Kids' Party Games. Any ideas?

[Demented]

My kids have been invited to a party and I have just asked what we should bring, expecting to be asked to bring crisps or juice or something. However I have been asked to bring a party game, which I think is a very good idea but I cannot think of one. I assume the usual pass-the-parcel and musical chairs etc will be organised by the hosts and they are looking for something more unique from their guests. I would be very grateful for ideas, I would imagine that the age group of the children playing the games will be from around 3 to about 8 and I think there will be about 20 children, although some will be too young to play. TIA for any ideas.

Demented,we did a game which went down very well with that age group lately-find the beads game.Depending on how many kids divide up into groups of two and give them a piece of string between them.Beforehand place different coloured beads around the edges of the house and up the stairs,about 5 or 6.Then allocate each team a colour and tell them the quickest to find all 5 beads of their colour wins a prize.You should do a search on here too as I got a few suggestions from here.Also I got loads of good ideas of games I had completely forgotten about when I did a google search on a brilliant site which I have forgotten now.CFIYW.

Eek! A dressing up race? 2 (or more) teams, one box of clothes. Each team member runs to the box, extracts an item of clothing and dresses a nominated team member. Winning team first to get their member dressed in a hat, scarf, top trousers, shoes, coat.... whatever. The sillier the clothes, the better.

I can't really think of anything beyond pass the parcel or pin the tail on the donkey (or pin the broomstick on the Harry Potter)

Who can jump the highest and who can shout the loudest usually go down well

One that usually goes down quite well - wrap several different chocolate bars in wrapping, let the kids feel each one and see if they can guess what the chocolate bar is inside the package (don't forget to write down what they are) - divide up the group into teams - winning team gets the chocolate - this is good for any age group and lasts a while too!!

If you want a quiet game (!!) try keys in the circle:- you get the children sitting in a circle, one has a blindfold on & sits in the middle of the circle with a bunch of keys in front of him/her - you pick another child to sneak up & collect the keys, child in the middle has to try & point in the direction of where the other child is coming from. If child gets the keys without being pointed at, he/she goes in the middle; otherwise give centre child three chances & then choose someone else. This works better than it sounds and also there is no 'winner' so you don't have to give a prize.

Have to say (having helped a friend organise a party this weekend) that it sounds a brilliant idea to get everyone to suggest a game!

get a packet of different coloured dots (the small price labels), and then spread them round the house (possibly whilst they are having tea so they can't see you doing it). Small price for the one who collects the most.

Button matching - have a huge jar of buttons with loads of duplicates, again small prize for child who matches the most pairs. May have to do that in several sittings if lots of kids. and better for the older kids.

Pin the tail/nose on the donkey/snowman. (snowmen are easier to draw - just a couple of circles)

Fishing for pennies - glue/stick magnets (from a stationers) onto string, and let the kids walk around 'fishing for pennies all over the floor.

Hope you have a good time.

This is almost certainly inappropriate but I'll add it anyhow as it was always our favourite as children. It is called 'Bombs' ( ironic as my father who invented it is a fully paid up pacifist!) and simply involves a room with no ornaments/breakable around ( outside is ideal but not really on at this time of year!) - a simple barrier down the middle - card board boxes/whatever - the participants in two teams with equal numbers of 'bombs' each made of a single sheet of newspaper screwed up - when the whistle goes each team throws them at the opponents like mad until a ceasefire is called - then the bombs on each side are counted and the side with the least on their side has 'won' that battle - then you carry on for as many 'battles' as you can stand!
Hey so it's childish ! We had a simple 1970s childhood and we loved it!!!

Loads of great ideas so far, thanks. I will do a search tomorrow when I have more time. I really like the keys game (something nice and quite to calm them down) and the fishing for pennies appeals too, although I have just metioned it to DH and he seems to think that pennies do not stick to magnets, don't know if this is true will try tomorrow.

Thanks very much, any more ideas keep 'em coming!

Treasure Box - like pass the parcel but you have boxes of various sizes in side each other. When they open the box instead of just another parcel/a small gift, there's a 'forfeit' e.g. SIng Baa Baa Black Sheep. If the child is reluctant, offer for all the children to join in.

We had a good one when we were kids - everyone sat round in a circle, and in the middle was a mars bar in its wrapper on a plate, a knife and fork, and a hat, scarf, pair of gloves - plus anything else 'outdoorsy' that you could think of, e.g. thick socks. Everyone takes it in turn to throw the dice, and if you get a 6, you can go into the middle, put on all the clothes, and remove the wrapper and eat the mars bar, with a knife and fork (the wrapper must come off with the cutlery)...BUT, the dice keeps going, so that if someone else throws a six, you must take everything off and hand over to them. Carry on until the mars bar is finished! There's no winner - just lots of chocolate!

We played a game called Pass the potato at DS christmas party yesterday. Everyone stands in a ring and a small "prize" is passed around. Everyone sings something along the lines of "Pass the Potato, pass the potato, who will get it? This time it is you!" - just do it to a nursery rhyme tune. Person left holding the potato is out and so on until only one left and they win the prize. Played by 4-6 yr olds most fun once the numbers get low.

Also if you want a quiet one what about sleeping tigers? Children have to lie on floor pretending to be asleep and first one to move is out etc. You never know maybe they will all fall asleep and then parents can tuck into the grub themselves!

the pennies really do stick , but not 2p I think they are too heavy.

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