Pin the Something  on  Something
    Traditionally pin the tail on the donkey, this game can be changed to fit any theme. In this game, blindfolded guests try to stick a paper 'tail' onto a poster of a donkey. You can take a piece of poster board and draw anything with something missing - a nose on a clown or animal, the TY heart on a beanie baby, a spaceship in an outer space scene, and one year we gave Yoda (Star Wars) his staff. Just be sure to include an outline of where the object needs to land.

Bean Bag Toss
    You can make an easy Bean Bag Toss using a double layer of poster board glued together and a large box. Use the large box as a base, and attach the poster board to one side of it. Before attaching the poster board, paint a design on it, allowing for one or more holes. We never kept score, but the kids had a lot of fun throwing those bean bags. One year we even gave bean bags as party favors - they're easy to make from fabric scraps if you sew.
    If your not creative go to the dollar store and substitue plastic golf balls, instead of bean bags and an old sheet with holes cut in it hanging  from the clothesline. Be sure to hold down the bottom edge with something heavy.

Freeze
    Begin by playing music, everyone moves and dances until the music stops then they must "freeze" in whatever position they happen to be in.

Balloon Bust Relay
    Purchase large balloons, stuff with a prize such as a whistle, then inflate and tie. You will need one balloon for each guest. Divide children into two teams and place each team behind the start line. At the other end of the room are the balloons. On your mark a child from each team runs to the other end of the room, grabs a balloon and sits on it, bounces on it, lays on it, anything they can do to make it pop.
    When the balloon pops they collect their prize and run back to their teammates. The game continues until every child has retrieved their prize. If one team falls behind parents are allowed to help:D Make sure you've got the movie camera rolling, you won't want to miss the action or the expressions. If you don't have time for a relay yell, "GO" and let every child grab a balloon at the same time and try to pop it.
     Make sure to carefully clean up the balloon remains, as they are choke hazards for young children.

Cookie Decorating
You need at least two parents for this one.
Cookie decorating items, sprinkles, red hots, etc.
Cookies a couple dozen figure 2 per kid (sugar cookies are best)
1 container of Vanilla Frosting
2 cookie baking sheets
2 knives, for adult use only
Lots of napkins

Each of the parents get a knife and a cookie sheet.  They are in charge of frosting the cookies, the kids get to decorate them. The adults get to eat the mistakes. Watch your waist lines.
My friend and I both did daycare and we did this instead of cupcakes for birthdays. It was always a hit. We even did it for a class party once.

Birds Fly
    All players with hands on hips. The leader stands/sits in front, calling out the names of various animals and saying that they fly. If the animal really does fly, the kids make flapping motions with their "wings". If a they make an error - by flapping their arms, they are eliminated. The leader may try to confuse the players by flapping his own wings every time. Examples of calls: "Robins fly, pigs fly, ducks fly, hawks fly, horses fly," etc.

Pass the Stuffed Animal
You need 1 extra large die, one stuffed animal & a circle of children.
The child to to left of the one given the stuffed animal rolls the dice into the circle and calls out the number. The dice move to the next child on the left and the animal moves to the right the number rolled on the dice.
The game ends when the dice gets back to the person who first rolled the dice.  The winner has the stuffed animal.


PARTY  GAMES
Musical Chairs
Water Balloon Toss
Balloon Toss in Bag
Cotton Ball Scoop into Bowl
Shaving Balloon
Fill mouth with Marshmallows & sing Happy Birthday
Fill Paper Plate with Whip Cream & put Bubblegum in Whip Cream
        First to get Gum & Blow a Bubble Wins
3 Legged Race
Apple Bobbing
Duck - Duck - Goose
London Bridge
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Red Light - Green Light
Simon Says
Jump Rope Contest
Paddle Ball
Tug of War
Ping Pong Ball Race - on hands & knees blowing ping pong ball
        with straw


Links Page