Birthdays are big. And I mean big. There are so many things to think about when planning a birthday party, the theme, the cake, the favors – but please don’t forget the games! There is not much worse than a party that is lasting too long with nothing to do. So, for those that aren’t even sure where to begin, here is a bit of a kick in the pants so to speak! Then you can have all your bases covered at the next birthday bash you host.
One really easy, yet fun game idea is for you and your guests to play a scavenger hunt in order to obtain their party favors. Hide one of each type of item per guest and birthday honoree. This is simple to do. Maybe a little time consuming, but the overall effect is totally a fun party game experience. You can keep the list short for younger guests. Then add more items and harder hiding places for older guests. Any way you do it, this simple party game is sure to be a hit.
Then there is the ever popular pin the tail on the donkey. Now, before you get mad, I am saying that you need to modify this classic game to fit the party theme. One such example: Pin the Tail on the Mermaid for an undersea party theme. Or pin the missing Wheel on the Tractor for a little boy’s party. Use your imagination on this one and the possibilities will be endless. At my baby shower, we played pin the Diaper on the Baby. So really this can be modified to fit any theme.
Ok, no little guys around? Needing an idea for older children or teenagers? Well, how about playing a modified version of the game show Don’t Forget the Lyrics. Many teens are very much into music and lyrics. This game would be fun for that age group. You could make your own CD and have the lyrics already printed up. Many websites offer the lyrics for free to popular music. Then play some of the music and suddenly stop the CD and allow the participant to finish the lyric. If they can’t finish, they can only watch the rest of the round. Maybe the winner gets a new CD. The possibilities just go on and on with this one. I think this would really be a fun type of game for teens.
Something we did one year when our children were smaller. We took some carpet remnants and laid them out on our deck. We used all sorts of items from the house and the garage, like holiday décor or whatnots. Then we used some wood and created a miniature mini golf on the deck. We had some plastic golf clubs and balls. The kids and their guests really had a blast on that little course while working off some of that cake and ice cream. It is a cheap and easy game, yet takes time to set up. But it was so worth it.
These ideas can be modified and arranged to suit your birthday honoree and theme. Easy to do for the most part, these will pay off big dividends in the end. Enjoy.
