A child’s birthday party should be one of the most fun events of the entire year, for the birthday child, the guests and even for the hosts. The three keys to a successful child’s birthday party is planning, more planning, and even more planning. Kid’s birthday party games are a vital ingredient of every party and must be thought out and arranged in advance. Luckily, there is no shortage of fun and interesting games to keep kids busy and happy, so it is not difficult to come up with more than enough ideas.
It is vital to remember that children have a far shorter attention span that adults. For that reason, the host should not expect that one or two activities will keep the guests entertained for a long period of time. Plan a lot of short, fun games that will satisfy their need for variety. Make sure that the games are age appropriate; duck duck goose will keep little ones happy for a while, but certainly will not work for pre-teens. Scavenger or treasure hunts are great kid’s birthday party games for any age – just be sure that the clues and complexity are geared to the age of the children.
Be sure to have enough ideas in mind that it is possible to “throw away” and activity that is not going well. Kid’s birthday party games should be simple and fun. If a game is started and no one seems to be having any fun, simply end that activity and start another. Kids thrive on change and will not mind a bit. If the party is held indoors, it is a good idea to clear a room of breakables and make that room the game headquarters. For outdoor parties, make sure that the play area is free from potential dangers (debris on the ground, and so on) and that the games do not involve tree climbing or other activities that are prone to cause injury.
Finally, remember to have prizes and treats on hand to reward the players. Prizes do not need to be large or expensive. If the party is a theme party, prizes can follow that idea; fancy leis or funny little plastic coconut drinking cup could be given for a Hawaiian luau party. Kid’s birthday party games are about comrades, not rewards. Be sure to have prizes not only for the winners of the games, but for every child in attendance, so that each child goes home with some fun memento of the party and the time spent with friends.
