10 Tips for Great Kids’ Party Games
Party games are always well loved at kids’ birthday parties, but often parents reckon they are hard to organize and are worried that the kids will not want to play.
Comparing the cost of a professional entertainer with the cost of a few excellent prizes, and a small bit of know-how, and you will quickly see how doing it yourself will save you money!
1 If you want the kids to play you must provide excellent prizes.
I buy excellent quality plush toys in the sales and I make sure the kids know these are the prizes, and not the usual lollipops or a chocolate bar. Most kids don’t consider these as worth playing for.
2 Always give the best prize away last. Once it has gone, the kids may stop playing.
3 No-one is ever out in my games.
Even in games like Musical Bumps they all participate throughout.
This means they all always have a chance of winning, and it eliminates the chances of those kids who are out causing distress.
4 Team games are best when each team has a similar number of boys and girls; similar ages on each team; and an equal number of smaller kids on each side. In other words, as evenly matched as possible.
5 Avoid boys versus girls, especially if there is more of one than another. If there are eleven boys and only nine girls you can’t expect one of the boys to swap sides.
6 Always ensure that there are as many boy winners as girls – and try to make sure that they alternate – a girl winner followed by a boy winner.
I find if there are two boy winners in a row, the girls complain that it is always the boys who win.
7 Get a friend to help you. It is much simpler with two or even three. And, once you’ve volunteered, finding helpers isn’t hard.
8 Make sure the games are suitable for the venue and the age of the kids. A fantastic game is the Burst the Balloon game, where two teams are given a balloon for each child. Each player, in turn, runs to the other end of the room, puts the balloon on a chair, sits on it, and bursts it. Then they run back and tag the next player.
A excellent game, but only if the room is long enough, and the kids are ancient enough not to weep when the balloons burst.
9 It is usually best to start the party with a few games. This means the early arrivals aren’t sitting around bored, and any kids turning up late don’t miss the main event – quite often a magician.
10 When the main event has finished his act, and the kids have been fed, you can end off with a game or two while the other parents are arriving to collect their wards.
No need for huge prizes here. Lollipops will do so kids being collected won’t feel they are missing out too much.
A small pre-plotting is usually all it takes to provide a well-run and exciting party. So, why don’t you try it!
Ian Lowe is a professional children’s entertainer based in Washington, England. He is a member of both the International Brotherhood of Magicians and BalloonHQ and has contributed articles to both.
Contact him at www.ian-lowe.co.uk or www.balloondeliveries.net
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