Once your kids are old enough to want to celebrate birthdays [1] surrounded not just by family, but by a bunch of friends, a parent has two choices. Spend a fortune booking a trampoline park/hosted party space/kid-friendly arcade [2], or save some cash, accept your living room is going to be trashed, and throw a party at home. The latter may be cheaper, but that doesn't mean you can buy a cake, make some goody bags, and call it a day. Nope, especially as your kids get older, they need to be entertained [3] — and if you don't give them a proper menu of fun, you can expect your house to be doubly trashed.
But have no fear! We've rounded up 16 birthday party games [4] that are easy to set up, inexpensive, guaranteed to provide hours (or at least the two you've slated the party to last) of entertainment, and cool enough to even appeal to the kids who are starting to bring their own iPhones along to the party. These games are Instagramable, y'all! Keep reading to find your go-tos.
Surprise Balls
Surprise balls [6] can keep children entertained forever. For a supereasy DIY [7] option, wrap either one object in multiple layers of paper streamers (or wrap many objects in fewer layers). You can have the kids race to open theirs fastest (or slowest!) or simply give them out as distractions as you get the cake ready to cut. Or, just buy a few [8], hand them out, and have the kids guess what could be inside. Game and party favour in one!
Doughnuts on a String
Best done outside (or in a room with an easy-to-clean floor), doughnuts [9] on a string is sure to thrill all your party guests. Tie a length of rope between two trees or two sturdy indoor structures, then tie pieces of ribbon through the holes of the doughnuts to the rope, so they hang slightly above mouth level. Players have to eat the entire doughnut, without using their hands and without letting it fall off the ribbon. The first to finish wins.
Pass the Drawing
For creative kids who love to doodle, pass the drawing is a fun and unique game that can go on for hours. All you need is paper, markers, and a group of kids with big imaginations. Have everyone sit in a circle and give your birthday kid a blank sheet of paper. They'll draw one feature, then pass it on the the next. Keep going until their masterpiece [10] is complete!
Who or What Am I?
Write the names of famous people, animals, or objects on slips of paper or sticky name tags, then put one on the back of each guest, without letting them know what it says. They must then go around the room asking others yes or no questions to figure out who or what they are. Some children will figure out their identity quicker than others, so have back-up name tags or encourage them to stay a part of the game by answering other people's questions. You can also make things even easier for yourself and pick up a game of Hedbanz [11], which does all the heavy lifting for you.
Wall Tic-Tac-Toe
A large-scale version of Tic-Tac-Toe on the wall is a great way to make the game a cool visual element of the birthday party. You can use X and O balloons, or just cut the letters out of paper or felt. The setup double as decor! The children can take turns playing or you can organise a tournament, with the winner getting a special prize.
Balloon Burst
Party guests keep a balloon in the air until the music stops. Whoever is the last to touch the balloon when the music cuts out then pops the balloon and has to complete the challenge that's written on a piece of paper inside. Challenges can be physical (do your best impression of Mickey Mouse, eat a mouthful of crackers and try to whistle) or to answer a trivia question.
Birthday Bingo
Bingo is always a hit, and there are tons of versions out there (just check Etsy [12]) that do the work for you. Pick up some little prizes for each round's winner, and voila, you have some serious party entertainment.
Pin-the-Tail on the Whatever
No matter what the theme of your child's birthday party, you can likely create a pin-the-tail style game to match it. This Pin the Tail on the Unicorn game [13] is great, and can be easily adapted for kids of all ages!
Scavenger Hunt
Easily done indoors or out, a scavenger hunt [14] lets party guests work individually or in teams to find items that already exist in nature or that you've placed around your house. If the kids are old enough that some have their own phones, turn it into a photo scavenger hunt. Each team must capture photos of each item or activity. Whichever team completes the list first, wins!
Break the Piñata
A classic piñata [15] never goes out of style and children of all ages love them. Fill one with small toys or candy, grab a stick or baseball bat, and let the kids have at it!
Charades
Charades is a classic for a reason. Come up with a list of things that players will take turns acting out, divide guests into two teams, then let the fun begin. If you want to make things even easier for yourself, pick up Charades For Kids [16] and you're ready to go.
Create Your Own Cupcake
A party game and a dessert all in one, cupcake decorating [17] is always a hit. Get creative with different colours of frosting, an assortment of sprinkles, and fondant decorations kids can cut into fun shapes. Make sure guests show off their final creations before they chow down on them!
Birthday Trivia
Another way to make the birthday boy or girl feel extra special (besides an awesome cake)? Come up with a trivia game that's all about him or her! Create a list of questions about the guest of honour that everyone else has to fill out (reward participants with a little prize). Or pick up an already created trivia game as part of a larger party game package [17] from Etsy.
Heads Up!
Turn one of our favourite apps, Heads Up! [18], into a fun birthday party activity. Divide guests into two teams; each player gets a turn to guess as many answers as they can for their team. The team with the most winning answers once every player takes a turn wins!
Make-Your-Own Jewellery
Head to a bead store to pick up a bunch of inexpensive beads, clasps, and string, and let party guests create their own bracelets or necklaces. The activity doubles as a cool take-home gift.
Choose-Your-Own Board Game
While party guests might need a little encouragement to sit down and choose a board game [19] among the assortment you've set up, once you've helped them find the proper number of players for each game, they'll be good to go. Add some incentive by promising the winner of each game a special prize.
