Games And Activities

Give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil or pen. Have your guests sit in a circle. Ask them to write their names on the first line. Do not tell them the name of the game in order to avoid forced answers.

On the second line ask them to write a "G" if they are girls or a "B" if they are boys. Then ask them to fold down the paper so that just their names are covered. Collect all of the papers and mix them up and pass out the papers again.

Have the guests look at the paper. If there is a G on their paper they are to write a boy's name next to the G. If the paper they have been given has a B on it, they are to write a or a girl's name next to the B. Have them fold down the paper to cover that line and pass the paper to the person on their right.

For the next line, have the guests put a year, fold down the paper to cover that line and pass the paper to the person on their right.

For the next line, have the guests put down a number, fold down the paper to cover that line and pass the paper to the person on their right.

For the next line, have the guests put down a color, fold down the paper to cover that line and pass the paper to the person on their right.

For the next line, have the guests put down another color, fold down the paper to cover that line and pass the paper to the person on their right.

For the next line, have the guests put down an occupation, fold down the paper to cover that line and pass the paper to the person on their right.

For the next line, have the guests put down a place, fold down the paper to cover that line and pass the paper to the person on their right.

For the next line have the guests put down a game. Collect all of the papers, unfold them and read them out loud as follows:

"(name of guest) married (next name on list) in (year). They have (number) children with (color) eyes and (another color) hair. Since he/she is a (occupation) they live in (place). They play (game) all day long."

Anytime Snowballs

Snowball fight of the year! It is not cold it is not wet but its loads of fun. A teen party game that nobody will forget! Start at the toe of a pair of pantyhose, fill with a half a cup of flour, tie a knot just above the flour, and cut. Tie a knot in the loose end and fill once more, continue making snowballs all the way up the leg. Each leg will make 5-6 “snowballs”. Make at least 2 snowballs for each player. HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT! Each snowball can be used several times before it pops! Great for free play or dividing into two teams.

Balloon Stomp

Blow up enough balloons for each guest. Cut a ribbon or string into pieces approximately two feet in length–long enough to tie around the end of the balloon and around the guest’s ankle. Tie one piece of ribbon or string to each balloon. Tie a balloon to each guest’s ankle or shoelace. Once every guest has a balloon secured to their leg say “Go” and the guests try to pop the other guest’s balloons without getting their own balloon popped. The last person to have their balloon intact is the winner.

Barnyard

Moos and oinks fill the air as players race to find their fellow animals in this hilariously noisy menagerie matchup.
Great for: All ages
Number of players: 6 or more
What you'll need
Index cards
Pen or marker
How to play
Choose one person to be the farmer. His or Her job is to think of two to four types of farm animals, then whisper one to each player. (To help younger kids remember their assignments, write or draw the animals on index cards.)
At "Go," each player belts out his or her animal's sound (a goat's bleat or a chicken's squawk, for example) and runs to find other players making the same noise. The first group to herd itself together and sit down wins.

Variations:
After a few rounds, mix it up with animals found in a zoo, jungle, or pet shop so that players can make different sounds.

BINGO

What you will need:

BINGO sheets, one for each player*
Small objects such as pennies, buttons or cut up paper for markers
Optional prizes

How to Play:

Each guest is given a BINGO sheet and a handful of markers. Randomly pick an object/word/number on the BINGO sheet and tell your guests (cards or papers listing the objects on the BINGO card are good to draw from). The guests find the object/word/number on their BINGO sheet and put a marker on that square. When a guest fills up a row vertically, horizontally or diagonally they shout “Bingo!” and they win. After someone wins you may want to continue play as others will be close and the winner can just watch, or you can take all of the markers off and start over.

*Your guests can help make the BINGO sheets by giving them a blank grid and having them fill in the squares. For example, if your party is a baby shower, you could have the guests fill in the squares with gifts you think the guest of honor will receive and when the presents are opened, a marker can be placed on the gift if it was listed on the BINGO sheet.

Catch a Word

Everyone gets to play this game in turn. The first person has to say a two-word word or phrase. For example, he says, “Good-bye.” The next person has to choose one of those words and combine it with another to form yet another two-word word or phrase. Thus the second player could say, “Good luck.” The third player could say, “Bad luck.” The fourth player could then say, “Bad boy,” and so on.

Crossed and Uncrossed

What is Needed:

Blunt, child's pair of scissors

How to Play:

Sit down in a circle with the guests. For this game, it is better to sit on chairs.

Tell the guests that there is a trick to this game and that they must watch you very closely. If they cannnot guess the trick, promise to tell them what it is at the end of the game.

You are going to pass the scissors to the player on your right, and say aloud what you are doing.

(The trick lies not in how you pass the scissors--crossed or uncrossed--but in the position of your legs as you pass the scissors. Your feet are either crossed or uncrossed.)

If you start with your feet crossed, then you say to the next plaer, "I am passing the scissors crossed." If they are sitting with their feet straight, they should say, "I received the scissors uncrossed." If they stay that way, they should say, "And I am passing them uncrossed." However, if they change the posistion of their feet, then they should say, "I received them uncrossed, and I am passing them crossed."

As leader, you will tell each player whether they are passing the scissors correctly. The guests will undoubtedly try to vary the way the scissors are passed. They may open the blades and say they are "crossed," or close the blades and say they are "uncrossed." But the position of the blades is not important at all!

Continue playing for a few rounds. If the guests are not catching on, cross or uncross your feet very obviously when it is your turn.

Don't Eat Pete!

What you will need:

Serving tray
An assortment of candies

How To Play:

Place one of each kind of candy on a tray (you can also use the same kind of candy, it is just funner with a variety) Pick one guest to be “it.” The guest that is “it” goes out of the room. The remaining guests quietly pick a candy on the tray to be “Pete” without touching the candy and without “it” hearing. The guest that is “it” comes back in the room and begins to slowly pick up the candies off of the tray one at a time. If “it” picks up the candy that the other guests had determined to be “Pete” everyone shouts, “Don’t eat Pete!" and “it’s” turn is over (they can keep the candy they picked up), the missing candy is replenished and a new guest is picked to get to go out of the room and be “it.” Play until every guests who wants a turn to be “it” gets a turn to be “it.”

Duck, Duck, Goose

To play Duck, Duck, Goose have all of the guests sit in a circle and choose one person to be “it.” The person who is “it” walks around the outside of the circle and taps each guest’s head lightly and says “Duck.” Eventually they say “Goose” and the “Goose” has to get up and race “it” around the circle in the opposite direction toward the now vacant seat. The first person to the seat sits down and the loser is now “it.”

You can change the name of the game to match any theme. For example, Lion, Lion Tiger for a circus party, or Pirate, Pirate, Treasure for a Pirate party, or Hero, Hero, Villain for a superhero party.

Feel It!

This is a guessing game where your guests will try to identify several objects by feeling them. Number small brown paper bags from 1 on up to as many objects that you have gathered. The objects must be small enough to fit in the small paper bag with the top rolled up and closed. Do not use objects that could harm your guests from feeling them (for example do not put things that would poke or cut your guests). Do not use objects that could leak or break open. After you have the objects in the bags close the bags and roll the top down twice and staple or tape shut. Pass out the bags and have the guests try to identify the objects inside the bag by squishing and feeling without opening the bag. Once they think they know what the object inside the bag is they can record it on a piece of paper according to the number on the bag. After everyone has had a chance to feel every bag open each bag to reveal what is inside. The player with the most correct guesses is the winner.

You can use most anything around your house. If you have a theme to your party, try to find objects that go with the theme, for example, use baby objects if playing the game at a baby shower. Some suggested objects to feel include the following:

Coins
Small toys
Utensil
Headphones
Candy
CD
Birthday candle
Glove
Bobby pin
Hair ribbon
Safety pin
Cell phone

Five Same Color Hunt

What is Needed?

Equal amounts of different colored construction paper cut into 1 inch squares
Prizes

How to Play

Just before the guests arrive hide the different colored construction paper. Keep one of each color out for demonstration purposes.

Ask the guests to stand in the center of the room. Hold up the different colored squares of paper that you have not hidden.

Explain that when you say "Go!" each guest is to pick up one square. They must then try to find four other squares of exactly the same color. If they have trouble finding squares of a particular color, they may put down all of the squares they are holding, choose another color, and start again. Be sure to emphasize that no one should pick up squares at random. Each player may hold only one color at a time.

The first guests to hold five squares of the same color is the winner.

You can also play the game with no limits on how many squares each person must have to win. When no more squares can be found, the one with the most of one color wins.

Fruit Basket

Assign each guest a fruit or color or object based on the theme of your party. Give each guest a name tag, sticker, or card with string long enough to go over the head of a child attached to either side of the card with the color or object name or picture you assigned them.

Have the guests sit in a circle either in chairs or on the floor. One guest is picked to be in the middle. Take away the chair that the guest in the middle was sitting on or move the circle in on the floor to take away the spot of the guest who is currently in the middle The guest in the middle calls out one or two of the assigned fruit, colors or objects and everyone with those objects or colors must get up and change places with another player whose object or color has been called. At the same time the guest in the center tries to reach one of the vacant seats. The last guests standing without a seat is now in the middle and is the one who calls out an object or color. The guest in the center can also call out "Fruit Basket " if playing with fruit, “Rainbow” if using colors or "Everything" and then everyone in the circle has to change places.

Funny Hot Potato

Load a garbage bag with all sorts of embarrassing and somewhat funny clothes and accessories (bikinis, big briefs, etc:-). Now in the form of hot potato you pass the garbage bag around and when the music stops, the person with the bag pulls out an article of clothing and must wear it! The game ends when all the clothes are gone. The winner is the person with the least clothes from the bag on. This game is good for a laugh, especially when guys are wearing bikinis and so on. Wear the garments over your own clothes.

Gift Grab

A nice icebreaker to start a party. You need 5 - 10 small wrapped gift prizes and TWO decks of cards. Sit in a circle. Pass the cards from the first deck out to everyone, giving everyone one at a time until all the cards are gone – a few might get more cards than others do. Now take the second deck of cards and call out each card as you pull them from the deck. The person that holds the matching card from the first deck of cards stand up and pick a prize, continue until all the prizes are gone (this will take 5-10 cards depending on the number of gifts). The FUN begins with the remaining cards of deck two! Everyone can now STEAL THE GIFTS from each other. You can steal a gift from anyone else who holds a gift when a card you hold is called. When the complete second deck of cards has been called out, the people with the gifts keep them.

Grandmother's Club

Sit in a circle.

Explain the game as follows: "Grandmother has a club. Everyone wants to beling to this club, but no one can join unless he brings Grandmother a present. If she likes the present, you may join the club. If she doesn't, you must wait for your next turn to tell what present you would bring. There is a trick connected with what she would like to receive, but I can't tell you that until the end of the game. If you listen carefully, you may be able to figure it out."

(The trick is that each person must bring Grandmother a present which begins with the same letter as his or her own name.)

Begin the game by telling the guests what you would bring. Don't hint that it has anything to do with your name. If your name is Harriet, try "hat" or "hamburger." Encourage one-word answers, such as "cake," rather than "a piece of cake."

Go around the circle counterclockwise, asking each guest in turn what he would bring. If someone usese your answer, but has a different initials, explain that it is correct for you but not for him.

Someone may guess correctly purely by accident. To help the guests you can repeat the correct guesses like "Richard can bring a radio," "Scott can bring a soda," or "Nancy can bring a nightgown."

If the game drags on with no correct guesses, try this: "Sue just guessed a lamp. She can't bring it, but there is someone else here who can. Let's go around the circle and have everyone say that they will bring a "lamp." No Justin, you can't bring a lamp, No Alex you can't bring a lamp. Yes Lindy, you may bring a lamp.

The trick will soon become clear to the majority of the guests. Suggest that they explain it to those who still don't understand.

Variations:

For Halloween, have them join the Witche's Club; at Christmas, Santa's Club; at Easter, Bunny Rabbit's Club; or whatever your theme may be.

Head Bang

What you need: Pantyhose, Balls, 16-20 small water bottles.

Preparation: Cut a pair of pantyhose into two in the center of the "panty" part, and place a ball inside the foot of each. Any type of ball will do as long as it is rather heavy - golf ball, baseball, cricket ball.

How to play: Line two rows of bottles up. Divide the group into two teams. One member of each team race against a member of the other team.

Contestants must now tie the two open ends of half the pantyhose behind their heads so that the leg part is on top of their heads, and fit it to their heads securely.

On the word “Go!” two contestants will start knocking the bottles over by swinging the ball in the stocking sideways. The person that knocks all his bottles over first, scores a point for his team. Be careful if the stocking falls off of your head (no touching the stocking once you have started) you are out and the other team gets the point!

You can also play with nice loud music, start the music when you want players to start and stop the music when a player finishes.

Head Pop

A fabulously fun teen party game to play and a very funny game to watch! Hang 20-40 or more balloons in two colors from the roof at different heights, it can be as low as the ground for more fun! Secure two pins into two hats or caps with tape, with the pins sticking out of the top of the hats. Divide into two teams, each team choose a balloon color. Each team sends one player of choice in who has 15 seconds to pop as many balloons of the team’s color with the pin in the hat on their head! No hands or feet! Every 15 seconds a new player must go in, grab the hat, place it on their head, and start popping the team’s color balloons. The team who pops all of their balloons first wins. One person stands on the side and counts to 15 and then shouts “change” and starts counting to 15 again and continues this until one team wins.

Hear it!

This is a guessing game where you make various sounds and the guests try to identify them. The one who identifies the most is the winner. You can gather various items around the house and place them in a box or behind a screen as you shake, shuffle, crumple, click, zip, knock, tear, snap or cut with each item. You can also record different sounds and play them back at the party for the guests to identify.

Some suggested items that you can gather around the house are:
A few dried beans in a bottle
A few pins in a bottle
A deck of cards
Cellophane
A ball-point pen (one that clicks to expose the ball point)
A large zipper
Buttons
Scotch tape or masking tape
An elastic band
Scissors
A soda pop can
Other sounds that can be recorded:
Animal sounds
Machinery
Electronics
Water running
Water boiling
Food frying
Toilet flushing
Jumping/walking/running
Breathing
Snoring
Eating
Brakes on a vehicle
A vehicle's signal
Door slamming/closing
A printer printing

Hot, Warm, Cold

What's Needed?

Small object to hide
Optional stop watch or watch with a second hand

How to Play:

Send one guest out of the room. Quietly hide a small object somewhere in the room and tell all the remaining guests to remember where the object is hidden. Bring the guest back in the room that was sent out while hiding the object and tell them to look for the object. Lead the group in clapping their hands. They are to clap very softly when the guest looking for the object is "cold," or far away from the object. They need to clap louder as he gets "warmer" and approaches the object. They will clap as loud as they can when the guest looking for the object is "hot," or right on top of the object.

Continue playing until all of the guests have had a chance to either hide the object or find the object. A fun addition is to time the guests using the stop watch and see how fast each guest can find the object.

Hula Hoop Chain

Have players stand in a circle. Loop a hula hoop onto the arm of one player. Tell players to join hands. Instruct them to move the hula hoop around the circle from player to player without releasing their hands. This game can be just for laughs or can be played competitively by dividing into two teams and racing to see which team completes the circle first.

Limbo

With two people, each holding one end of a broom or mop handle, have kids limbo their way, one at a time, under the pole. Lower the pole after everyone has had a turn at the first height, and continue in this manner to see who can go the lowest. It is fun to do it to music.

Memory Tray

What you will need:

Random objects (or objects that go with your party theme)
Serving tray
Paper and pens or pencils for every guest
Optional: prizes

How to Play:

Place the random objects on a tray. Show all of the guests with the objects on it for a limited amount of time – 30 seconds to a few minutes. Take the tray away and give each guest a piece of paper and something to write with. When you say “go” have the guests try to remember every item that was on the tray. The guest that remembers the most items, wins.

An alternative twist is to have the guests remember unique things about the person who was showing them the tray of objects. If you are doing this, make sure the one displaying the tray has some unusual jewelry, hair accessories or clothes and take these off before revealing the instructions for the guests.

Messy Twister

What you need: Twister (the game) and washable paints (Blue, Red, Yellow and Green).

How to play:

Lay out the board game make sure the guests have old clothes on then pour about a pint of paint on each dots color.

Now play the game as you usually would.

Messy and fun! It's so funny it's a real slip and slide of a paint mess!

Mobile Phone Hide and Seek

What you need: 2-5 mobile phones, depending on number of players.

Players: 6 or more, suitable for large groups.

How to play:

First you have to make sure it is really dark. Turn all of the lights off in and around your home or party venue.

Next set the phones up so that one phone has the phone numbers of the other phones on, ready for group text messages. Remember to turn off the ringtone of the phone that will be texting so that the other players don't spoil the game by phoning this phone!

Now hand the phone that is ready to text to one person. This person will be hiding away from the group and text the remaining phones every few minutes to give clues to where he/she is hiding.

Divide the rest of the phones between the group that will be searching. They will receive the text messages from the hiding player with clues where to search for them. The player that is hiding can make the clues as easy or as difficult as he/she chooses, move around, and even lead the other players away from him/her.

The game ends when the hidden player who has been texting is found. Continue by giving other players a chance to hide.

Murder!

What is Needed?

Deck of playing cards

Preparation:

Select two red kings and the ace of spades from the deck of cards. Then select enough number cards (use numbers 2 through 9) so that the total number of cards equals one for each player. Set aside the rest of the deck.

How to Play:

Have everyone sit in a circle. Tell them that two Detectives are needed to find the Murderer. Hold up the two red kings, and explain that these cards represent the Detectives. Then hold up the ace of spades. The person receiving this card is the Murderer.

Mix the cards and give one to each guest. Ask each guest to look at his card quickly and place it face down in front of him.

Ask the two Detectives to stand up. Collect the red kings from them, and ask them to leave the room. Collect the remaining cards.

Now ask the Murderer to stand up. He must quietly tap someone on the shoulder three times. Caution him not to speak out loud, or his voice may be recognized by the Detectives. The tapped Victim screams and falls over "dead" on the floor.

When the Murderer has returned to his place in the circle, call in the Detectives. Ask them to step into the middle of the circle. Together, they must go around the circle, asking each player in turn, "What were you doing at the time of the murder?"

Suggest several alibis, such as, "I was swimming in the goldfish bowl," or "I was eating electric light bulbs." The guests will take it from there. The Murderer's alibi should always be false.

After all the witnesses have been questioned, give the Detectives one or two chances each to guess who the Murderer is. Facial expressions often give the players away.

Hand Shake Version:

Pick one or two murderers using the playing cards.

Have all of the guests walk around and shake hands. The murderer(s) squeeze the hands of the people they shake hands with 3 times before letting go of their hands which "murders" them but they have to silently count to 5 before falling down "dead" so that the murderer has a chance to distance themselves from the scene of the crime. The murderer continues to "kill" other guests before anyone guesses who they are ("dead" guests can not guess).

Musical Chairs

What you will need:

Chairs or paper
Music
Prizes

How to prepare:

Put the chairs in a circle or the papers on the ground in a circle.

How to play:

Turn the music on and have the guests walk around the outside of the circle. Stop the music and each guest must try to pick up a paper or sit on a chair. The guests who aren’t able to grab a paper or sit on a chair are out. Take a paper or chair away. Turn the music back on and have the guests that are still in the game walk around the circle of papers or chairs again until the music stops. Stop the music and each guest that is still in tries to pick up a paper or sit on a chair.

Mystery Balloon Pinata

Use black balloons, as many balloons as the amount of guests. Fill 1/3 of the balloons with some sticky, gooey, slimy stuffing – cooked spaghetti (still in a bit of water) works well or it can be wet and sticky (use a syringe) such as fruit juice, milkshake, give your imagination free reign depending on the crowd. Fill 1/3 with candy and the last 1/3 with money notes, notes with prizes or notes with instructions to do something funny to the party host/hostess. Inflate the balloons. Hang a rope in the garden between two tall objects and attach all the balloons to the rope. Players are lined up at a distance. Each player receives a sharp object like a toothpick or wooden kebab stick. All players pick a balloon and run towards it at the same time, puncturing the balloon they have chosen. Some get candy (if the others do not grab it before them), some notes, and a few lucky ones covered in goo! Using messy stuffing like pasta sauce is better advised for a pool party!

The Name Game

Roll some wrapping paper, a section of newspaper or a thin magazine into a stick of sorts. Have the guests sit in a circle either in chairs or on the floor. Go around the circle and introduce each guest. Pick one guest to be “it” in the middle and give them the rolled up paper or magazine. The host starts the game by calling out the name of one of the guests in the circle (but not the one in the middle). The guest whose name was called stands up and calls out the name of someone else in the circle. At the same time, the guest in the middle, “it,” tries to hit (touch) the guest whose name the host just called with the rolled up paper or magazine before that guest calls out another name. If “it” manages to hit the guest before they are able to stand up and call out a name, they trade places and the guest that was hit is now “it” in the middle. The trick is that the guest who was “it” now has to call out someone’s name before they sit down. If they sit down before saying a name, they are “it” again and have to go back in the middle and the guest who was going to replace them in the middle must say a name before sitting back in their seat.

Never Have I Ever

Have the guests sit in a circle either in chairs or on the floor. One guest is picked to be in the middle. Take away the chair that the guest in the middle was sitting on or move the circle in on the floor to take away the spot of the guest who is currently in the middle.

The guest in the middle thinks of something that they have never done but that other party guests may have done. The guest in the middle says, "Never have I ever_________________" and says the thing they have never done ( for example "had a sister," "been outside of the country," "worn glasses," etc). All of the other guests who HAVE done the thing that the one in the middle has never done have to get up and trade places. The guest in the middle tries to take the seat of someone who has to move. If there is only one guest who has done the particular thing the guest in the middle said they have never done, the guest who HAS done the thing will end up in the middle and have to think of something they have never done.

Newspaper Race

What is Needed?

A sheet of newspaper (or other large paper) for each player
Prizes

How to play:

Tear each sheet of newspaper in half, so that you have 2 pieces for each player.

Establish a starting line and a finish line as far apart as the room will permit. If played outside, have the 2 lines about 30 feet apart.

Using 2 pieces of newspaper, show the guests how to walk across this designated area: Place one paper on the starting line and step on it with both feet. Place the second paper on the floor, as far in front of you as you can step with both feet, without stepping on the floor. Take a giant step!

Reach behind you and pick up the paper you just left. Place that paper ahead of you, step on it, and reach for the paper behind you. Continue to the finish line.

Novelty Competition

Give each guest a piece of paper and a pencil.

Inform the group that this game is all about them. Tell the guests that they will receive points for their clothing, appearance, and "personal history." No changes in costume may be made from this moment until the endof the game.

Ask each guest to write their name at the top of the paper. Read one item aloud at a time as well as the point value for each item.

At the end of the game, total the points and the one with the highest score is the winner.

Some items and point values could be as follows:

Shirt or blouse: plain = 1 point, words=3 points, picture or print=5 points, striped=7 points
Shoes: black=1 point, brown= 3 points, any other color=5 points
Socks: white=1 point, colored=3 points
Hair: Pony tail=1 point, long=3 points, short=5 points, curly=7 points
Belt: 2 points, no belt=5 points
Necklaces, rings, bracelets, watches: 1 point for each
Number of month of guest's birthday: (Jan=1 up to Dec=12)
Number of day of guest's birthday
Number of kids in guest's family
Time you went to bed last night (you could subtract this to reward the early to bed guests)
Time you woke up this morning (you could subtract this to reward the early risers)

Odd or Even

What is Needed?

7 uncooked beans, buttons or pennies for each player
Prize

How to Play:

Give each guest seven beans (or other small objects). They are to hold them in one hand.

Take a few beans yourself. Slip one or two beans into your other hand.

Hold this hand out. Ask a guest standing near if they think you have an odd number or even number of beans in your hand. For younger guests ask how many beans they think you have in your hand--one bean or two.

If they guess correctly, explain that if the game were in progress, you would have to give them the beans. If they guess incorrectly, show them that they were wrong and you keep the beans.

Although the game is called Odd or Even, it is easier for young children to call out "one" or "two" when guessing the number of beans, If you are playing with younger children, emphasize that they can have only one or two beans in the hand which they are holding out.

The guests do not sit for this game. They may walk around the room and ask any other guest, "Odd or Even?" or "One or Two?"

If a guest indicates to you that they have lost all of their beans, whisper to them that they should just wait for someone to ask them now.

Some of the guests may figure out that they cannot lose any beans if they refuse to ask the other guests. If so, make a rule that anyone who answers must immediately ask the guest who asked him.

After about five or ten minutes of play, warn the group that they have only one minute left to play. Then say, "Stop! Count your beans." The guest who has the most beans is the winner.

Party Clothes

Sit in a circle. with the party guests.

Tell the guests to pretend that they are getting ready to come to this party. They must decide what to wear. Say the following sentence to them, without emphasizing any of the words; "In order to come to ____________'s party, you must wear the right clothes."

Explain that you will go around the circle, asking each one in turn what they will wear. If they choose the right clothes, they may come. If not, they will have to wait for their turn to come around again.

Start by telling what you would wear first, and then continue around the circle. At first each player should name only one article of clothing. As the game progresses, it may be necessary to describe the entire outfit to make the answer more obvious.

(The trick is in the sentence about wearing the "right clothes." The children will assume you mean "correct" when you say "right." However, in this case you mean the clothes that the person on your right side is wearing.)

If no one guesses after a round or two, repeat the sentence, emphasizing the word "right." Caution the guests who figure it out to look straight ahead while answering.

Pass the Parcel

What you will need:

Scissors
Tape
Small box or container
Gift wrap, newspaper, colored paper or material
Music
Candy, treats or prizes

How to prepare:

Place the candy, treats or prizes in a shoe box or other small container. Wrap the box or container up in gift wrap, newspaper or other paper or material. Add another layer of wrapping paper. Continue adding layers of paper. You can also add treats or candy with each layer instead of as a final prize.

How to play:

Pass the parcel is played with the guests sitting in a circle and passing around a parcel, or wrapped gift while the host plays music (or sings). The host stops the music and when the music stops the guest that is holding the parcel gets to unwrap a layer of wrapping paper. The host then restarts the music and the guests resume passing the parcel around the circle. The host again stops the music and the guest holding the parcel gets to unwrap another layer. This continues until the entire parcel is unwrapped.

Pin the Tail on the Donkey (or whatever)

Pin the Tail on the Donkey is certainly not a new game. It is included here more as a reminder, since it is practically a "must" for children. It is not necessary to have a commercial set. All you need is a picture of a donkey, tails for each guest, tape, and a blindfold.

You can have pin the something on just about anything: pin the tail on the cat, dog, horse, bunny, mouse, or any animal that has a tail, pin the fin on the fish, pin the nose on the clown or the elephant, pin the patch on the pirate, pin the cape or the mask on the superhero or whatever your theme is.

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are fun for all ages. Unfortunately in this day and age it isn't appropriate to go door to door scavenging for things unless you really know your neighbors and your hunters are older. Going door to door is not the only way to have a fun scavenger hunt. Below are three different hunts that can be fun and safe for everyone.
    Nature Scavenger Hunt
    Shopping Scavenger Hunt
    Photo Scavenger Hunt

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Nature Scavenger Hunts are good for young children and can be done at a park, school or in your own back yard. Children can work alone or on teams. Pass out lists, pencils or other writing utensils and bags for collecting the items. After each child finds the items on the list and shows you their findings you can have them return everything to the great outdoors (though not specifically to the exact same location, that would be crazy!) A prize can be given to the individual or team who is first to find all of the items on the list and or you can award everyone a prize as they each find all of the things on their list.

Click Here for a sample Nature Scavenger Hunt List

Shopping Scavenger Hunt

What is Needed?

Shopping Scavenger Hunt List Click here to download sample Shopping Scavenger Hunt List
Pencil or other writing utensil

How to Play

Go to a grocery store. Guests can go as individuals or teams. Give each individual or team a Shopping Scavenger Hunt List and a writing utensil. Have the guests find the prices for all of the items on the list. If there is more than one price for any item, instruct them to write down the lowest price. They do not have to gather any of the items, just record the prices. The first individual or group to get all of the prices, wins.

Variations:

You can go to a department store or a variety store or a shopping mall and have the participants hunt for a wide range of items. Clues can be very general "find something green," "Find something large to wear to bed," "Find something sweet," or clues can be very specific "Find something smaller than your finger that costs "$25 or more," "Find something to wear in the rain that is not plastic," "Find something chocolate to eat that has only 35 calories or less per serving," and so on.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

What is Needed:

Camera (preferably digital)
Photo Scavenger Hunt List Click here to download a sample Photo Scavenger Hunt List

How to Play:

You can do a photo scavenger hunt almost anywhere. You can go to a mall, shopping center, park, or just walk around your neighborhood. If you are running around public places, make sure you tell your guests to not disrupt business or bother people who are working. Divide your guests into groups of 2-5. Have each group take photos of the items on the list making sure that at least one member of the group is in the photo. Give extra points for photos with all members of the group in the photo. Encourage the groups to be creative and reward the groups who come up with the most creative photos. Place a time limit on the game and reward the fastest group.

Search Me

What you need:

1 small item per person (ie: an adhesive bandge, a rubber band, a postage stamp, a price tag, a paper clip, a hair ribbon, a booy pin, a sticker, a safety pin)

1 checklist of all of the items per person

1 pen or pencil per person

How to play:

Privately give each guest an item and tell them to place it somewhere on themself before returning to the group. The item must be in plain view but camouflaged somehow.

When all the items are camouflaged, hand out the checklists. Each guest must find out who is hiding which item where and record it on their list. For example, "Star sticker--Nickie right ear"

The first person to locate all items is the winner and reads their list to the others.

Shake Your Bootie

What you need:

Scissors

Empty tissue boxes (if possible have as many boxes as you have guests–either that or you can have severla rounds with smaller groups in each round)

Belts, scarves, ribbon or rope (have as many belts as you have tissue boxes)

A whole lot of ping pong balls or similar

Music

Preparation:

Cut two slots in the back of a tissue box for a belt to fit through. Fill the tissue box with balls. Tie around your guests waists.

How to play:

Tie the tissue box on belt around each players waist, making sure the tissue box is at the back. Put on some lively music and let the players shake their booties to the music to get rid of all the balls in the box. No touching the box with your hands or help from others is allowed. The object of the game is to be the first to boogie all your balls out!

If you have played in groups, each group will have a winner and then it is show-off time between all the winners from the previous rounds!

Smell it!

This is a guessing game where your guests will try to identify a number of different things by smelling them. Give each guests a paper and have them number it from 1 to the number of different scents you are having them guess. Place different scents in similar small bottles or plastic containers. To avoid spills, you may want to soak a paper towel in the liquid and then put the paper towel in a plastic baggie inside the brown bag. Label lunch size brown bags with numbers starting with 1 and continuing up to the number of different scents you have gathered. Place a bottle or plastic container inside each of the bags. Right before the game, take off any lids that may be containing the smells and then fold the top of the bag down to close the bag and avoid someone guessing the contents of the bag based on sight instead of smell. Place the bags on a table slightly apart from each other or in various places around the room and instruct your guests to come and smell each bag without lifting up the bag (to avoid spills). Have your guests write down what they think is inside each of the bags recording their guesses on their papers according to the numbers on the bags. When everyone has had a chance to smell all of the bags, reveal the contents of the bags starting with number 1. The guest who identifies the most smells correctly is the winner.

Some possible objects for the bags are:

Perfume
Vinegar
Water
Orange (the fruit or a juice)
An Onion
Garlic
Toothpaste
Mouthwash
Pickles
Laundry soap
Dryer sheet
Dirt
A banana
Cinnamon

For a baby shower it is always fun to get various jars of baby food, remove the label, and have the guests identify the contents by smelling, and even tasting them.

Steal the Stickers

This is a good ice breaker and a “get to know” you sort of game.

What you need: stickers/labels for each guest with their name on it

index cards

What you do: Each guest must try to "steal" a sticker from each of the other guest’s backs without being caught! As guests arrive, place stickers/ labels with the guests own name on his/her back for them. Each guests should have as many stickers on their back as there are guests at the party. Before play commences, hand out an index card to each guest. The first person, who manages to steal a sticker from each of the other guest’s backs at the party and hands in his index card with all the other names of guests on it, wins a prize. You can either tell them how many stickers/labels with names on they should collect beforehand or keep it a secret.

String Hunt

What is Needed?

Ball of String
Scissors
Prizes

Preparation:

Cut 60 to 80 pieces of string of varying lengths. Some should be as short as 2 inches, a few as long as 2 feet. Most should be 5 to 12 inches long. On the day of the party, "hide" each piece of string in a separate place.

How to Play:

Ask the guests to stand in the middle of the room. Show them a sample of the string that is hidden in the room or "find" one of the hidden pieces of string.

Explain that when you say "Go!" each guest is to find and hold on to as many strings as they can. Tell them that the strings are not all the same length, and that the winner will be the player whose strings form the longest line--not the player who collects the most strings! (Although you could have multiple prizes for longest line and for most strings found)

After all or most of the strings have been found, ask the guests to sit in a single line on one side of the room. Take the first guest's strings and lay them end to end on the floor. Take the next guest's strings and lay them end to end, parallel to the first guest's. Continue doing this until all the stings have been laid out on the floor. The winner is the guest with the longest line of strings (as well as the one with the most strings if you have chosen to reward them).

Switcheroo

In this comical and competitive costume swap, eagle-eyed observers come out ahead.

Great for: Ages 4 and up

Number of players: 8 or more

What you'll need:
Assorted accessories

How to play
Gather a bag of large and small accessories — jewelry, wigs, scarves, ties, ribbons, watches, mittens, sunglasses, sports equipment — then divide the group into two teams. The first team chooses two or three players to don as many accessories as they can in 30 seconds, in front of the whole group.

The dressed-up players then immediately go into another room to trade some of their gear. When they return, their team members have two minutes to identify the switches, earning a point for each correct guess. When time is up, the other team can earn points for any switches they catch that the first team missed, before picking two or three players from their team to be the new costume swappers.

Tape Ball

What you need: Clear wide tape, small gifts, money or wrapped candy, cellophane or clear food wrap, a pair of dice.

Prepare: Individually wrap gifts, money or candy in cellophane or food wrap. Take one of the prizes and begin wrapping the tape around it. Add prizes to the tape and continue to wrap until you have formed a giant tape ball filled with prizes.

How to play:

Everyone playing gets into a big circle. One player gets the tape ball and the player next to them a pair of dice. The player with the ball removes the tape as fast as they can and anything they dislodge is theirs to keep. The player with the dice is trying to roll doubles as quickly as they can, so that they can get a turn to dislodge gifts and to prevent the person dislodging from getting too much.

As soon as the dice roller rolls doubles the tape ball goes to the person who got the doubles and they pass the dice to the person next to them.

This can be played with any age, just adjust the prizes (teens LOVE this!)

Tacos or Bridges

A whole lot of silliness ensues in this crazy musical chairs-style game.

Number of players: At least 7, but not a number divisible by 3.

How to play:

Choose one person to be the caller. At "Go," the whole group mills about the play area, until the caller yells out "Tacos" or "Bridges." All players, including the caller, must then scramble to get into a three-person taco or bridge formation. Whichever player is not in a trio becomes the new caller.

Taco: Two players hold hands to be the taco shell, and a third player stands between them as the filling.

Bridge: Two players make an arch for the bridge, and a third player crouches beneath them as the water.

Variations:

Make spaghetti -- two players are noodles, sitting with legs outstretched, feet touching; the third sits in the middle as the meatball.

Treasure Hunts

All Treasure Hunts involve finding a treasure or prize. There are several kinds of Treasure Hunts, we have listed 3 different ones here.
    Basic Treasure Hunt
    Buried Treasure Hunt
    Picture Clue Treasure Hunt (great for young kids who can’t read)

Basic Treasure Hunt

For a Basic Treasure Hunt, hide candy or toy prizes around the room and let the guests find them in a sort of free for all. You can even put the candy or toys in the plastic eggs available at Easter time. This can help younger guests more easily identify the treasure.

Buried Treasure Hunt

"Bury" or hide a treasure outside in your yard, a park or at the beach. Prepare a treasure map for each guest or group of guests. The directions on your map should include natural landmarks of the yard, park or beach where you are holding the party. For example, if you are using your back yard, "Walk down the stairs and turn right. Take ten paces toward the fence and turn to face the apple tree. Take 3 baby steps in the direction the lowest branch points." and so on. If you were at a park you could say something like "Starting at the bottom of the slide, take 3 giant steps toward the swings and then jump as far as you can toward the monkey bars" or if you are at the beach you could say something like, "Take 16 steps away from the dock toward the giant rock. Walk half way around the rock and then take 4 baby steps toward the red buoy" and so on.

Picture Clue Treasure Hunt

Take photos of places around your house or yard that you can have your guests go to and find clues. For example take pictures of the oven, a bookshelf, tree, patio, table, etc. and print up the photos. Decide on a starting and ending place. Put the photo of the starting place in an envelope and mark it "Start." Before the party, go to the starting place in the photo and put another photo clue in that spot. Go to the place on the second photo and place another photo clue. Continue doing this until you run out of photos. Go to the place suggested in the last photo and put a treasure. For example, the photo in the "Start" envelope could be the fridge. In the fridge there could be a photo of a bathtub. In the bathtub there could be a photo of a table. Taped under the table there could be a photo of a clothes dryer. In the dryer there could be a treasure. To start the treasure hunt open the "Start" envelope and have the guests follow the clues until thtey find the treasure.

The hunt can be as long or as short as you want. It can also be easy or hard depending on the age of your guests. Your photos can be very close up shots of things to make it harder to figure out what they are or you could print them in black and white. You can also draw pictures instead of taking actual photographs or use pictures in catalogs or magazines.

These hunts work best with smaller groups. If you want to individualize it, you can put the photos in envelopes and label the envelopes with each guests name or team names and place them in different orders so that everyone isn't rushing to the same clues at the same time.

Treasure Hunt Relay

What is Needed?

Wrapped candy, prizes, or colored paper squares

How to Play:

Before the relays begin, hide the wrapped candies, prizes, or colored paper squares around the room. Be sure to have at least one for each player. Divide your guests into teams. The first player on each team must find one object, return to his team and tag the next player. This player must also find one object before returning to tag the next player in line, and so on.

Winkum

Winkum is a fun game that involves racing around and trading places.

To set up make a large circle of chairs. There should be one more chair than the number people sitting. The last thing needed to play is the ability to wink. Don’t worry though, if you can’t wink just blink. Everyone will get the idea.

With very little modification Winkum can be played by children ages 8 right on up! The only modification for smaller players is the use of smaller chairs.

How to play:

Divide the group into two teams one team sits and one team stand behind the chairs. There should be one empty chair, with someone standing behind it. The person with the empty chair is ‘it’.

The object of the game for player standing behind the chairs is to have the chair in front of you occupied at all times. If you are seated, you are always trying to switch seats.

‘It’ attempts to gain an occupant for the empty chair by winking at a person seated in another chair. If you are on the receiving end of the wink you try to escape from your chair to the empty one without the person standing guard behind you touching your shoulders and pushing you back into the chair.

Variations and reminders

Remember if the wink comes your way, you have to move! Younger players may need to be reminded not to grab a fist full of clothing or the neck of the seated player. This game is very fun and can be rambunctious. Knowing the members of your group will help you decide if you want to play with this particular crowd.

For older kids, in their teenage years Winkum is especially fun and requires little in the way of adaptation. To heighten the suspense divide teams along boy girls lines and have the girls stand behind the chairs. It is very entertaining to watch a tiny 90 pound girl endeavor to wrestle a football player back into his seat.

The multiple wink: This variation is fun, but is best for older kids. The final variation note is for the winker don’t be content to wink at just one person. Create a bit of mayhem and certainly distract your standing opponents by winking in rapid fire succession to many of the seated players. This should put several sitters in play at once and create foot race to the empty chairs.

A twist on multiple winks is to have more than one winker! This quickens the pace of the game and requires a bit more concentration.

What If?

What you need:

Pen or pencil for each player

Small piece of paper for each player

Everyone gather with a pen or pencil. Give everyone a piece of paper (small 3x3ish), now all write down a completely random "What If" question on their piece of paper. All the papers are folded and put in the middle of the group (a hat or bowl works well). Then all the papers are re-drawn (if you get your own put it back). Once everyone has one you write down the answer to the question. When you're done fold the paper and put it back in the middle. Once all the papers are in the middle you all re-draw a paper. Someone starts by asking their question on the piece of paper they are holding, the person next to them says the answer on their piece of paper, then that person says their question and so on and so fourth until you are back to the person who started! Doesn't sound very fun but ends up being a blast because the answers sometimes just don't match up and teens know how to write truly random stuff!