How many games do I need for a 5 year old party?

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

We have a reasonably small flat and parents are likely to stay. DS has invited 6 friends plus him and DS2 so 7-8 in total.

The party is for 2 hours.

We have pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey and I thought keep the balloon up with the person keeping it up the longest winning. Is 3 games enough, I have made sure pass the parcel has enough prizes for everyone to win.

This is his first "party" so I feel under real pressure not to let him down.

The games you have will fill 20-25 minutes max.

The usual bumps and statues but you can just keep playing the music and not really have the children out - they actually prefer it. If you do bumps first then statues, they will keep sitting down for the statues so you can spin it out a bit more.

Do the same with sleeping lions - keep tricking them with silly noises and threats to kiss them etc so that you have the excuse to start again.

Hokey kokey, head shoulders, Simon Says etc

Also, presuming you have a table for them all to sit at, How about arts and crafts? Maybe making their own party hat? If you cut out templates they can just decorate them.

Three guesses what I do for a living?????

Thanks for that. DS is keen on dancing games so bumps and statues should be cool will add them for sure.

I dont have a table big enough so discussed with DS and he says an indoor picnic will be cool so we cant really do crafts, although wish i had the skill and patience and space for thaat.

Treasure Hunts are good, if you don't mind organising a bit in advance. You can either do picture clues, leading to the next clue, or just en masse with lots of little treasure eg chocolate coins hidden everywhere that are pooled and then shared out in party bags.

We also do musical chairs. I let the person who is out do the next stop on the tape recorder ( without looking, obv )

Add if you are short on chairs you can do cushions instead.

SO GLAD I stumbled across this thread as I have this very question. Do they need a theme or something? Will they all go off and play in DSs room at some point? Is 2 hours too long? I was thinking one and a half....

Crafts? really??!?!

Argh!

Well our party is 12-2 and my plan is as follows (although who knows what might actually happen):

12.15 ish everyone has arrived made the mums a coffee (kids prob in DSs room) and stuff then get on with some games.

1.00 games finished, they can play some more in DSs room whilst we set up the food (same space as game space). Blowers and party hats to keep them sort of entertained.

1.30 cake and presents (all the recent parties we have been to presents have been opened after food so am just copying really).

Then pretty much home time.