected has a piece of paper taped to his back with the name of a famous character or person.  Then he goes to the center of the circle where he asks questions in an attempt to figure out the identity of the person written on the piece of paper.  

The fewer the questions it takes to figure it out, the higher the score.  

General Tips 

It’s a good idea to have a prize for every child. Even if you are of the mindset that children should be taught to lose gracefully, you have to decide if your child’s birthday party is the place that you want to evoke the cries of injustice from the toddlers who disagree with you.  

Also, keep in mind that if a game does not appear to be a hit, it’s perfectly ok to stop and move onto something else.  The kids don’t really care about your agenda for the party. They just want to have fun.   

While many parents want to be the one to introduce a great new party game, it’s smart to keep the old favorites on standby. That way, should the latest game not prove to be popular, you’ll have something like Pin the Tail on the Donkey to fall back on.  

Remember that games are just one part of the party.  Still, because they likely occupy a good chunk of time, it’s a good idea to put thought into them so that everyone in attendance will have a great time.