Top 10 Basic Games
Some games never go old and are often used over and over again at parties with slight variations. Why? Because kids love them and they can be used for kids of various ages and for both gender. Each game can be easily adapted to fit your specific theme keeping the basic rules of the game the same. That way kids don't need to learn new rules and go through the learning curve, yet they can feel that it is a 'new' game by changing, for example, the props to go with the game.
1. Simon Says.
Everyone knows how to play Simon Says. To play the game, one person is Simon and stands in front of the group. Simon gives out the commands prefacing with "Simon says...". The trick is to unexpectedly throw in commands that are NOT prefaced by "Simon says" and any child who does what you say is out of the game. Continue playing the game until only one child is left. This child is the winner. To add variations for themes, play e.g. "Captain Hook Says" for a Pirate Party, "Prince Charming Says" for a Princess Party, etc. 2. Pin The Tail.
This is a game we have all played since we were young. Purchase a "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" game and play as is or make variations to fit your theme. Create drawings of animals and objects on poster board or use a large overhead projector (if you have access) and project an enlarged copy of an object to trace. Tape to the wall and use sticker, push pins, tape, etc. to fasten the missing item to the poster board. Some variations could be "Pin the nose on the Snowman", "Pin the wart on the Witch", etc.
3. Limbo Limbo.
Another fun one that can be easily played spur of the moment without requiring much props. You can use a stick, boa, string, and change up the props to fit the theme. Two adults stand at the ends of the dowel or broom and hold it above the ground. Play festive background music. Kids need to lean backward and pass under the stick one by one. If they touch the stick with any part of their body or the ground with their hands, they are out. After all the kids have gone one round, lower the stick some more. Continue lowering until there is only one child left. This one wins.4. Freeze Dance.
Gather all the kids in a circle. Play some fun, upbeat music. Whenever the music plays, the kids are to dance around the circle, and they should freeze whenever the music stops. When the music stops anyone who moves is out. The older the kids the tougher you can be on them, which also makes it more challenging and fun. So, even blinking or smiling counts! If the party is for younger kids, I generally ignore little wiggles. Variations: "Monster Walk", where kids need to walk zombie-like in a circle, "Fairy Circle", where kids need to fly around the circle and bat their fairy wings, etc. 5. Pass the Ball.
Kids sit around the circle and depending on the theme, pass around an object from child to child as the music plays. Whenever the music stops, the child who is left holding the object needs to complete a task. Once the task is completed, the child is 'out'. Variations: "Pass the Wand", when the music stops and the girl who is left holding the wand gets to be turned into a Princess by getting dressed into fancy clothing and then sits down at the Princess table while everyone else finishes off the game. Variations: "Pass the pumpkin", the person who ends up with the pumpkin gets to fly around the circle with a broom, etc.6. Shoe Basket.
Have the kids remove their shoes and dump them into a large laundry basket. When you say "GO", all kids run to the basket, find their shoes and put it on. The first kid to tie the laces, or buckle the straps on both shoes, is the winner. Another variation: Have kids only take off one shoe and put that in the basket on the other side of the room. When you give the signal they must run to the basket and grab their shoe and wear it back to their original spot, tied and laced to win. This can get pretty fun when some kids have similar looking shoes and end up wearing mismatched shoes!7. Flashlight Tag.
This is great for older kids as younger ones may be afraid of the dark, or are more prone to falls. This game is played in the dark and is a version of hide-and-seek. Kids need a flashlight to play. Have the kids hide and the person who is "it" looks for them with their flashlight. Each child is "tagged" with the flashlight's beam and then becomes out. Continue the game until one person is left. Another version is to play just like tag where the game continues and no one is out, but gets tagged. 8. Spoon race.
Divide the entire group of kids into teams and arrange into lines. Give each player a spoon and give each person at the head of the line an object to pass along. The fun part is to make this object theme related, like an Easter Egg for an Easter Egg Hunt Party, a Grape for an Hawaiian Luau Party, a Christmas ornament for a Christmas party, etc. Every time the object is dropped the team has to start all over again from the beginning of the line. The first team to pass the object from beginning to the end without dropping the item, wins. Other Variations: Passing a Balloon using only your knees, Pass the Tennis Balls using only elbows, Pass the table tennis ball by blowing a straw, Pass the apple using your chin, etc. 9. Mummy wrap.
Divide the group of kids into two teams. One member of each group volunteers to be the mummy. Give each team a roll of toilet paper. When you give the signal, let each team wrap their mummy as fast as they can. The first to finish the roll of toilet paper, wins. 10. Obstacle Course.
Design an obstacle course in your yard or in an open are indoors. Make sure there are no objects kids can run into where they can get hurt. Before the party, collect items that would make a great obstacle course. Some examples:
- Orange hazard cones, to zigzag through
- A narrow plank or a low balance beam, to walk on
- Tether ball: play tether for a few minutes
- Hopscotch: go from 1 to 10
- Jump rope: to jump rope while hopping on one foot
- Hula hoops: to do 20 rounds
- Mini trampoline: jump 10 times
- Limbo: to go under
- Sprinkler: to avoid getting wet
- Old tires or Hula hoops: to hop in or out of
- Clothing line with long rags to go through
- Bow and arrow with target, to see who has the best shot
- Donut Hanging on a line: to see who is the first to eat a donut without hands
