Due to increasing economic stress these days many parents are choosing to throw their childrens birthday celebration at home instead of spending the $300 - $500 dollars it costs at a Chuck E. Cheese or Fun Time Junction. We always throw our kids parties at home! Our parties are unique, cost efficient and at the end we don’t have to haul all those presents away in the big plastic bag! Below are five games that will make your 5 year olds party the talk of the playground come Monday morning!
What you need:
- A large bin or basket.
- A selection of 25 or 30 prizes from the dollar store, party store or local book store.
- 2 rolls of tissue paper (one color for girl prizes and one color for boy prizes.)
- Masking tape.
- 10 balloons inflated (it’s always good to have extra’s in case some pop.)
- Pillows from around the house (one less than the number of children at the party.)
- A radio.
- A big picture of the birthday boy or girl. (You can have a favorite picture blown up to poster size at Staples or Kinko’s for a few dollars.)
- Several sheets of construction paper.
- A marker.
- Scotch tape.
- 5 golf balls or something of equal size that is easy to roll.
- A scarf or something to use as a blindfold.
Preperation:
Pick up an equal assortment of cheap prizes for girls and boys depending on your guest list. Childrens books like easy readers and golden books can be purchased for a dollar. Slinky’s, individual matchbox cars and kazoos can be purchased for less then a dollar at most party supply stores. Wrap girl gifts in one color and boy gifts in another. Put all the gifts in the bin or basket. When a child wins a game or event let them select the prize out of the bin according to the correct color…then you put it in their goody bag so they have to wait until they get home to open it. (This trick provides fun after the party is over and something to look forward to for the kids that don’t want to leave.) Clear a spot in the living room or rec room of your house and use the masking tape to lay down five lanes and a start and finish line on your carpet for races. Cut the construction paper out in the same number of triangles as the number of children coming to the party…they will look like birthday hats. Write the name of each child on one hat.
Game 1 - Musical Pillows
Collect throw pillows, back pillows, bedroom pillows, etc., from around the house, put them in a circle and play music while the kids walk around the cirlce. When the music stops they race to a pillow. Who ever doesn’t find a pillow sits out and another pillow is taken away. This continues until one kid is left. The winner chooses a prize. If you have a lot of children you can make two or three smaller circles. This is good becuase it produces more winners!
Game 2 - Hot Potato
Have the kids sit in a few smaller circles and pass one of the balloons around each circle until the music stops. Whichever kid gets caught with the balloon sits out. Same rules as above…when one kid is left he/she gets to pick a prize.
Game 3 - Golf Ball Race
Split the kids into groups of 5 by size. Put one golf ball or similair object at the starting line in each lane of masking tape. The kids get down on their knees and when you say GO they have to push the ball with their nose to the finish line. Kids love this it results in lots of laughs and remember NO HANDS!
Game 4 - Balloon Race
Use the same groups of 5 or mix them up. Have each child put a balloon between their legs and when you say GO they race to the finish line with out dropping it or popping it!
Game 5 - Put the birthday hat on the birthday boy/girl
Hang up the poster size picture of your son/daughter. Have the kids line up in size order or alphabetically. Tie the blindfold around the childs head, turn them three times and send them towards the picture to try and tape the birthday hat on the birthday kids head. The kid who gets the hat closest to the right spot gets to pick a prize.
