Birthday Games for Kids: Party Games for a Special Day

1. Musical Chairs

One of the oldest games in the world, musical chairs is always a good option. It is a great game that will keep kids entertained and occupied for a while. Basically, you set up one less chair than the number of kids playing.

Start the game by playing music and everyone walking around the chairs. When the music stops, everyone has to grab a chair and sit as quickly as possible. The last kid standing is out of the game. Remove one chair and start the drill again.

The one left at the end wins the game.

2. Pin the Tail on the Donkey

You can use any other animal if you like, as long as it has a tail. Simply put a donkey poster on the wall and have a separate piece of paper with the donkey’s tail. Blindfold players one at a time, and spin each one in a circle before letting them try to pin the tail on the donkey. You can easily find a donkey or other animal posters online.

Depending on your birthday party theme, you can use a different animal.

3. Under Over

Here is a game where you split kids into teams and make it competitive. Each team should have between 4 and 8 players. Line up teams up with the child in the front holding a ball or balloon.

When you say “go,” the kids must pass the ball, alternatively, backward over their heads and then between their legs until it reaches the last player in the line.

This child then dashes around to the front and repeats the process. The classic party game continues until the original front child is back at the beginning.

4. Egg Toss

We have to warn you, this game might get a bit messy. But you can limit the challenges by hard boiling the eggs beforehand. Yes, it’s funnier if the eggs are not boiled, but you really don’t need that mess.

You will need one egg per pair. Pair the players and have them toss an egg back and forth to each other. Each time the children catch it, they take a step backward and continue. The team that catches the egg at the furthest distance wins the birthday game.

5. Egg and Spoon Race

Here is another egg game. Again, hard boil the eggs. Line players up, each with an egg balanced on a tablespoon.

Give the command “go” and players race to the predetermined finish line. If the egg drops, they must stop and put it back on the spoon before trying to get to the finish line.

Professor Swen’s Lab

Houdini’s Secret Room

Wooka Booka Island

The Gilded Carcanet

7. Sack Race

Do you want to take the party outside? Well, this is a great kids’ party idea for that. For a sack race, you need a large sack or large pillowcase for reach player. You can also play in relay teams if you like.

When the fun party game starts, players must stand with their feet inside the sack. On “go,” they race to the finish line. The first one to cross wins the game.

8. Treasure Hunt

Treasure hunt (or scavenger hunt) is really simple to set up. Same as with escape rooms, you can download printable kits. Hide some wrapped sweets before the birthday party and invite guests to hunt and search for them.

9. Sand Treasure Hunt

During the summer, you can have a twist on the popular treasure hunt game. Perfect for pirate parties, this version is a bit different. Bury lots of treasure and little toys in a sand tray. Give younger children a flag pick and let them search for the treasure.

10. The Chocolate

This game was designed for little kids aged 5 and older. What is the premise of the game? Children sit around a board with an unwrapped large bar of chocolate.

They take turns rolling dice until someone rolls 6. The person who rolls 6 has to don a hat, scarf, gloves, and begin cutting and eating the chocolate using a fork and a knife. Other children continue rolling the dice until someone else rolls 6 and becomes the new eater.

11. Duck, Duck, Goose

The classic game of Duck, Duck, Goose is fun and easy. Simply sit kids in a circle with their legs crossed. One is the goose. That player then walks around the circle of children, taps them, and says “duck.” At one point, they can decide on the person they want to chase them.

They tap their head, say “goose,” and start running. The player must make all the way around the circle and to the seat of the person they named goose. This way, they are no longer the goose. If the person fails to catch the player before sitting, he/she becomes the new goose.

12. Elephant Tug of War

The fun game of tug of war requires no supplies at all (except a rope). You can play it anywhere and anytime. Yes, you can play indoors and outdoors. And it works great with a jungle-themed party.

When we talk about birthday party games for kids, tug of war is a fan favorite. Split the kids into two teams, give them a rope, and see which team will pull the other team.

13. Balloon Relay Race

Running and balloons are always a good idea during a birthday party. As one of the most popular classic party games, this outdoor game is an instant hit. To play it, divide kids into relay teams of four players, with two players on each side of the play space.

You can play the outdoor party game in different ways. One of the best is to place an inflated balloon between their knees when jump across the play space.

14. Piñata

How can you have a birthday party without a birthday piñata? Right? The best part is you can make your piñata match the birthday party theme. Fill it with treats, and let kids take turns blindfolded as they try to hit it.

15. Sleeping Lions

If the excitement around the birthday becomes a bit too much to handle, this is a birthday party game you can try to calm kids down.

The goal of the game is to remain motionless while adults walk around and tell jokes. Anyone who giggles, itches, or moves is out of the game. Reward that person with a sweet.

The winner is the one who remains still the longest.

16. Simon Says

Here is another classic game that you can try for a kid’s birthday party. You can make your birthday boy or birthday girl the first Simon.

The premise is simple: Simon Says what others have to do. If participants do not follow Simon’s commands or do something without the designated person saying “Simon Says,” they are out of the game.

17. Three-Legged Race

Here is another race you can try in your backyard for your birthday party. It is a classic group game. All you need is something to tie each pair’s legs together: have them stand side-by-side, and then tie the inside legs together so they have “3 legs.” Then, they have to run from start to finish.

18. Charades

Sometimes you just need to go back to basics. In this case, that is the classic game of Charades. You can adapt the game to all ages and themes.

Depending on the theme of your party, write down words that work. Each player chooses a word, and then they have to act out the word. The others have to guess what it is.