Best Party Games for Kids: Finding the Perfect Party Games for You

Whether it is a kid’s birthday party or just a fun get-together, a big part of what makes the day fun is the games you choose. Having the right kid’s games will keep everyone entertained, safe, and having a ton of fun, and that is where this list of the best party games for kids can help you out.

This list of the best party games for kids will provide a variety of different games that you can choose from based on age, interests, and more. With this list of the top party games for kids, you should be able to find several games that will fit what you are looking for and will provide hours of fun.

Also, this list of the best party games for kids will provide games for different spaces as well. So don’t worry about whether your party is inside or out or whether you have an extended amount of space or not. This list should have something that will fit your needs regardless. And, for even more ideas, our list of the best summer activities for kids might have something worth adding to your party as well.

For even more party-related lists, make sure to visit our lists of the best snack ideas, best appetizers, and best cake recipes. These lists will help you round out your party and will provide even more fun.

 

Top 20 Party Games for Kids:

 

 

1. Sack Race

Items Needed: Cloth or Burlap Sack

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: This game is a classic that has been around forever, but it is still just as fun today. And while a burlap sack was used in the past, I think you will be able to get away with a pillowcase or any other type of sack that works as a substitute.

The way the game works is every child will need to be inside a sack with it pulled up to their waist. When the race starts, they will begin to hop out and must continue to hop until they get to the agreed-upon destination. This will be a ton of fun to participate in, and also watch as kids begin to get out of control and fall all over the place.

You can also set up your races in a variety of different ways. It could be a straight-up race, but setting it up as a relay race will probably be more fun and encourage cheering between the teams. Also, if you end up setting up an obstacle course (one of the games listed below), you will be able to use the sack race again as part of it.

 

 

2. Egg-And-Spoon Race

Items Needed: Eggs and Spoons

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: The egg-and-spoon race is another birthday party game classic that still offers a ton of fun. There is just something about breaking eggs that still provides smiles and laughs. This is an easy game to set up as well, so even if it is just a small portion of the games that you have planned, it won’t take too much to execute.

All you need to do is provide each participant with a spoon and an egg to balance on the spoon. From here, they will line up and get ready to participate in a race. Feel free to get creative with the race as well. You could create your own mini obstacle course, use a blindfold, or whatever creative/fun wrinkle you can think of.

 

 

3. Simon Says

Items Needed: N/A

Recommended Ages: 3-10

About Kid’s Party Game: This party game for kids is going to be geared for a younger crowd but can still be a ton of fun. You most likely are already familiar with how the game works, but just in case, here is a short rundown.

Basically, Simon is the boss, and when Simon says to do something, all of the other participants must follow the command. The catch, though, is that they only should do it when the word “Simon” is used to issue the order. If the word “Simon” isn’t used in a command and they do it, they are out of the game for that round.

Also, if you have younger kids, you may want to have one of the adults be Simon and issue the commands. However, if the kids are older, the winner of the round becomes the new Simon and is now able to issue the orders.

 

 

4. Crab Soccer

Items Needed: Soccer Ball and Goals

Recommended Ages: 8+

About Kid’s Party Game: This game will provide a whole new twist on the game of soccer and is one of the best party games for kids that like to be active. Instead of playing soccer on just your feet, the players must scuddle around on all fours with their backside towards the ground, resembling a crab.

This game will be full of laughs and competition as it is the same rules as soccer (except with no goalie, or if you do use a goalie, they can’t use their hands either), but while scurrying around like a crab. For the goals, you can probably get away with just placing cones a short distance apart from each other.

 

 

5. Pass the Bag

Items Needed: Large Bag of Clothing Items

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: This kid’s party game may take a little extra work to put together, but it could also be the highlight of the party. It will be full of laughs, smiles, and fun/crazy outfits. The game starts with a big bag filled with different props, clothing items, etc., and then everyone in a big circle.

A moderator will begin to play music, and as the music is playing, the bag will continue around the circle. When the music stops, whoever is holding the bag must reach in (without looking), pull out the first thing that they touch, and then put it on. Before you know it, everyone in the circle will have ridiculous costumes on and will be having a ton of fun.

If you have a larger group, consider having a couple of bags and then substituting in a new bag when one empties. That way, it will be easier for kids to pass the bag to each other in the circle.

 

 

6. Treasure Hunt

Items Needed: Candy, Toys, and a Large Space

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: Who doesn’t like to search for treasure (especially if it is some kind of toy or candy)!? Well, with this kid’s party game, you will be able to set up an epic treasure hunt for all of your party-goers.

And while this game may take a little bit more work than some of the birthday games for kids on this list, it will be worth it in the end. You could set the game up in a couple of different ways as well, and depending on the age of the kids, you could make it easier or harder. Also, if you wanted, you could set it up as teams, or allow players to participate on their own.

Start by hiding different objects (some bigger and some smaller), then create clues to where they may be, and then finally print out the different treasure maps with the clues. Each participant (or team) will get a map, and from there, it is up to them to figure out where the treasure is hidden.

 

 

7. Three-Legged Race

Items Needed: Rope or Straps

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: The three-legged race is another birthday party classic and can be fun for a wide range of ages. It is also extremely easy to set up and organize. All you need is some rope or straps (these straps from Amazon are perfect) and teams of two.

From here, you will tie together their inside legs together so that between the two of them, they only have three functioning legs. After that, line them up and then let them race to the finish line. If you are looking to have this game go a little bit longer, try setting up different heats, an obstacle course, or a relay race.

 

 

8. Obstacle Course

Items Needed: Hula Hoops, Cones, Boxes, Etc.

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: If you are looking for one of the best party games for kids and a guaranteed winner, this is going to the game to choose. A fun and challenging obstacle course is going to provide a ton of fun for its participants. It will require a little more set up than some of these games, but with a little bit of creativity, you will be able to provide so much fun for your party guests.

You don’t need to go out and buy a bunch of obstacles, either. Using whatever you have or can get your hands on, set up a fun and challenging obstacle course in your backyard or wherever you have space. You could have participants climb over and under obstacles, jump from hula hoop to hula hoop, carry an egg on a spoon, sack race, or whatever you can come up with. The more creative you are, the more fun they are going to have (just make sure to keep it safe).

 

 

9. Water Balloon Toss

Items Needed: Water Balloons

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: Any time water is involved, kids are typically going to be having a good time. All this game requires are water balloons and teams of two. Each team will begin facing each other a few feet apart and with one player holding a water balloon.

At the same time (have someone do a count down before each toss), each team must toss the water balloon to their partner. If the pass is completed successfully, that team will take a step backward and then repeat the action. However, if the balloon is dropped or popped on the catch, that team is out. This will continue until there is only one team left with an unbroken balloon.

When doing this game, make sure that you have plenty of water balloons ready to go so that you can play a couple of rounds. Also, most of the time, this game ends in an all-out water balloon fight, so if you want to encourage that, make sure you have plenty of ammo ready to go.

 

 

10. Prize Walk

Items Needed: Spaces to Walk On, Basket of Numbers, and Prizes

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: You may have already seen this game at a fair or something along those lines, but it also can make for a fun birthday party game. All you need to do is set up a board to walk on with numbers in each space (if you have a driveway, you could draw it out with chalk).

The game will start with music playing and each kid walking around the board of numbers. When the music stops, the participants will stop in their square, and then if their number is pulled from the basket, they win the prize that is up.

You could do this game back to back until all of the prizes are gone, or you could break it up and announce it periodically throughout the party. Also, if you have a themed party, consider getting prizes that go along with the theme of the party.

 

11. Musical Statue

Items Needed: Bluetooth Speaker

Recommended Ages: 4+

About Kid’s Party Game: This game is probably best geared for younger kids, but it can still be a lot of fun. It is also very easy to set up as well. The game will start with music playing and kids pulling off their favorite dance moves. This will continue until the music is abruptly stopped, at which point, the dancers must immediately freeze and hold whatever dance position they are currently in.

They must hold this statue-position until the music begins again, and they are able to get back to dancing. You can set this game up for fun and allow every kid to stay in, or make it a challenge, and any participant that doesn’t freeze in time after the music stops, you can eliminate for that round of the game.

 

 

12. Balloon Volleyball

Items Needed: Giant Balloons and a Net

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: While this game does have a volleyball component to it, it is going to be a very loose interpretation of the actual game. In fact, you really don’t even need an actual net to play, just some kind of divider. Also, the more balloons you have, the better! The game is going to start with a team on both sides of the net, and an equal amount of balloons on each side.

When the game begins, the goal will be for each team to get as many balloons as they can to the other side of the net. With both sides looking to accomplish this, though, there are always going to be balloons going back and forth and being batted up in the air. This will continue for a designated amount of time. When that time runs out, everyone must stop, and then whoever has the least amount of balloons on their side wins that round.

 

 

13. Minute to Win It Games

Items Needed: Variety of Items

Recommended Ages: 8+

About Kid’s Party Game: If you have ever watched Minute to Win It on NBC in the past, you know how fun and crazy some of the games can be. Well, with a little bit of planning, you can bring that same fun and energy to your party. This list of the Best Minute to Win It Games will provide you with the perfect games for your party or event.

With a little bit of setup, you will be able to create fun, challenging games for your party guests. When selecting the right games for your party, make sure you take into consideration the age of your guests and the difficulty of each challenge. Finding the right games will make all of the difference.

 

 

14. Sponge Relay Race

Items Needed: Water, Buckets, and Sponges

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: This is another outdoor party game, but if the weather permits, it is a fun game. It is also a fun game to play before everything turns into a giant water battle. The way the game works is you will have two buckets per team on opposite sides of each other, one with water and a giant sponge, and one without anything in it. Each team will start in a line at the bucket with the water and sponge in it.

When the race starts, the first player in line will take the full sponge out of the water bucket, run it to the other bucket, squeeze it out, and then run it back to the next person in line. This pattern will continue for a set amount of time, and then at the end of that time, the team with the most water in the initially empty bucket will win. You can do this relay race for a number of rounds, or have it be part of a bigger water-related birthday party.

 

 

15. Guess the Number in the Jar

Items Needed: Jar, Candy, a Pen, a Small Box, and Pieces of Paper

Recommended Ages: 8+

About Kid’s Party Game: This is one of the easiest birthday games for kids on this list, and is more of a side game. Depending on what you choose to fill the jar up with, though, it may be the highlight of the party. All you need is a large jar and something like candy to fill it up with. It will require you to do some counting (or estimating) beforehand, but after that, it won’t require much.

Just set up the jar on a table with the entry forms and allow guest to submit their best guess throughout the party (make sure you remind them to put their name down on their submission). It would probably be best to announce a couple of reminders throughout the party to make a submission, but then at the end of the party, look through the submissions and find who was closest to the number in the jar. And then, of course, whoever was closest wins the jar and all of its contents.

 

 

16. Sports

Items Needed: Sports Items

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: If you have a group of kids that enjoy playing a specific sport, or maybe you just want to introduce a new sport to them, play some sports games. They will be easy to set up, most of the kids will already know the rules, and it will be a ton of fun! If you are playing a sport like street hockey or something that requires more gear, try and remind guests to bring stuff with them.

Also, the younger the kids are, the less the rules need to be enforced. And it doesn’t have to be just typical games, either. For example, if you have a basketball-themed party, you could do a skills challenge, game of Horse, Knockout, Hotshot, or whatever other fun games you can think of. If you are looking for a gift for a sports-themed party, make sure you visit our list of the best hockey gifts, best baseball gifts, best softball gifts, best soccer gifts, and best football gifts.

 

 

17. Sprinkler Games

Items Needed: Sprinklers, Hoses, Water Balloons, and Water Guns

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: Depending on the weather, playing in the water is going to be a no-brainer for any party. Kids will be able to run around and enjoy jumping through the sprinklers, shooting each other with water guns, and maybe even throwing a few water balloons.

And while it will eventually turn into chaos, if you are looking for a little organization at the beginning, figure out a fun game to play. It could be some kind of relay race, obstacle course, or whatever creative/crazy game you can come up with. Just keep things fun and light, and the kids will have a ton of fun.

 

 

18. Rock Painting

Items Needed: Smooth Rocks, Paint, Paint Brushes, or Paint Markers

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: Whereas some of these party games for kids are going to be wild and crazy, rock painting is going to be much more chill. It will allow the artsier kids to have fun creating and painting something that they can keep and take home with them. With just a few painting supplies and some rocks, you will have everything you need for this fun activity.

If you have a specific theme for your party, you could encourage party-goers to paint specific items, or just turn them loose for whatever they want to paint. Also, as a more simple way to create, you might want to consider paint markers. These will help to keep things cleaner and won’t limit creativity.

 

 

19. Make Your Own Pizza

Items Needed: Pizza Ingredients

Recommended Ages: 5+

About Kid’s Party Game: Who doesn’t love a personalized pizza with all of their favorite ingredients on it? And while it will be fun to eat it, it will also be fun for the kids to make as well. All you need to do is set out all of the ingredients and let the kids get creative with their own pizza pie.

And whether you want to make your own pizza dough or buy some premade pizza bases, the kids will still have a ton of fun. If oven space is an issue, have your young pizza creators work together on a pizza that they can share.

A great way to set this up is to have the pizza-making at the beginning of your party. That way, you can have the kids go play another fun game and then come back for finished pizzas later on at the party. Just have each kid write their name on a post-it note or a 3×5 card above their pizza so you can make sure that everyone gets their own delicious creation.

 

 

20. Balloon Stomp

Items Needed: Balloon and String

Recommended Ages: 8+

About Kid’s Party Game: Balloon stomp is a relatively easy game to set up and will be a ton of fun for kids to play. You will start by blowing up a balloon and then tying a balloon to an ankle on each kid. Once everyone is set up with a balloon on their ankle, the game begins.

The goal of the game is to stomp on the other players’ balloons without allowing your balloon to get stomped on and popped. Once a player’s balloon is popped, they are out. The game goes until only one player is left with their inflated balloon.

To help the game go more smoothly, set up a boundary that the players must stay in. Then after a certain amount of players get out, you can shrink the boundary. You can also do this game for multiple rounds, or one time through. Just make sure that you have plenty of balloons filled up with air so that you don’t have to sit and wait between each round (you should be able to use the same string each time).

 

Best Party Games for Kids Conclusion

All of these games come with good, safe fun. The only concern is figuring out which ones will best fit your party or get-together. Also, a lot of these party games for kids can be adjusted for the age or theme of your party.

For example, if you are having a Super Hero-themed party, you could set up some of the games to have a Super Hero theme. Instead of just calling it an obstacle course, you could have the superheroes save something, defeat a bad guy, or whatever. There is so much you can do with these games to customize them.

The whole goal of these kid’s party games is to provide you with some fun examples, and then let you go from there to find the best games to fit your kid’s birthday party, or whatever you may be celebrating. So have fun with it, because the more fun you have with it, the more fun the kids will have as well.

And for even more fun ideas, make sure to visit our lists of the best games kid’s games, best board games, and best craft ideas. These lists can also provide some excellent party fun.

Is there a kid’s party game that you think should be on this list but didn’t make it? Please, feel free to share your game in the comments below!