Birthday parties evoke memories of kids gathered around the birthday boy or girl, a decorated cake lit with candles, and the familiar strains of “Happy Birthday To You”. But there is much more to an average birthday party than just cake and ice cream or even gifts. Games are what make parties fun and there are many game options.
Some of the traditional favorites remain popular. Parents can’t make a wrong choice with the time tried “Pin The Tail On The Donkey” when blindfolded guests attempt to pin the tail on the right part of the donkey’s body. Another old favorite is “Clothespin Drop”, a game in which kids attempt to drop clothes pins into the mouth of an open bottle. The hardest thing about that game is finding the right type of clothes pins as well as a bottle with a mouth wide enough to let the pins pass.
Classic Charades is another fun game. One guest acts out the name of a song, movie, or television show in pantomime. No speaking is allowed but the first step is for the other guests to guess if it is a song, show, or name. Once done, the charade actor proceeds to give clues and the hilarious results make a fun time for everyone involved.
If you have access to either a chalk board or a dry erase board, the Initial Game is another favorite. The chosen person puts up the initials to something. It might be a song, a popular television show, a person, or even a movie. For example, the popular TLC channel program “Little People, Big World” would be L.P.B.W. Unlike charades, the person putting up the puzzle can speak but can’t provide clues, only answer questions with yes or no. Is it a song? No. Is it it a televison program? Yes.
Parents can liven up the party with their version of “Deal or No Deal”. Create some choices and copy the format of the popular show for a great game that everyone will enjoy.
Another old standard party game is to whisper a phrase into one child’s ear and then have that child whisper it to their neighbor until the phrase goes all the way around the room and through each guest. By the end of the line, the phrase has almost always become mangled and thus provides a funny moment.
Hide and go seek is still appropriate for younger party guests but it is wise to set rules and boundaries. If an area of the home should be off limits, say so.
Scavenger hunts are popular for all ages even adults. Make up a simple list of items that can be found inside the home, within a specific room or area (i.e. the basement) or in the yard and let the hunt begin. Older kids and teens can scour the neighborhood or canvass the town for items like a cup from McDonalds or a Hershey bar.
If the party is going to be outside and near dark, an old-fashioned reverse take on hide-and-go-seek is fun. Called “Moonlight, Starlight”, this old game has one person – the desiginated “ghost” – hide and the others seek to find him or her. Chanting “Moonlight, starlight, I hope to see the ghost tonight” adds to the suspense and can be a chilling blast of fun!
Of course, traditional board games, video games, and more are also acceptable. Hosts lucky enough to own an air hockey table, a pinball machine, ping pong, or pool tables also have those options.
