I am hosting a party for my 4 year old daughter. it is only a little tea party, but I am stuck on ideas for party games. The party guests range from 2 years old to 5 years old so the games can't be too hard. There will be boys and girls at the party.
We just had our three year old daughter's birthday party. She loved pass the parcel (played twice), duck duck goose, what's the time Mr Wolf, and she would have also loved musical statues (if we had time). With musical statues I think they are too young to get out without feeling a bit demoralised so I would play it and give small prizes for great freezers to encourage them! Chasey is always good when they get to chase adults, as well as kids, but I guess they basically get to do that in duck duck goose. Hope you have a great day. It is such a special age, enjoy. And take lots of pictures or video, they love to look at them after and get excited when they remember. Have fun! (08/28/2005)
By Mel
How about decorating "party hats" with either straw or baseball hats as a craft or favors. I big box of Styrofoam peanuts with a bunch of small prizes tossed in is fun. They'll climb right in to find the prizes. Bubbles are fun. Pinatas. Have a dance contest where everyone gets a prize, fastest dancer, most graceful, most "footloose", most athletic, funniest, etc. Make your own "tea sandwiches". (08/29/2005)
Hello, this is a favourite site of mine:
Click the link and on the page you will find lots of lots of party games for small children.
I hope it's a wonderful day.
(08/30/2005)
By Monique
Have everyone dress up in their mom or dad's clothes, with jewelry, etc. (05/09/2007)
By Lisa
Craft parties are a great compliment to a tea party.
You can buy modeling clay, and make fake jewelry for all the girls. Then they can dress up in their jewelry and have tea.
Or you can have them decorate t-shirts, and they can wear them to the tea party as well.
The possibilities with crafts are endless! (09/11/2007)
By NH
I am having the exact same issue. My 4 yr old daughter is having a tea party for her birthday. I bought a bunch a prizes from the dollar store and wrapped them. I am going to have a treasure hunt. Each station will have a different thing they need to do, like make silly faces, a funny dance, play Simon Says, etc. And then go to the next. We will be decorating the gift bags with puffy stickers and we got these blank white puzzles at Target (10 for like $6) that we will write their names on with Sharpie markers and they can color them.
By Tamra
Just make sure the party girl enjoys her party. Keep in mind a rule of thumb is to invite one child per year of age of the birthday child. Have fun! (12/31/2007)
By Caroline
These are some fun games that I did for a birthday party. They are really fun!
Duck, Duck, Goose: This children's birthday party game is easy to learn and it is packed with action and suspense. All of the players sit in a wide circle, they are the Ducks. Pick one child to be the Fox. The Fox walks slowly around the outside of the circle, tapping the top of each Duck's head lightly while saying "Duck".
After a few moments of this, the Fox chooses a Goose by tapping lightly one player's head and calling out, "Goose!". The Goose must quickly rise and chase the Fox around the circle. Goose has to tag the Fox before he reaches the spot where the Goose was sitting. If the Fox reaches the spot and sits down before being tagged, he is safe. Then the Goose becomes the Fox. If the Fox is tagged while running, he must start the game again.
"Duck, Duck, Goose" Variations:
*Change the Duck, Goose, and Fox to other animals or pets. The characters can be more contemporary . Choose three characters from "Duck Tales", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", or "The Little Mermaid".
*Another variation is to play Duck, Duck, Gray Duck, with the kids saying "Gray Duck" to signal the chase. For added fun, they can put other adjectives in front of the word "Duck" as they go around the circle. For instance, a child could say, "Red Duck", "Sleepy Duck", "Silly Duck" and then say, "Gray Duck", to signal the chase.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey: This game is a classic for pre-school party-goers. It is a great indoor game that's appropriate for a small or a large group.
Before the game, tape a poster of a donkey to the wall of the party room (make sure the area in front of the poster is clear of furniture.) Prepare a tail for each player by writing his or her name on it.
At game time, have the players form a line in front of the donkey poster. One by one, hand them a donkey tail, blindfold them, and spin them in a circle three times until they are facing the donkey again. (Make sure the blindfold isn't too tight and that it covers their eyes completely.) They must stick the tail where it belongs on a donkey. The player who gets closest to the correct spot is the winner.
"Pin the Tail on the Donkey" Variations:
*You can also use the "feather on the Indian", the "backpack on the hiker", or the "balloon on the clown's nose". *Try a rabbit poster. Have the children stick a cotton ball onto the poster for the tail.
Simon Says: This is one of the most popular preschool party games. It will be popular with a young crowd, but even preteen players will enjoy it!
One player will be Simon. His or her job is to call out, "Simon says (describe the action)", and demonstrate the action that the group should mimic. Everyone in the group must do what Simon says only if he begins his command with the phrase "Simon says". If Simon describes and demonstrates an action, but doesn' say "Simon says", the group should ignore the command. For example, if Simon says, "Put your hands on your head", any player who puts his hands on his head is out.
Another way Simon can trick the other players is by simply doing a movement without saying anything at all. Any kids who copy the movement are out. The faster Simon's commands, the more confused the other players get! The last player remaining wins the game and becomes Simon in the next round.
"Simon Says" Variations:
*You can play Simon if the group is made up of really young kids. Be sure to include some silly commands like "Simon says burp" or "Simon says do a silly dance". This is especially fun and silly when the kids come to the party in costumes.
*Have the kids use their own names when calling commands to personalize the game a little. Or use a funny name like "Terminator says..." to give them the freedom to giggle and act silly.
Hot Potato: Hot Potato is a game that will really keep things "moving" at your party.
The players sit in a circle, facing the leader who is seated in the middle. The leader (you or one of your kids) starts the game by throwing or passing (depending on age) the potato to a player of her choice. Next, she closes her eyes once the game gets underway (she must close her eyes so she can't tell who has the potato at any given time). The first player must catch the Hot Potato and toss it to another player quickly.
Play continues with the Hot Potato getting tossed at random throughout the circle. If the Hot Potato is tossed out of play, the last person who touched it should be the one to get it. After a short period of time, the leader shouts out, "Hot Potato!". Whoever is caught holding the Hot Potato at that moment leaves the circle and is out of the game. The game continues in this manner with the players gradually being eliminated. The last player left is the winner.
"Hot Potato" Variations:
*If the game is played outdoors, use a water balloon for the Hot Potato so that the kids must handle it more gently. If it's dropped during play, it will break and splash water on everyone. This adds suspense to the game! Remember to tell the guests to bring bathing suits or old clothes to the party.
*Have the players toss hollowed, confetti-filled eggshells. Carefully poke two holes on either end of an egg and clean out the yolk by holding the egg upright and blowing though one hole. The yolk will drip out of the other hole. You might need to use a pin or needle to break up the yolk if it won't come out. Then rinse the eggshell with water and let it dry thoroughly. Once it's dry, use a funnel to fill it with confetti, tape both holes closed, and give it to the kids to toss back and forth until the unexpected happens!
Musical Chairs: This birthday party game is a great way for a group of kids to let off some steam without getting out of control. Try some creative options and the kids won't want to stop playing!
Arrange the chairs in a line with every other chair facing in the opposite direction. If there isn't much space available, put the chairs back to back or in a circle. The players stand by the chairs, all facing the same direction. Choose one player to be the leader, or play the leader yourself. The leader stands away from the players and is in charge of the music.
When the leader starts the music, the kids march around the chairs in single file. As soon as the leader stops the music, the players scramble for the nearest empty chair and sit down quickly. Whoever is left without a chair leaves the game. One chair is then removed from the line so that there is one less chair than players. The game continues until two players are left to battle over the chair. The player who sits down first (when the music stops) is the winner.
"Musical Chairs" Variations:
*Instead of chairs, use pillows or sofa cushions.
*Play music the kids will like, such as tunes from "Sesame Street" or the music of popular children's folk singers. Or prerecord a variety of songs, spaced at 10-second intervals, so no one has to monitor the music. You can also spin the radio dial and have the kids scramble for chairs when you get to a song.
*Tape an inflated balloon to the seat of each chair before the game and tell the players that they not only have to sit in the chair, but also pop the balloon! This should prevent any disputes over who is actually sitting in the chair (the one sitting on top of the popped balloon gets to stay in the game). After each round, tape another inflated balloon to each chair. The kids will love the sound effects!
*For a really different version, toss items of clothing on the floor and spread them out so each piece is visible. Have one less item than players. Then use the basic rules of Musical Chairs to play, with the kids putting on a piece of clothing quickly when they hear the music stop. The player who doesn't get an article of clothing to put on is out of the game. Remove one item every time a player leaves the group.
Red Light, Green Light: It's best to play this game in an open area, but you can also play it indoors, if you have lots of space.
Before the game, draw two parallel chalk lines or lay two ropes a good distance apart on the play area. Make sure there is plenty of space for the kids to run around between the chalk lines or ropes (twenty feet is a good minimum distance). Choose one player to be the Police Officer and have him stand in from of one line. All the other players stand behind the opposite line.
The game starts with the Police Officer facing the other players. He turns his back to other players and yells, "Green light!" Then he counts to five out loud as quickly as he can. The other players must run or walk quickly toward the Police Officer while he counts. When the Police Officer has counted to five, he shouts, "Red Light!" and the players must freeze instantly.
The Police Officer whirls around to catch any players who are moving. Anyone who moves must return to the standing line. Play continues until one of the players crosses the line while the Police Officer's back is turned. That player then becomes the Police Officer.
"Red Light, Green Light" Variations:
*Provide the kids with a special prop, such as a hat, shirt, or jacket when it's their turn to be the Police Officer. This makes it seem a little more official. A plastic "police" whistle is a fun prop, and the kids can use it instead of shouting the stop and go commands (give one whistle to each child to prevent spreading germs).
*Have the Police Officer wave a scarf (or other light material item) in the air to make the players move and drop it down when he wants everyone to freeze. This version is good when the game is being played indoors because it's a little quieter.
*Make the kids do something silly when they get caught by the Police Officer such as hop, zoom like a car, or make animal sounds as they go back to the line.
Surprise Package: This is one of the party games that requires preparation, but it's fun and well worth the effort. It has humor, suspense, and a great finale!
You will need boxes of different sizes for this game. Before the game, place a grand prize in your smallest box and wrap it in gold gift wrap. Label it "Big Prize Winner!" so the kids will know it's the last box and the best gift. Set the gold box inside a larger box. Include a booby prize, candy treat, or small toy, and wrap the package.
Repeat until all of the boxes contain one gift, are wrapped, and are stored inside each other. Be sure to pick generic items that either boys or girls will enjoy. When you're finished you should have one large wrapped box with all of the other boxes and prizes inside it.
The players sit in a circle, and when you start the music, the kids pass the box around the circle as quickly as possible. When you stop the music, the lucky player holding the box is allowed to open it. (Don't tell the kids there are other boxes inside the gift). Once a player opens a gift he or she must leave the circle.
Play continues with the kids passing the box when the music is started and opening it when the music stops. You may want to warn the kids ahead of time that some of the gifts are a little strange! Soon there will be only two players left. The player who opens second-to-last box gets to keep its contents and hands the gold grand prize box to the winner.
"Surprise Package" Variations:
*Instead of having a mixture of prizes hidden in the boxes, collect similar, theme-related items such as various candy bars, stickers, or comic books.
*Instead of playing the music, have the kids pick a number from one to twenty. The player who calls out a selected number opens the box. Continue playing this way until all of the boxes are opened.
*For an added surprise, have the kids close their eyes while passing the package around and then open them when the music stops, to see who got the gift.
Ha Ha Ha: There are child party games that will bring a lot of laughter, this game is definitely one of them. The rules of the game are easy, but the challenge (keeping a straight face) is almost impossible.
The kids sit or stand in a circle. One player begins by saying "Ha", as solemnly as possible. The next player in the circle says, "Ha Ha," and the player after that, "Ha Ha Ha". Play continues with each player adding a "Ha" during his or her turn. The players must all keep a straight face throughout the game.
Any player who smiles or giggles must leave the circle; however, he or she can now move around the circle trying to make the other kids laugh. That child can make funny faces or noises, but cannot touch the other players. The game ends when only one player remains in the circle by having kept a straight face throughout all the laughter.
"Ha Ha Ha" Variations:
*Have the kids lay on the floor at right angles, with each child's head resting on another's tummy. Once the player's tummy starts shaking from laughter, the other kids will have trouble controlling their giggling!
*Instead of saying "Ha", the kids can say a silly word like "belly button" or "burp". Let them choose or make up their own silly words, too.
*Give the kids fake noses or funny hats to wear during the game. It will be harder for everyone to control their impulse to laugh.
Copy Cat: Since kids love to copy each other, any party games that allow them to do that work great. If you're looking for indoor party games that are quiet, (except for giggling), try this one.
All of the kids sit in a circle. The starting player makes a body movement such as clapping hands, wiggling nose, pinching ears, shrugging shoulders, etc. The next player in the circle copies the starting player's movement and adds a new movement. The third player must copy the first two movements in the order they were made and then add a third movement. Play continues in this manner around the circle.
If a player can't remember a movement or copies a movement incorrectly, he or she is out of the game and must leave the circle. The last remaining player wins.
"Copy Cat" Variations:
*The kids can say words instead of making body movements. Or they can make animal sounds, silly sounds, or even sing a line of a song.
*With kids who are older, play Copy Cat using the alphabet as a guide. For example, the first player might say "Apple", the second player "Bus", and so on through the alphabet with the kids repeating the previous words and adding one of their own. You can coach the kids along by saying "A", "B", or whatever letter they're working on, if they seem to hesitate a little.
*If you'd prefer to play a game that doesn't eliminate players, have the kids sit in a circle and take turns adding a line to a story started by the leader.
*Instead of having players leave the circle if they make a mistake, just say, "Oops, you goofed". Then either move on or have the player who missed start a new sequence. There won't be a winner, but this game will still be lots of fun!
Chain Reaction: Child party games that involve dancing are fun to watch! Kids will have a great time with this game.
All of the players should be scattered around the party room in view of each other. Choose one player to be "It" and have him or her leave the room while you explain the game to other players. Next, choose one player to be the Dance Teacher.
Start the music so the Dance Teacher can begin a dance move that the other players must imitate. The rest of the players should immediately begin imitating the Teacher's movements. The player who is "It" returns to the party room and tries to guess who is leading the dance.
The Dance Teacher must keep changing his or her dance steps throughout the song, little by little, so it isn't obvious who's leading. And the other players should imitate the Dance Teacher without giving away who it is. Remind the kids to be subtle when imitating the leader. Tell them to glance at the leader once in a while and not to stare, or they will give the secret away too easily.
When the player who is "It" guesses who the Dance Teacher is, choose another player to be "It" and continue playing until everyone has had a chance to lead and to guess.
"Chain Reaction" Variations:
*If you're looking for a less-active option, have the kids pretend to be statues, with the leader making a slight movement from time to time and the other players imitating the new pose.
*If this game seems too easy for your particular group, have the players stand in a circle so it will be more difficult for the player who is "It" to guess who the Dance Teacher is.
Telephone: Have the kids sit in a circle on the floor. The first player begins by whispering a phrase into the ear of the person next to him/her. One by one, each person repeats the whispered sentence as they hear it when it is whispered to them. When the last person receives the message, he/she repeats it out loud. It is usually completely different than the original statement.
This game can also be played with goofy faces. The first person makes a goofy face, and then turns (with the goofy look on his/her face) to the next person. The goofy look is passed on until the last person and the first person compare goofy faces.
Red Rover: Divide players into two teams and line them up into rows facing each other about 25 to 50 feet a part. Just make sure there is enough space for the kids to run back and forth. Have each team securely hold hands. Each side calls, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send (insert name) over". The person that is called runs over to the other side and tries to break through the other teams joined hands. If the player breaks through then he/she can take an opponent back to his/her team. The team with the most players at the end of the game wins.
(02/01/2008)
By Rijutha
If its a tea party, a good activity to keep them busy would be for them 2 make their own food. Buy some plain biscuits, assorted lollies and make some different colored icing before the party. The kids can put the icing on the biscuits and decorate it how they want with the lollies. (02/11/2008)
By ash
My 4 year old just had a b-day and we rented Bow Waters park and they all played tag, etc. (03/28/2008)
By Lindsay
Here is a fun game that even I like to play. Detective gals! I am 12 and it is still fun. If you go to the park or something, just make a list of things they can fin around the park, like maybe a bottle cap, a small smooth rock, a candy wrapper, etc. You can have half the girls against the other half and have one person from each team go first. Make it a contest! The winners get to pick a prize. Can't wait till my b-day again!
(08/25/2008)
By Detective Gal
Rent a bouncer. They are very fun, as well as, face painting! That's what we're doing for my twins who are turning four. (09/23/2008)
By mom of twins
We are having a Hannah Montana Party, instead of playing pin-the tail on the donkey we are going to play turn Miley Cryus into Hannah Montana by putting blonde wigs (made of yellow construction paper) on Miley, who ever gets the wig on Miley's head (a poster) the best wins. (01/15/2009)
By Nonnie
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