Party Games

Plan simple games - older children will tend to make up their own fun

Have a few games up your sleeve - especially for smaller children who need variety

Get your child involved - ask your child what they would like to do or play

Plan games that are age appropriate. Eg pin the tail on the donkey, jumping castles are not always appropriate for 2 year olds

Be prepared that not all of the children will want to join in or get involved. All little people are different.

Treasure Hunt

Before the party mum and dad hide such things as fun size choclates, lollies and little toys matchbox cars, pretend jellerwy etc in secret places around the house and garden. Remember to keep track of how many prizes you hide in case you have to hint where they are. This game can also be played with a time limit.

Musical Chairs

Make a circle with chairs. There should be one less chair than the number of children at the party. When the music starts the children skip or walk around the chairs and when the music stops everyone sits down. The child without a chair drops out. Remove a chair and start the music again. The game continues until only two players are left competing for the last chair.

Hot Potato

Children sit in a circle and pass around a potato as the music plays. When the music stops the child holding the potato (cold) is taken out of the cirlce. The winner is the last on lef tin the game.

Pass the Parcel

Prepare the parcel beforehand a prize wrapped in layers and layers of newspaper or butchers paper. The children sit round in a circle and pass the parcel to each other as the music plays. When the music stops, the child holding the parcel can unwrap one layer. The musoic starts again and the passing continues. Eventually the last layer of wrapping is unwrapped leaving the winner holding the prize. For very young children place a sweet between each layer or scatter smaller prizes throughout the sheets of wrapping.

Potato/Egg and Spoon Race

Give every child a hard boiled egg or a small potato and a spoon they must hold the egg or potato balanced on the spoon while running from a start line to a finish line. To make this game more difficult for older children make a rule that if they drop their egg/potato they must put it back on the spoon and go back to the start line.

Teddy Bear Race

Children line up on all fours at a start line. Place a teddy bear on each childs back. This must be carried to a finish line without falling off. If a teddy falls the child must pick it up and return to the start line and begin again. The first child over the finish line is the winner.

Musical Statues

Children dance about as music plays. When the music stops all children must immediately sit down or freeze in the position they are in and remain as still as statues. Anyone who moves at all is out. The last child left is the winner.

Outsourcing your party

• Consider hiring toys, cars etc from a toy library. Some toy libraries deliver and pick up

Plaster fun parties

• Mobile services will come to your home popular with 4 and 5 year olds (boys and girls)
• Some children will require supervision and help
• Can be messy so avoid wearing good party clothes
• Smocks are provided
• Party runs for a set time

Clowns & Fairies

• Be aware that smaller children may be afraid

Jumping Castles

• Not always ideal for smaller children