Having a kids party and not sure where to begin? I found some exciting kids party ideas for kids of all ages. I was searching for some old favourites that are inexpensive but great fun for children to enjoy. Kids love to dance and make a noise, nothing better than putting some music on and play. Don’t forget some nice simple touches can make the food table look beautiful like deliciously decorated flower cupcakes.
Musical bumps
Get the children to dance to the music. When the music stops, all the children have to sit down as quickly as possible. The last one to sit is out. The last child left dancing is the winner. With young children you can turn this around and simply try and spot the one to sit down first each time.
Musical statues
The children dance around to music. When the music stops they have to stand absolutely still, like a statue. If anyone moves, they are out. You can vary this game by getting the children to dance like individual animals (you pick the animal first, then the children take it in turns to pick one – you can also make it even more varied by giving them an adjective – like posh horse, mad monkey, sneaky cat). When they make a statue, it has to look like a pose of that particular animal.
Musical chairs
Put out one less chairs than there are children (or cushions, if they’re very young). The children have to dance around the chairs and when the music stops, sit on a chair immediately. The last one left without a chair has to sit out. The last child left in is the winner. Again, you don’t necessarily have to chuck a child out each time; you can just simply play a few rounds and leave it at that.
Dressing up dancing
Choose 5 types of clothing or prop, and make sure there’s enough for each child to have one: a hat, a badge, a top, a skirt, etc. Then the children dance around. When the music stops, you call out ‘scarf!’ and they all have to grab one, put it on, then dance with it till the music stops and then they go for the next item. And so on until they’re all dressed.
Old favourites
Make a parcel by wrapping up a prize in several layers of paper (one for each child, plus an extra one). Sit the children in a circle, give one of them the parcel and when the music starts, get them to hand it to the next child, who hands it on, and on. When the music stops, the child who is holding the parcel opens the first layer. Then when the music starts again, they hand it on to the next child, and so on. Wrap the final present in something obvious so that you know which the final round is. You can put a sweet or a little something in each layer of wrapping. Then the last one with the prize in can be well and truly random.
Follow my leader
Get the children to follow a leader (maybe start with an adult to get the ball rolling). The children have to follow whatever the leader does as they move around. Suggestions: hopping, hands on head, jumping, running, skipping, silly walks, turning round, waving arms, being an animal, being a posh person, etc.