So, you’re planning a children’s party.  How on earth do you keep all the children entertained for hours?  Cue the party games!  I’ve been to some parties with some really original games for the children to play based around the theme of the party, but if your party isn't following a particular theme, the traditional party games are still a firm favourite for children of a variety of ages.

When planning your party games, consider the age range of the children attending so that games aren’t to complicated or babyish for them.  Include some games that can help the children expel all that energy as well as some quieter games for when things start getting a bit crazy, and believe me they will! 

If you’re playing a game with one final winner, it’s worth having some consolation prizes for children as they go out of a game. Little ones can be sore losers when it comes to party games!  I’ve found a big bowl full of individually wrapped chocolates for them to take one does the trick.

We’ve rounded up the best party games for a wide age range of children and come up with our top 5 - sure winners at any children’s party.

1. Musical Bumps/Statues

Have the children dance to music and when the music stops they all sit down as fast as they can. The last one to sit down is out of the game. Keep going until there’s one child left to win the prize. 

Musical statues works in the same way, except the children all stand as still as possible when the music stops and if they move they’re out.

This is an example of where it’s worth having some chocolates to give each child as they go out.

2. Pass the Parcel

Choose a prize appropriate for any child at the party to win and wrap it in several layers of wrapping paper.  Sit the children in a circle, start some music and give the parcel to one of the children, get them to pass it to the child next to them and it carries on passing round the circle. As the music stops, the child who is holding the parcel opens a layer. The music starts again and the parcel continues passing round the circle. Repeat this until the final layer of wrapping is opened and the prize is revealed.

It’s worth considering adding a small prize at each layer so the children aren’t too disappointed to be revealing nothing. A small cheap toy like the ones you can buy to fill party bags or bag of sweets will do. Lolly pops work well here too.

If you’re having a small party, it might be worth having a main prize for each child so they all win, but this could get expensive and lengthy for a larger party!

3. A Treasure Hunt

You can split the children into teams to see who can find the final reward first, or have all the children do the treasure hunt together.

Write down some easy clues on cards to guide the children to various places around the house and  garden to find more clues and eventually a main prize.  The main prize should be something all of the  children can share as a reward for working together.You can split the children into teams to see who  can find the final reward first, or have all the children do the treasure hunt together.

This requires a bit more effort and planning, but is well worth it, particularly for slightly older children.  It’s wonderful to see them run around with excitement, solving clues!

 4. Pin the Tail on the Donkey

Another classic game and one that can be adapted to a party theme if you wish.

You don’t need to buy a kit for this game, you can print a picture of a tailless animal and some separate tails from the internet.  Give a tail to each child with some blu-tack attached, blindfold them, point them at the ‘donkey’ and let them attach their tail. 

The child who gets their tail closest to where the tail should be wins the game.

5. Sleeping Lions

This is a great game to quieten things down if they start getting a little crazy!

Have all the children lie down and pretend to be a sleeping lion.  Explain that if they wake up by moving or laughing etc, that they’ll be out of the game. Then, walk around the children trying to wake them up by making them laugh or pretending there’s something interesting to look at. The last sleeping lion is the winner.

Children’s party games are so much fun, we hope you enjoy playing our top 5 games at your next party, and that they bring back some good memories from your own parties as a child!  One last tip - have lots of non-decorative balloons lying around too - they’re great for the children to entertain themselves with as they go out of a game.

Enjoy!