Welcome to the January edition of the online Party Basket Newsletter.
We have in this edition:
- Whats new at The Party Basket Website.
- A list of possible party games, some familiar, some not.
- Handy things to think about.
1. Whats new at The Party Basket Website
If you haven’t visited our site recently at www.thepartybasket.co.uk then it may be worth checking it out. The most fun part is that we have added a forum page that you can have a comment/rant/chat regarding any subject you wish. The main emphasis will be on all aspects of kids parties and how to survive them. This is a seperate section of the site and will require you to registar first to use it.
We have also developed the Party Pack Page to include bags that only cost £1.03. Any bag purchased from this page can be pre-filled. Just inform us in the comments box on the payment screen when placing an order.
2. Childrens Party Games
Chinese Whispers
Sit everyone in a circle. Whisper a long phrase to one person. They, in turn, whisper what they heard to the next person, and so on. The last person announces what they heard.
Pass the Parcel
Wrap a bar of chocolate (or some other gift), in a layer of paper. Now wrap it in another layer and repeat until you have about 10 layers. Finally wrap it in gift paper (so it looks nice).
Sit everyone in a circle and play a short snippet of music. When the music stops, the person holding the parcel removes ONE layer of wrapping. Repeat until the last layer of wrapping has been removed. The winner keeps the present.
The Chocolate (or Jelly) Game
Sit everyone in a circle and place a tray in the middle with a hat, scarf, gloves, knife and fork, die and a wrapper bar of chocolate.
In turn, players throw the die. If they throw a SIX, they must put on the Hat, Scarfe and Gloves before they start to unwrap the chocolate with the knife and fork, ad then start to eat it. To speed up the game add a second die and require a Double SIX.
The Jelly Variation is to turn out a set jelly onto a plate and eat it with the knife and fork.
Musical Chairs
The old favourite. With one fewer chairs than people, a short snippet of music is played while the people move around the room. When the music stops everyone tries to sit on a vacant chair. (Only ONE person per chair) The person who doesn’t find a chair is out. One chair is taken away and the game continues until only one person (The Winner) is left.
Memory Game
On a tray, place about 10 to 15 small items (e.g. pencil, watch, comb, shoe lace, spoon, toy car, etc.) and cover with a cloth.
Sit everyone in a circle. Place the tray in the middle of the circle and remove the cloth for 60 seconds. Everyone has to remember the objects. When the time is up, replace the cloth. In turn, each person has to name an object on the tray. The first person to fail to name an object, repeat an object or name something not on the tray is out. The tray is then removed and some or all of the objects replaced, and the game re-started with the person following the one who is out. If the game is too easy for the group, add more objects or reduce the time.
Musical Statues
This is like Musical Chairs, but when the music stops, the players have to keep still. Anyone who moves, quivers, shakes etc is out. The winner is the last one still playing.
Listen and Move
Place party shapes on the floor in a circle. For example if your theme is Knights the shapes could be shields, swords, and castles. Children walk around circle while listening to music. If the music is loud the children move fast. If the music is quiet the children move slow. If the music stops, the children stop on the closest shape. Young children like to play it this way. To make it more challenging for older children have 1 less shape than the number of children. Continue remove shapes as the children are ‘out’.
Port and Starboard
On the command (from the list below) the children have to do the appropriate action. After a while, start removing the last player to comply, untill only one remains.
- Port (Run to one side tof the area)
- Starboard (run to the other side)
- Captains Coming Aboard (Stand to attention
and Salute) - Submarines (Lie on the floor)
- Hoist the Mainsail (run on the spot - like climing
the rigging) - Mess Deck (Sit cross legged on the floor - ready
for lunch) - Davey Jones (Climb a tree, stanbd on a chair -
anything so that you are not on the floor) - Up Periscope (Stand up straight and old hands to
eyes as though looking through binoculars)
Mummies
Split the patry goers into teams of three and give each
team a toilet roll. Two persons then wrap the third in the
toilet roll so that they look like an Egyptian Mummy.
The winning team is the one who in a set time (say 2
minutes) have the neatest and most covered Mummy.
Stations
Everyone stands a circle (except one who is standing in
the middle) and has been told to remember a different
station name. The person in the middle calls out two
names. The stations have to change places quickly,
before the person in the middle can get to one of the
empty spaces. Who ever is left without a place is the
person in the middle for the next game.
Pass the Orange
Arrange for teams of about 8 to stand in a line, one
behind the other (arranged boy, girl, boy,…). Give each
team an orange which the first person should tuck under
his chin. This should be passed to the person behind.
When the orange gets to the last person, they come to the
front of the line and start again. The winnnig team is the
first one which gets their starting person to the front
again.
Sleeping Pirate
All the children (except one - The Pirate) sit Cross Legged on the floor in a circle. The pirate sites Cross-legged in the middle of the circle, blind-folded, with a large bunch of keys on the floor in front of him. A child is nominated to creep up and take the keys and
then return to their place, without the pirate hearing them. The Pirate has three goes to point to where he thinks the raider is. If he is sucessful, the raider becomes the Pirate.
Balloon Pop
Place notes inside un-inflated balloons,1 or 2 of the notes should indicate that this balloon is a winner. Inflate the balloons and hang them around. Let each child pick a balloon then pop it to see if their note is a winner.
Balloon Relay
Divide the children into 2 or more equal teams and stand them in a line. Give each team ten balloons in a basket. The first in each line takes a balloon and runs to the other side of the room/yard/area and sits or stomps on the balloon to pop it. After poping the balloon they run back to the line and tag the next person who does the same thing. The game goes on until one team has poped all of their balloons. The winning team gets a small prize (like a ribbon) while EVERYONE gets a small toy.
Toy Walk
This is done like a cake walk. Have numbers on the ground for as many children (1-10). Walk on the numbers until the music stops. Have numbers on some small toys. If a child is standing on the number of the toy, they win the toy
Can You Guess
Put several small items into a brown paper bag. Blindfold one person and hand them one of the items in the bag. Give them a few seconds to guess what the item is. If they are unsuccessful they are out. The last one wins.
Slow Race
One of the best ways to calm a kids birthday down is to have a slow race. This is exactly as it sounds. The kids race across the room as slow as possible. Anyone actually standing still or reversing is disqualified. The person who is last wins. Or set a time limit.
3. Handy Hints
Always wear bright colours when hosting the parties you will be amazed at the difference it makes.
Suggestions for birthdays by age grouping:
Toddlers (2-3) - Most of these parties are more of a gathering of parents or immediate family. Activities for any child involved cound involve keeping a balloon from touching the ground; bouncing balls; musical statues.
Pre-school (4-5) - This is the age at which parties start to become important. These are best to have at home as they can be more contained. Games as above can start being introduced.
School Age (6-8) - This is when kids get more involved in organising their party and it is good to encorage that. Ask them if they want a theme or which games to play. We have found at this age, kids like choosing their own party bag. These parties are either hosted at home or at a prebooked venue.
Older Kids (9+) - This is when kids are more likely to consider activity type parties: swimming, bowling etc. One option is to have a group of friends over for a sleepover.
Just remember the party is a fun event. Don’t Stress, and Good Luck!