Do not pin the tail on that donkey! It’s time to add a few new twists to old birthday party games. Some traditional games will always be a hit, but you can jazz up your birthday party by adjusting the games to suit your birthday party theme.
Spoons is an easy birthday party game that can be played with almost any object. Spoons is similar to musical chairs in that you have one less spoon, or other object, than players. A moderator counts silently to five, or plays music and cuts it off then calls, “Spoons!” Everyone at the table grabs for a spoon. The one who is left without a spoon is out of the game. Each time a player leaves the game, remove one of the spoons. Continue play until one player is left.
Spoons can be modified as a birthday party game to fit your theme.
Pirates may use plastic coins. Ponies or tiaras work well for girls’ birthday parties. Action figures, party rings, small animals, themed erasers, or any other party favor works great for this birthday party game. The trinkets then become take home goodies.
This game is fun with any age, even adults. Set guidelines for the spoon grab, as the game can get rowdy with over-zealous grabbers.
Create your own bowling alley for a fun, unique birthday party game. Fill two liter bottles half-way with water for bowling pins. Cover the bottles with themed paper or faces of characters associated with your birthday party. Use a playground ball as a bowling ball. Have an adult volunteer to re-set the bowling pins.
Give each child two or three turns to bowl, depending on age and ability. You can also adjust the size of the lane depending on the children’s age. If you need bumpers for younger players buy foam tubes at the dollar store to create lanes.
Complicate the game for older kids by using a smaller ball, like a softball, and assigning point values to each of the pins. Watch how competitive they become over a birthday party game.
Put a new twist on an old birthday party game favorite: Duck, Duck, Goose. Most kids have played Duck, Duck, Goose. All participants sit crossed leg in a circle. One person is “it.” Whoever is “it” walks around the circle tapping everyone lightly on the head. As they tap each player’s head they say, “Duck, Duck, Duck…” Once they reach the person with whom they want to play chase and switch places they say, “Goose.” “It” is then chased by the Goose. The object is for “it” to get around the circle to the Goose’s place before the Goose tags him. Once they reach the Goose’s place they sit there. They are no longer it; the Goose becomes “It.” Play several rounds. Most kids want the opportunity for a chase, even though they will all act like they don’t want to be “it.”
Jazz up Duck, Duck, Goose by changing the names to fit the birthday party’s theme. For example, if you are having a Dora the Explorer birthday bash try playing Dora, Dora, Swiper. Swiper is the villainous, conniving fox for whom Dora and friends are always on the lookout.
Complicate the game a little more for older kids by allowing them to use several names associated with the party theme. For example: Dora, Diego, Swiper. Swiper is still the tag word indicating it is that player’s turn to chase whoever is “it.”
Additional Suggestions for altering Duck, Duck, Goose:
If your party is Batman themed play “Batman, Batman, Joker.” Complicate it by adding heroes or villains: “Batman, Batman, Robin, Batman, Penguin.” Penguin becomes the player on the run.
A My Little Pony party is a perfect time to play, “Pony, Pony, Horse.
Hosting a sports themed party allows you to use player positions to play the birthday party game. For example, you could try “Tackle, Tackle, Quarterback,” or “Goalie, Goalie, Score.”
Try a Pirates of the Caribbean birthday party for the guys. Play “Pirate, Pirate, Shipwreck.”
Trying a Doodlebops birthday party? Try “Rock, Rock, Bop,” as a birthday party game.
Use your imagination to put a new twist on this favorite birthday party game. Kids will get excited and enjoy the game because they are familiar with it, but they are also learning new ways of play.
The key to adapting this birthday party game successfully is to make the trigger word clear. Make sure everyone knows when to run to protect their place in the circle.
Heads up: Fly Ball is an outdoor birthday party game that gets everyone involved. This birthday party game requires is kid, a ball, a score keeper, and several small cards in a bucket with varying numbers divisible by 5, between 10 and 250. Any type of ball will do, however, I like to use Nerf balls or tennis balls. In the event someone catches a ball with their head it’s not so hard on the cranium.
All of the kids, except the thrower, line up some distance from the thrower. The distance depends on the size, age, and ability of the kids. Older kids can line up several yards away, while younger kids will need to be within feet of the thrower. Don’t expect them to stay in line once the game begins, but they should not cross a demarcated line.
To get the birthday party game started, the thrower pulls a numbered card at random and calls the amount. For example, if the thrower pulls out a card that says 100 he calls, “100,” then tosses the ball high into the air toward the players.
Players scramble to catch the ball. Once they are close to a catch they should call the ball to avoid collisions. The player who catches the ball earns 100 points. If a player attempts to catch a ball and misses they lose 100 points. This requires an adult to keep score.
The first player to reach a predetermined limit, 500 or 1000, is the winner. You may give out prizes to winners, or let them take the throwers place, which is usually what kids want to do. Everyone loves a chance to be the thrower in this birthday party game. If you plan on giving everyone an opportunity to throw lower the point threshold to end rounds more quickly.
A good way to pick the first thrower is to let the birthday boy or girl go first.
Many kids have never played this birthday party game before, but quickly fall in love with it. You will too when you realize how much entertainment it provides, how easy it is, and how much energy it allows kids to work off.
Crazy Koosh Ball toss is a game that my class played when I taught school. It is also a fun birthday party game. This game is for older kids, but you can modify the rules and objectives for younger birthday parties. Sit the kids in a circle. Have up to five or more Koosh balls handy. Get the kids started with the birthday party game by having them toss the Koosh 2 or 3 rounds to get used to the rules.
Each person who holds the ball must call out the name of another player in the circle. Then, they toss the Koosh to the person they called. That player must call the name of someone else and toss the Koosh to that player. It takes a couple of rounds for kids to get the hang of it.
Just when they think this birthday party game is lame, throw in another Koosh ball. The same rules apply, only now there are two Koosh balls being tossed simultaneously. Players must stay alert and listen in order not to miss their ball. Once they get the hang of two add another Koosh, then another, then another.
This is a game in which there really is no elimination. Once things get really mixed up kids are usually laughing and want to try again. Kids like games at which they can succeed. The objective is to get all Koosh balls tossing at the same time. If this never happens, apply the number one rule to kids’ activities: Stop while they are still having fun and begging for more. This always gives them something for which to look forward to next time.
