Themed Party Games

1.Pinata Party

(Age 3 years+)

This is the latest craze to hit parties here. Typically a Spanish or Mexican game it can be played at Parties, Christenings, Christmas, Hallowe’en. A Pinata can be bought to suit all occasions.

Buy a piñata and fill with goodies-whistles, spin tops and sweets. Tie it to a tree or a doorframe with a string. The idea is that an adult can raise and lower it as per each player’s height.

Each player is blindfolded for their ‘turn’, while they try to hit the piñata with a stick.Make sure that everyone gets a turn and maybe give them 3 hits each. As soon as the piñata breaks all the goodies fall out on to the floor. To avoid smaller kids being disappointed if they do not get as much of the loot, it may be a good idea to put small goodie bags inside labelled with each players name.

For a more gentle version try a Pull Pinata where ribbons are pulled to release the prizes.

See our ';?>piñata section for some ideas for your Pinata party.

2.Pirates and Princesses Party

This suits a party with boys and girls and lends itself to some great party games. It can also suit a budget of any size.

Start with fancy dress (Age 2 Years+)

Guests are handed an eye-patch or tiara on their arrival, and you can decorate the house/room with pirate banners and balloons. Why not have a jar of gold coins at the door and everyone has to guess how many are inside. The winner then divides them up with the guests at going home time.

Treasure Hunt

(Age 2 Years+)

No Pirate party is complete without a treasure hunt. For smaller kids a sandpit is a great place to hide some small party favours. Alternatively, split your party into teams and give each a starting clue with follow- on clues throughout the house/garden. I think it’s a good idea to have different clues for each group which lead to their own treasure box, that way everyone is rewarded for their efforts. When they open their treasure box they could be full of gold coins, plastic jewels, rings, and pirate figures.

Walking the Plank

(Age 4 years+)

Pirates and princesses carry the canon ball (black water filled balloons) on a spoon negotiating their way down the plank (or garden path) and back again, without dropping the canon ball. Each participant should be rewarded with a prize. For only a small amount of effort, I know this party will be a success, I can even hear them shouting "this is the best party ever".

3.Princess for a Day Party

I have 3 boys and could never imagine having a party as gentile and refined as this.

The Princess and the Pea

Start by telling the story of the ‘Princess and the Pea’. Then set out 4 pillows on the floor and place a small ball or marble under one. Everyone takes a turn sitting on each pillow and tries to guess which one the ball is under.

Sifting For Gems

This decadent game dates back to 19th century balls where the ladies were invited to grab a handful of sand and let it sift through her fingers to find a precious gemstone in her palm that was hers to take home.

To set up a similar game for your 4 year olds’ royal guests get a shoebox or biscuit tin and fill with clean sand (from the sand-pit). You could also use rice or flour and place gold coins or gem rings in it (see our ';?>Party Bags & Presents). Each princess takes a turn until they have 1 item each.

Action Party Games

1.Musical Chairs

(Age 3 years+)

Set out your floor space with chairs around in a circle. If the children are very small or you don't have enough space you could use cushions instead of chairs.

While playing some party music the children dance/run walk around the chairs until the music is stopped and the children must find a chair/cushion to sit on. Give everyone a few turns when no-one is put out of the game.

Then remove one chair at a time and the child without a chair to sit on is 'out' . Eventually there will be 1 chair and 2 children left .... - For Musical Statues … When the music stops stand as still as possible – like a statue. The first person to move before the music starts again is ‘out’. The music re-starts and the next round is played. The last player standing wins the game.

2.Musical Clothes

How about this for a twist on an old game…Fill a bag with old clothes (bikinis, hats, scarves, tights). Have your guests sit in a circle passing the bag around while the music plays. When the music stops the person holding the bag must take out an item of clothing and put it on. There are no losers in this game. I can only hear them squealing with laughter!

3.Balloon Stomp

Age 4 years+

This game may work best outside. Give all your guests a balloon and a piece of string. Tie one end of the string to the balloon and the other to the child’s ankle. Leave about a foot of string between the ankle and the balloon. Now start stomping. The object of the game is to burst everyone else’s balloon. You could put a bit of glitter or confetti in the balloons that would make a lovely mess when popped. The winner is the last one with the un-popped balloon.

4.Balloon Prize

(Age 3 years+)

I love this one as it is a good alternative to piñatas and you can play over and over again. Put a message about a prize on a piece of paper and place it inside a balloon and blow it up. Pin the balloon down, so it won’t blow away. Blindfold each guest and give them a stick, (sweeping brush) and ask them to find and pop the balloon. Each player gets 1 minute to do this. If they pop the balloon then they get a prize.

5.Blindmans Bluff

(Age 4 years+)

For this game you need 6 or more players. Blindfold one player and spin them around 3 times. The blindfolded player then tries to tag the other players who are crouching down low or hiding or standing very quietly. Once someone is tagged that person is then blindfolded for the next game.

6.Fireman Relay

(Age 4 years+)

This version of the relay game may have particular appeal to little boys.

Divide the party into 2 teams. Place 2 chairs at the end of the garden. Take 2 jackets turn the sleeves inside out and hang them on the back of the 2 chairs. Put a small piece of rope under each chair.

At the whistle the first player on each team, runs to the chair, takes their jacket off the chair turns the sleeves the right way and puts on the jacket and buttons it up. They then grab the hose (rope) from under the chair and pretend to put out the fire. They then remove the jacket, turn the sleeves inside out again and run back to their team and the next player races off.

7.The Chocolate Game

(Age 5 years+)

Equipment: Bar of chocolate (preferably a mars bar for its chewy qualities), knife, fork, hat, scarf, sunglasses and woolly gloves and a dice. All the children sit in a circle. Place the bar of chocolate, knife and fork on a plate in the middle, with the clothes nearby. The children take turns to throw the dice. The first child to throw a six has to go into the circle, put on the clothes and start to cut and eat the chocolate.

Meanwhile, the children in the circle continue to throw the dice. The next child to throw a six goes into the middle of the circle, puts on the clothes (the person already in the circle has to take them off) and tries to cut and eat the chocolate.

The first child to successfully finish the chocolate wins. To make this even more fun you could use a scarf to blindfold the contestant, or substitute a bowl of jelly for the chocolate.

8.Balloon Relay

(Age 5 years+)

Divide your guests into 2 teams. At the end of the garden place 2 bags filled with blown-up balloons. At the whistle the first 2 relay runners must race to their bag, find a balloon and sit on it until it pops. They then run back to their team and tag the next person. The first team to finish wins.

9.BALLOON COMMAND

(Age 5 years+)

All this game requires is some balloons, paper and a sense of fun. Ask your guests to write a command on a slip of paper. ‘hop on one leg, act like a bunny, roar like a lion’. Then put a piece of paper into each balloon and blow it up. Ask the guests to grab a balloon and sit on it until it pops, then do the action. This can be a riot.

Gentle Party Games

1.Throw the Smile

(Age 2 years+)

In this game players are forbidden to smile. But when did kids ever do what we want them to do?

All players sit in a circle. The player who is ‘it’ starts the game by grinning at everybody, while the others try to stay sombre. ‘It’ then uses his hand to wipe the smile off his face and to throw it to another player who has to catch the smile in his hand and put it on.

The new ‘it’ must then wipe the smile off his face and throw it to someone else. All the players must try to remain stony faced. One smile and they are out. I think the smaller players enjoy this the most and can’t stop laughing.

2.The Guessing Game

(Age 2 years+)

This is a nice gentle game for with each letter of the birthday child’s with each letter of the birthday child’s name and put objects that start with those letters in the bags. For Example, Ben you could have a bag labelled ‘B’ and put a banana in the bag; a bag labelled ‘E’ and put in an egg (hardboiled); and a bag labelled ‘G’ and put in a piece of grass. Players then guess what is in each bag by feeling the outside of each bag.

3.Pin the Tail Games

(Age 3 years+)

This old favourite can be re-jigged to suit all occasions. Pin the Tail on the Donkey, pin the purse on the girl, pin the horn on the triceratops).

See our ';?>Games section for some ready made games. Each game contains a blindfold and several tails /purses.

Why not try this for something a little bit different. Give all your guests a part of the face, eyes, ears, nose I don’t have to explain. Blindfold each player and have them make up the face from their individual parts. This could be interesting!

4.Pass the Parcel

This old favourite still does the rounds at parties of all ages. Wrap a gift in several layers of paper, a nice idea to avoid disappointed toddlers is to place a small whistle or lolli within each layer.

Sit all the guests around in a circle and start some music. The guests must pass the parcel as the music plays and when the music stops the person left holding the parcel removes 1 layer. This continues until the final layer is removed and the last person to do so, keeps the gift.

See our Party Games section for some wrapped pass the parcel presents.

Start Your party with a WITCHES BREW. Get 5 different drinks and 10 different pieces of food (body party) - eyeballs (peeled grapes), toe nails (almonds), heart (cold tea bag) etc. Now decide who goes first and blindfold him or her. Spin them around 3 or 4 times. As they choose 2 drinks and 3 body parts the other team playes put them in a cup. When the person is finished take off the blindfold and let them taste their creation.

To play Apple Bobbing or Dunking for Apples fill a basin with cold water and place 6 apples in it. Have the kids try to pick up the apples with their teeth. No cheating by picking the apples with the stems!!
For an even messier variation, have a 2nd bowl filled with flour. When the player has finished with the apple bobbing they must then retrieve a small object (eg a marshmallow) from the flour. Don't blame me!

For the Apple Bite game you will need a n apple, mop handle and ribbon. Keeping the apple whole, remove the core and loop the ribbon through the centre and tie the other end to an old mop handle. Hang a new apple for each player. the object is to see you can grab the apple with their teeth - no hands allowed! If you want you can time each player and the shortest time wins.

For more fiendish fun try the EYEBALL GAME. Put cold spaghetti in a large baking tray, add cooking oil and tomato ketchup for a yucky slimy feel. Put several marbles (eyeballs) in the spaghetti and have your guests search for the marbles with their feet. A friends version of this is to fill a large bucket with the spaghetti and have guests search for small gifts or sweets wrapped in tin foil.

Put any of the above 'body parts' in jars for the TOUCH FEELY GAME. Blindfold your guests and listen to them squealing as they fumble around. For a really disgusting finish see what they think of cold rice and bananas covered in peanut butter. (some kids may be allergic to peanuts)

DRESS THE MONSTER can be a fun game for smaller children. Divide your party into 2 teams. One team member is nominated as the monster. The team is given a bag of old clothes, hats, tights, jumpers shoes etc. Whichever team has their monster dressed first is the winner

Creepy Hands
Preheat the oven to 300F. Place popped popcorn in a single layer in a flat baking tray. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the top. Combine 3oz melted butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch of garlic salt and a tablespoon of worchestershire sauce in a bowl and mix well. Pour the mixture over the popcorn. Bake for 30 mins and leave to cool for 15 mins.
Pack the popcorn tightly into our Halloween Hand Shaped Bags or food handler gloves. close the bag tightly at the wrist and tie with a ribbon. Place a spider ring on 1 finger of each hand. Makes 6 servings.