If you’re planning a birthday party sleepover or a slumber party for your children, you’re probably a little stumped on what they can do to entertain themselves. You’ve already got the snacks and refreshments down pat, but not it’s time for fun and games. Fear not, for I have attended many slumber parties as a child and can clue you in to all of the games they played (the ones I liked anyway).
Belly Giggle
This is a great game for kids who are bored out of their mind and feel that there is nothing better to do. It’s also a good choice once everyone is settled down but still in the mood for a little fun. You will need at least three people.
What You Do:
Have one person lay on their back in the middle of the floor. The next person should lay their head on that person’s stomach. The person after that should lay her head on the second person’s stomach and so on, until you form a little circle of belly pillows (ha!). One person, on cue, should begin laughing (fake or not). The person who’s head is on their belly will begin laughing too because of the belly jiggle under their head. This will cause a ripple effect, and soon, everyone in the group will be laughing. It is the best medicine, you know?
Reverse Hide & Seek
This is an excellent game for kids who like hide and seek because this is just like it but with a fun little twist.
What You Do:
You choose one person that’s “it” (you can draw names out of a hat), and that person will hide while everyone else closes their eyes. Once the person has successfully hidden themselves, give the others the cue to start searching. They must all search seperately. If someone finds the person who is hiding, they must sneak and get into the same hiding spot with them (hide together). Once someone else finds them two, they too, must hide with them. The last person to find the one hiding will be “it”.
Telephone/Gossip
This, too, is another great game to play when the kids are settled down and down being rowdy for the night. It’s also a great choice for a chaperone who wants some peace and quiet for a few minutes. You may even be familar with this game.
What You Do:
Place everyone in a circle and choose someone to be the “gossiper” or the “talker”. This person will whisper something (very quietly so no one else can hear) to the person on the right of them. It must be one sentence. The person who heard the secret will then have to repeat it to the person to the right of them and so on until you get to the last person in the group. If someone doesn’t hear the secret, they cannot ask that the sentence be repeated, they must just repeat what they heard (or thought they heard). The last person in the group will repeat aloud what he/she heard and then the “gossiper” will tell the group what was actually said. It’s a fun game to see how gossip usually really does get out of hand.
Freeze Tag
This is an excellent outdoors game for a bunch of riled up kids.
What You Do:
This game is just like regular tag except when you are tagged, you must freeze in the spot you are in. You can be “unfrozen” by another player (who is not “it”) when they crawl under your legs. If they get caught while trying to “unfreeze” you, they, too, must stay in the spot they are in. Once everyone has been frozen (or after 10 minutes, whichever comes first), a new “it” must be selected by the current person who is “it”.
TV Tag
This is a great game for kids who are big fans of TV and the game Tag.
What You Do:
It’s just like the regular game of tag, but when the person who is “it” is about to tag you, you must touch the ground and say the name of a TV show. If you do that, you are safe, and the tagger can’t tag you while you’re down. If you can’t think of a show, you can be tagged and you will be “it”.
So next time you’re planning a birthday sleepover or slumber party, be sure to include some of these games on your planner. I can guarantee that your children’s friends will not be disappointed and will gladly show up for their next party.
