35 Fun Games for Birthday Parties at Home
Welcome party planners and parents! Are you gearing up to host an unforgettable birthday bash for your little one, right in the comfort of your own home?
Look no further! In this ultimate guide, we’ve curated a collection of 35 delightfully fun games guaranteed to bring laughter, joy, and a whole lot of excitement to your child’s special day. From classic favorites to creative twists, there’s something here for every age group and theme.
Get ready to transform your living room or backyard into the ultimate party zone as we dive into these entertaining activities perfect for creating cherished memories at home birthday celebrations!
Musical Chairs Madness
Set up chairs in a circle, one less than the number of players. Play music while kids walk around the chairs. When the music stops, everyone must find a seat. The player left standing is out. Remove one chair and continue until one player remains.
DIY Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Draw a large picture of a donkey without its tail and hang it on a wall. Make tails out of paper or fabric with double-sided tape on one end. Blindfold each child, spin them around, and have them try to pin the tail closest to the correct spot on the donkey.
Balloon Pop Relay
Divide players into teams. Place a line of balloons at one end of the room and an empty basket at the other. On ‘go,’ the first player from each team races to pop a balloon by sitting on it and then runs to the basket to drop the popped balloon. The next player goes when the first player returns.
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Obstacle Course Challenge
Create an obstacle course using household items like chairs, pillows, and hula hoops. Include activities like crawling under tables, jumping over cushions, and balancing on a line. Time each participant as they navigate the course, and the fastest time wins.
DIY Photo Booth Fun
Set up a designated area with props like hats, glasses, and boas. Provide a digital camera or smartphone for guests to take silly photos. Create a backdrop with a colorful sheet or hanging decorations.
Cupcake Decorating Contest
Bake plain cupcakes ahead of time and provide frosting, sprinkles, and other toppings. Divide kids into teams and give each team a set of cupcakes and decorating supplies. Set a time limit, and let the creative decorating begin! Award prizes for the most creative, funniest, and tastiest cupcakes.
Treasure Hunt Adventure
Write clues leading to different locations around the house or yard. Each clue leads to the next until the final clue reveals the treasure (like a goody bag or small toy). Customize the difficulty level based on the age of the players.
Bean Bag Toss
Create targets using buckets or large bowls with different point values. Have players take turns tossing bean bags into the targets from a designated distance. Keep score, and the player with the most points at the end wins a prize.
Crafty Creations Station
Set up a table with various craft supplies like markers, stickers, and glitter. Provide plain paper or pre-cut shapes for kids to decorate. Let their imagination run wild as they create their own masterpieces to take home.
Dance Party Extravaganza
Clear a space for dancing and create a playlist of favorite party songs. Encourage kids to show off their best dance moves and join in on group dances like the Cha-Cha Slide or the Macarena. Add disco lights or a DIY disco ball for extra fun and ambiance. These games are sure to keep the birthday party atmosphere lively and entertaining for kids of all ages!
Limbo Challenge
Use a long stick, broom handle, or rope as the limbo bar. Play music while kids take turns bending backward and passing under the bar without touching it or falling. Lower the bar after each round, and the last player standing wins.
Marshmallow Tower Building
Provide marshmallows and toothpicks or pretzel sticks. Challenge kids to build the tallest freestanding tower using only marshmallows and sticks within a time limit. The team with the tallest tower at the end wins.
DIY Bowling Alley
Line up empty plastic bottles or paper cups in a triangle formation at the end of a hallway or room. Use a soft ball or a rolled-up pair of socks as the bowling ball. Kids take turns rolling the ball and trying to knock down as many pins as possible in one turn.
Pass the Parcel
Wrap a small prize in multiple layers of wrapping paper. Have kids sit in a circle and play music while passing the parcel around. When the music stops, the child holding the parcel unwraps one layer. Repeat until someone unwraps the final layer and wins the prize.
Water Balloon Toss
Fill up balloons with water and divide players into pairs. Partners stand facing each other a short distance apart. Toss the water balloon back and forth, taking a step back after each successful catch. The last pair with an intact balloon wins.
Paper Airplane Contest
Provide sheets of paper and markers for kids to decorate their paper airplanes. Set up a designated flying area and mark landing zones with different point values. Kids take turns throwing their airplanes, aiming to land them in the highest-scoring zones.
Hula Hoop Challenge
Give each child a hula hoop and see who can keep it spinning the longest. For added fun, have kids try different tricks like spinning the hoop on their arm or waist.
Sack Race Relay
Divide kids into teams and provide each team with a large sack or pillowcase. Mark a start and finish line. Players hop inside their sacks and race to the finish line, tagging the next teammate to continue the relay.
Freeze Dance
Play music and have kids dance around the room. When the music stops, everyone must freeze in place. Anyone caught moving after the music stops is out. Keep playing until one dancer remains.
Minute to Win It Challenges
Set up a variety of quick, one-minute challenges using household items. Challenges could include stacking cups, bouncing ping pong balls into cups, or moving cookies from forehead to mouth without using hands. Award points for successful completion within the time limit, and tally scores to determine the ultimate champion. These games promise hours of laughter and enjoyment, making your at-home birthday party a memorable success!
Bubble Wrap Stomp
Lay out a large sheet of bubble wrap on the floor. Kids take turns stomping on the bubble wrap to pop as many bubbles as they can within a time limit.
Talent Show
Let kids showcase their talents, whether it’s singing, dancing, telling jokes, or performing magic tricks. Provide a stage area and encourage audience participation by cheering and clapping.
Emoji Charades
Write down various emojis on slips of paper and place them in a bowl. One player selects a slip and acts out the emoji without speaking while others guess what it is.
Puzzle Race
Divide a puzzle into equal parts and place each part in a separate envelope. Give each team or player an envelope and see who can complete their puzzle section the fastest.
DIY Memory Game
Create a memory game using index cards or paper squares. Draw or print pairs of matching pictures (e.g., animals, shapes, cartoon characters) on the cards. Mix up the cards face down and take turns flipping two at a time to find matching pairs.
DIY Obstacle Course
Set up a challenging obstacle course using household items like chairs, cones, and blankets. Include activities such as crawling through tunnels, hopping over obstacles, and balancing on a beam. Time each participant as they navigate the course, and the fastest time wins.
Marshmallow and Toothpick Structures
Provide marshmallows and toothpicks for kids to build creative structures. Challenge them to build the tallest tower, the longest bridge, or the most intricate design.
Simon Says
Designate one person as “Simon” who gives commands starting with “Simon says…” Players must follow the command only if it begins with “Simon says.” If “Simon” gives a command without saying “Simon says” first, and a player follows it, they’re out.
Story Time Relay
Divide players into teams and provide each team with a story starter sentence. The first player in each team starts the story by saying the starter sentence out loud. Then, each player adds one sentence to continue the story, passing it along like a relay race.
Animal Charades
Write down different animals on slips of paper and place them in a bowl. One player selects a slip and acts out the animal without making any noises while others guess what it is.
DIY T-Shirt Decorating
Provide plain white T-shirts and fabric markers or paint. Let kids unleash their creativity by decorating their own T-shirts with drawings, designs, or messages.
Indoor Bowling with Soft Toys
Set up soft toys or stuffed animals as bowling pins at one end of a hallway or room. Use a soft ball or rolled-up socks as the bowling ball. Kids take turns rolling the ball and trying to knock down as many “pins” as possible in one turn.
Shadow Puppet Theater
Set up a blank wall or sheet as a backdrop. Use a flashlight or lamp to cast shadows while kids create imaginative stories with their hands. DIY Science Experiments: Choose simple science experiments that can be done at home, such as making slime, creating vinegar and baking soda volcanoes, or making homemade bubbles.
Balloon Rockets
Attach a long piece of string or yarn across a room. Thread a straw through the string and tape it in place. Blow up a balloon and attach it to the straw. Let go of the balloon and watch it zoom across the string like a rocket! These games offer a wide range of activities to keep kids entertained and engaged during a birthday celebration at home!
