21 Birthday Party Games Kids Will Actually Enjoy

Keeping kids entertained at a birthday party can be a challenge, but the right games can make all the difference!

Whether you’re hosting an indoor or outdoor celebration, having a mix of fun and engaging activities will keep the energy high and the smiles big.

We’re breaking down each game so you know exactly how to play. Get ready for some fun!

1. You’re IT! (Classic Tag)

What it’s all about: Tag is super simple and gets everyone running around. One person chases everyone else to try and “tag” them. Once you’re tagged, you’re “it” and you do the chasing!

How to Play:

1. Pick someone to be “it” to start. You can draw straws, have the birthday kid be first, or just pick someone.
2. “It” chases everyone. The person who is “it” runs after the other players and tries to touch them gently. This touch is the “tag.”
3. If you get tagged, you’re “it!” As soon as you’re tagged, you become the new “it” and start chasing everyone else.
4. Keep the game going! Play continues as people get tagged and become “it.” You can play until everyone is tired or you want to move on.

2. Freeze Dance Fun

What it’s all about: Get ready to dance like crazy, but when the music stops, you FREEZE! Anyone still moving when the music is off is out.

How to Play:

1. Turn on some music! Pick songs that are fun to dance to and have a good beat.
2. Dance, dance, dance! Everyone dances while the music is playing.
3. Stop the music suddenly. Someone needs to control the music and stop it randomly.
4. FREEZE! When the music stops, everyone has to freeze in whatever position they are in.
5. Check for movers. Anyone who is still moving after the music stops is out for that round.
6. Start the music again and repeat. Keep playing rounds until only one dancer is left. That person is the Freeze Dance champion!

3. Red Light, Green Light, GO!

What it’s all about: This game tests listening skills and how fast you can move (and stop!). Follow the “traffic lights” to reach the finish line.

How to Play:

1. Choose someone to be the “Traffic Light.” This person stands at one end, facing away from the other players.
2. Players line up at the starting line a good distance away from the “Traffic Light.”
3. “Traffic Light” calls out “Green Light!” When they say “Green Light,” players can run, walk, or move quickly towards them.
4. “Traffic Light” can suddenly call out “Red Light!” When “Red Light” is called, everyone must stop moving instantly.
5. If the “Traffic Light” sees anyone moving on “Red Light,” they send those players back to the starting line.
6. “Traffic Light” can also call out “Yellow Light!” This means move very, very slowly.
7. First player to tag the “Traffic Light” wins and becomes the new “Traffic Light” for the next game.

4. Adventure Race (Obstacle Course)

What it’s all about: Get ready to move! An obstacle course is like a mini adventure challenge set up right in your party space. Crawl, jump, and race to the finish!

How to Play:

1. Gather materials. Think pillows, blankets, chairs, hula hoops, jump ropes, cones – anything you have around!
2. Set up your course. Get creative! Maybe players crawl under a blanket draped over chairs, then step through hula hoops, then jump over pillows, and finally run around a cone to the finish line.
3. Show everyone the course. Walk through it once so everyone knows what to do.
4. Race through! Players take turns going through the obstacle course as fast as they can. You can time them to see who is fastest, or just play for fun.

5. Water Balloon Toss (Outdoor Fun!)

What it’s all about: Cool down and have some laughs with a water balloon toss! Carefully toss a water balloon to your partner without breaking it.

How to Play:

1. Get water balloons and fill them up. Don’t fill them too full so they are easier to catch (and less likely to hurt if they break).
2. Partners up! Have everyone pair up with someone else.
3. Partners stand facing each other, starting close together.
4. Toss the water balloon gently to your partner.
5. Catch the balloon! Carefully try to catch it without it breaking.
6. If you catch it, step back. After each successful catch, partners take a step further apart.
7. Keep tossing and stepping back until a team breaks their balloon or is the last team with an unbroken balloon. That team wins!

6. Sack Race Silliness

What it’s all about: Jump like a bunny in a sack! Sack races are classic party fun. Hop to the finish line faster than everyone else.

How to Play:

1. Get some sacks. Burlap sacks or large pillowcases work great. You need one sack per player.
2. Players get in their sacks. Each person steps inside a sack and pulls it up to their waist, holding onto the top edges.
3. Mark a starting and finish line. Make sure there’s enough space to hop.
4. Race time! When you say “Go!” players hop towards the finish line in their sacks. They have to keep both feet in the sack and hop to move.
5. First one to hop across the finish line wins the sack race!

7. Pictionary Draw-Off

What it’s all about: Can you draw it? Can they guess it? Pictionary is drawing fun! You draw a picture, and your team guesses what it is.

How to Play:

1. Divide into teams. Split everyone into two or more teams.
2. Get a whiteboard or paper and markers/pens. You’ll need something to draw on.
3. Prepare words or phrases. Write down words or simple phrases on slips of paper. Keep them kid-friendly.
4. One player from a team draws. That player picks a word slip (without showing their team) and tries to draw pictures to help their team guess the word. No letters or numbers allowed!
5. Team guesses. The drawer’s team tries to guess the word or phrase based on the drawing, within a time limit (like one minute).
6. If they guess correctly, they get a point! Then it’s the next team’s turn.
7. Keep playing rounds. The team with the most points at the end wins the Pictionary game.

8. Charades Acting Game

What it’s all about: Act it out! Charades is all about acting without talking. You get a word or phrase and you have to act it out for your team to guess.

How to Play:

1. Divide into teams. Just like Pictionary, split into teams.
2. Prepare words or phrases. Write down words or phrases on slips of paper. Think of things that are easy to act out, like animals, actions (like “swimming”), or objects.
3. One player from a team acts. That player picks a word slip (without showing their team) and has to act it out without speaking. They can use gestures and body language.
4. Team guesses. The actor’s team tries to guess the word or phrase being acted out, within a time limit.
5. If they guess correctly, they get a point! Then it’s the next team’s turn.
6. Keep playing rounds. The team with the most points at the end wins Charades.

9. Build a Tower Challenge

What it’s all about: How tall and strong can you build a tower? Use cups, blocks, or anything stackable to build the tallest tower before it falls.

How to Play:

1. Gather materials. Get plastic cups, building blocks, or even empty cardboard boxes. You need enough for each team or player to build with.
2. Teams or individual players. You can have teams compete or have everyone build their own tower.
3. Set a time limit. Give everyone a set amount of time (like 5-10 minutes) to build their tower.
4. Start building! Players start stacking their materials to build the tallest tower they can.
5. Measure the towers. When time is up, measure each tower to see which one is the tallest that is still standing.
6. The tallest standing tower wins! If a tower falls during building, it’s out.

10. DIY Photo Booth Fun

What it’s all about: Strike a pose! Set up a fun photo booth so everyone can take silly pictures to remember the party.

How to Play:

1. Find a backdrop. Use a blank wall, hang up a sheet, or decorate a space with balloons and streamers.
2. Gather props. Get silly hats, sunglasses, scarves, feather boas, funny signs, or anything else fun to dress up with.
3. Set up a camera or phone. Make sure it’s ready to take pictures. You might need someone to be in charge of taking photos.
4. Let the picture-taking begin! Players take turns using the props to pose for funny and memorable photos.

11. Three-Legged Race Teamwork

What it’s all about: Teamwork makes the dream work (and helps you run!). Partners have to run together with their legs tied together.

How to Play:

1. Partners up! Have everyone pair up with someone else.
2. Get strips of cloth or bandanas. You need something to tie legs together.
3. Partners stand side-by-side. Line up at the starting line.
4. Tie legs together. Carefully tie the right leg of one partner to the left leg of the other partner, just above the ankle. Make sure it’s snug but not too tight.
5. Race time! When you say “Go!” partners have to run to the finish line together, keeping their legs tied. They need to work together to run without falling.
6. First team to cross the finish line wins the three-legged race!

12. Sponge Relay Race

What it’s all about: Water fun and teamwork! Teams race to fill a bucket with water using only a sponge.

How to Play:

1. Divide into teams. Split into two or more teams.
2. Get buckets, sponges, and water. You need one bucket for each team, one sponge per team, and a big container of water to fill from.
3. Set up the relay. Place an empty bucket for each team at the finish line and the water container at the starting line.
4. Relay race! The first player from each team dips the sponge in the water, runs to their team’s empty bucket, and squeezes the water from the sponge into the bucket. Then they run back and hand the sponge to the next player on their team.
5. Keep going until time is up or a bucket is full enough. Play for a set time, or play until one team fills their bucket up to a marked line. The team that transfers the most water wins!

13. Scavenger Hunt Adventure

What it’s all about: Become detectives! A scavenger hunt is all about finding hidden items or solving clues to find a hidden treasure or prize.

How to Play:

1. Plan your hunt. Decide if you’re hiding objects or writing clues that lead to other clues.
2. Make a list of items to find or clues to solve. Keep it age-appropriate and fun.
3. Hide the items or clues. Hide them around the party area. If using clues, make sure each clue leads to the next.
4. Give players the list or first clue. Teams or individual players get the starting point.
5. Start hunting! Players search for the items on the list or follow the clues to find the final treasure or prize.
6. First one to find everything or the treasure wins the scavenger hunt!

14. Musical Chairs Race

What it’s all about: Quick thinking and fast moves are key! Walk around the chairs while the music plays, and when it stops, grab a chair quickly. There’s always one less chair than players, so someone will be out each round.

How to Play:

1. Set up chairs in a circle. Arrange chairs in a circle, with the seats facing outwards. You need one less chair than the number of players.
2. Start the music. Turn on music and have everyone walk around the circle of chairs while the music is playing.
3. Stop the music suddenly. Someone needs to control the music and stop it randomly.
4. Grab a chair! When the music stops, everyone has to quickly sit down in a chair.
5. Someone is out. Because there’s one less chair, one player won’t get a chair and is out for that round.
6. Remove a chair. Take one chair away before starting the next round.
7. Keep playing until one chair and one player are left. The last player to get a chair in the final round is the winner!

15. Limbo Challenge: How Low Can You Go?

What it’s all about: Flexibility and fun! See how low you can bend backwards and go under a stick or bar without touching it.

How to Play:

1. Get a stick, broom handle, or rope. You’ll need something to use as the limbo bar.
2. Two people hold the limbo bar. Have two people hold the bar or stick horizontally, about chest height to start.
3. Line up to limbo! Players line up to take turns going under the limbo bar.
4. Go under the bar, backwards! Players have to lean backwards and go under the bar without touching it or falling over. They can’t touch the bar with any part of their body except their feet.
5. Lower the bar after everyone goes. After everyone has had a turn, lower the limbo bar a little bit.
6. Keep lowering the bar each round. Players keep trying to limbo under the lower and lower bar.
7. If you touch the bar or fall, you’re out. Players are eliminated if they touch the bar or fall. The last player who can limbo under the lowest bar wins!

16. Minute to Win It Fun Challenges

What it’s all about: Quick challenges that are fun and silly! Minute to Win It games are short, timed challenges that use everyday objects.

How to Play:

1. Choose some Minute to Win It challenges. There are tons of ideas online! Some examples:
   • Cookie Face: Put a cookie on your forehead and try to move it to your mouth using only your face muscles (no hands!).
   • Stack Attack: Stack plastic cups into a pyramid and then unstack them, all in one minute.
   • Moving on Up: Stack cups using only rubber bands around your fingers.
   • Penny Stack: Stack pennies with one hand.
2. Set up stations for each challenge. Have different areas set up for each game you choose.
3. Players try each challenge. Players take turns trying to complete each challenge within one minute.
4. Keep track of who completes which challenges. You can give points for each challenge completed, or just play for fun and bragging rights!

17. Pin the Tail on the [Birthday Theme Animal/Character]

What it’s all about: Classic party game with a twist! Blindfolded, try to pin the tail (or horn, or whatever!) in the right spot on a picture.

How to Play:

1. Get a “Pin the Tail” game or make your own. You can buy pre-made games or draw a large picture of an animal or character that fits your birthday theme (like a donkey, unicorn, pirate, etc.). Make a separate “tail” or part to pin on.
2. Hang up the picture. Put the picture on a wall at kid-height.
3. Blindfold players one at a time. Blindfold the first player.
4. Hand them the “tail” with tape or a pin on it.
5. Spin them around gently a few times. (Optional, but makes it harder and funnier).
6. Point them towards the picture.
7. Player tries to pin the “tail” in the right spot. They have to try and guess where the tail goes and stick it on the picture.
8. See who gets closest! Take off the blindfold and see how close the player got to the right spot. The player who pins it closest to the correct spot wins that round.

18. Hot Potato Hurry Up!

What it’s all about: Don’t get stuck with the “hot potato” when the music stops! Players pass an object around while music plays, and whoever is holding it when the music stops is out.

How to Play:

1. Get a “hot potato” object. Use a small beanbag, a soft toy, or even a ball.
2. Play music and pass the potato. Have everyone sit in a circle and start passing the “hot potato” to the person next to them while music is playing. Pass it quickly!
3. Stop the music suddenly. Someone controls the music and stops it randomly.
4. Whoever has the “hot potato” when the music stops is out. That player leaves the circle.
5. Keep playing and remove a player each round. Continue playing rounds until only one player is left. That person is the Hot Potato champion!

19. Would You Rather… Kids Edition

What it’s all about: Silly choices and fun questions! “Would You Rather” is a game of making funny choices between two silly options.

How to Play:

1. Think of “Would You Rather” questions. Make them kid-friendly and funny. Examples:
   • “Would you rather have to sing every time you talked, or dance every time you walked?”
   • “Would you rather have spaghetti for hair or pizza for fingernails?”
   • “Would you rather be able to fly but only when you’re upside down, or be invisible but only when nobody is looking at you?”
2. Ask the questions one by one. Go around the circle and ask each person a “Would You Rather” question.
3. Players choose and explain (optional). Each player chooses which option they would rather do and can explain why if they want to. It’s fun to hear their reasons!

20. Two Truths and a Lie Guessing Game

What it’s all about: Get to know each other and try to trick your friends! In “Two Truths and a Lie,” you say three things about yourself – two are true, and one is a lie. Everyone else has to guess which one is the lie.

How to Play:

1. Players take turns being the “storyteller.” Decide who goes first.
2. Storyteller says three “facts” about themselves. Two of these “facts” should be true things about them, and one should be a made-up lie that sounds believable.
3. Everyone else guesses which is the lie. After the storyteller says their three statements, everyone else tries to guess which one they think is the lie.
4. Storyteller reveals the lie. The storyteller tells everyone which statement was the lie.
5. Take turns being the storyteller. Go around the circle and have everyone take a turn being the storyteller.

21. Storytelling Chain Reaction

What it’s all about: Make up a story together, one sentence at a time! In this game, everyone adds a sentence to build a funny and creative story together.

How to Play:

1. Start the story with a sentence. One person starts by saying the first sentence of a story. It can be anything! Example: “Once upon a time, there was a talking dog…”
2. Next person adds a sentence. The person next to them in the circle adds the next sentence to the story, building on what the first person said. Example: “…and this talking dog really loved to wear hats.”
3. Keep going around the circle. Each person in turn adds another sentence to the story.
4. See where the story goes! Keep going around the circle and adding sentences until the story reaches a funny or surprising ending, or until you decide to stop. You’ll create a unique and silly story together!

Party On!

With the right games, a birthday party can be full of laughter, excitement, and great memories.

Whether you choose classic favorites or creative new challenges, the key is to keep things simple and fun.

Pick a few from this list, get the kids involved, and watch the celebration come to life!