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Party Games

6 replies

NannyG1 · 22/06/2017 22:06

I'm doing a birthday party for my Granddaughter, 5, and am wondering what party games to play?
back in my day we had things like oranges and lemons, farmers in his den, musical bumps, chairs, statues, pass the parcel....
G/d hasn't had much experience of parties, and this is the first one she has had herself. At parties she has been to she hasn't liked the more 'boisterous' ones like musical bumps ect, but enjoyed pass the parcel.
she likes being outside where possible and today i introduced her to 'stuck in the mud' which s loved (but was a bit of a challenge for me getting under hr legs Grin
it is planned for next week, so hopefully they will be able to be out in the garden, but what suggestions do you have for outdoor or backup indoor games?
thanks in advance

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Plunkette · 23/06/2017 01:29

Nanny this was my standard list of games when my DC were that age:

Hokey cokey
Farmers in his dell
Whats the time mr wolf
Bear in the honeypot
Musical statues
Head shoulders knees and toes
There was an old lady
Island game (blanket required)
Duck duck goose
Pass the balloon races
Tunnels/bridges/castles
Pass the parcel
Pin the tail on the donkey

We usually also had a dancing "competition" with a bubble maker going.

Plunkette · 23/06/2017 01:29

Pinterest has lots of very cool party ideas too.

PerspicaciaTick · 23/06/2017 01:49

At that age lots of children struggle to maintain patience and concentration for games where they have to wait for turn taking (like "Pin the tail..") and you need to think about what the children who went "out" at the start of the game are going to be doing while the rest of the children finish the game,
I always found the most successful games were group games where they could all be involved at once, dance competitions (with lots of teeny prizes for "best smile", "most energetic", "most elegant" etc.) and treasure hunts in the garden have both been popular. Also bubbles in the garden and any game that involves wrapping adults in toilet paper.
A simple craft activity often works well as an calm(ish) ice-breaker, everyone sticking sticky-back plastic jewels to cardboard crowns (minimal mess, lots of impact) which they can then wear for the party.
Have plenty of prizes to hand, you can never have too many rewards (99p shops are good for bulk packs of things that can be split up into teeny prizes), I usually have party bags all named at the start (one year I got them to decorate their own party bags too) so they can pop prizes in their bags as they go.

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Heirhelp · 23/06/2017 07:48

I remember going to a party at they age and the last game was who can fill their small bin bag with the most rubbish from the floor. We loved it.

NannyG1 · 23/06/2017 14:18

Thanks for the great ideas everyone, i particularly like the clearing up idea Grin
My son is 25, but never really did birthday parties, so i am completely out of practice!
We have large garden and hubby has said he will make a mini obstacle course for them to make them little less dependent on continuous entertainment.
Thanks for the help,
Nanny x

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NotCitrus · 23/06/2017 14:25

Punch balloons and lots of balloons are great as they play with them for ages.
Musical bumps/statues/superhero impressions/standing on one leg/one hand and one foot on the floor - keep it going for ages! Along with dancing competition.

Tying small ring donuts onto strings and dangling them so they have to try eating them with no hands - lots of hilarity.

Stick the felt x onto the larger felt y (teeth on the dinosaur, hat on the Mr Man, etc) - kids wanting a go can while others do something else.

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