Family Birthday Party Games

Celebrations are a perfect time to gather family, from near and far, together. In today's reality of leading incredibly hectic lives, sometimes birthday parties are the only occasion families are able to coordinate their schedules to see each other. As is often the case, family parties tend to focus on activities that the children will enjoy. However, if you have a little time and a little patience, you can organize a birthday party that will get every member of the family (young and old) wanting to participate. A good party is so much more than a cake, ice cream, and presents. It is about celebrating that special birthday boy or girl (or boys and girls, if you decide to combine birthdays,) and doing activities that give everyone the opportunity to relax, play, and simply be happy that you are all spending time – together.

When planning birthday parties for a mixed age group, try to incorporate games into the day's festivities that will keep everyone involved. It is very easy for young children to become antsy or bored if not kept occupied; actually, that applies to teenagers, too. Plan ahead and make a list of games specific to each age group of children, and then add games in which the entire family can play. Depending on the time, season, and location of the party, it can be quite fun to set up both indoor and outdoor games. This will keep everyone on the move, and by alternating from inside to outside, it will give you the chance to clean-up and set up for the next game. And, when planning your list of games, be sure to have more on the list than you are certain will be necessary. That way, if a couple of games do not go according to plan you will have something to fall back on.

Okay, so let us take a look at some different types of games that you could use at your next birthday. We will look at age-appropriate games because you want the wee ones to be able to participate, as well as any older family members, such as grandparents. Here are some fine examples of activities sure to help put the F-U-N into the day:

Pre-school to Kindergarten Age

Red Rover: I can remember playing it countless times at parties, even in elementary school. It is a great outdoor game that requires no equipment to play, but needs a bunch of spirited players ready to run, and the more the merrier. So simple, it requires two teams, standing in opposing lines 15-20 feet apart, and tightly holding hands. Nothing gets a group of little ones all excited then hearing the first team call out to their target, "Red Rover, Red Rover send Sammy right over." The goal is for each runner to burst through the opposing team's line. If the player succeeds, then they return to their team taking an opponent; however, if they do not, they must remain and join the new team. When game is called, the team with the most players is the winner.

Elementary School Age

Treasure Chest Hunt: Think 'Pirates of the Caribbean' when preparing this game. It is best to assemble the treasure chest a day before the party to make it ease your party-day preparations. Using a shoe box, fill it with a lot of small prizes, such as stickers, miniature dolls or soldiers, toy rings, mini-yoyos, and anything else you can think to add. (Be certain to have enough, so at the end of the game the trinkets can be shared with all the children.) Then, write clues on small pieces of paper that will guide the treasure hunters in their hunt. Before the party begins, hide the treasure chest and hide the clues. When the hunt is ready to begin, give the children their first clue by indicating the boundaries of where the game is to be played, so you do not have children running out of the house or roaming from the party location. When the treasure is found, you can let the winner help in dividing the booty between all the children.

Middle School/Pre-Teen Age

Leisure Suit Relay: This relay race will bring out the silly-side in any pre-teen. Pre-party put together two complete outfits, and you can make them as ridiculous looking as you want, but make sure each outfit has the same number of items to keep the game fair. To play, divide the kids into two groups and give each team a suit. Then, each team will divide in half and stand facing each 15 yards apart. When you yell 'Go,' each player will dress in the suit, run to their teammate and take the suit off, and that player will dress in the suit repeating the process until each team member has put on the suit and run the distance. The first team to finish the task wins.

Games for Everyone

Bingo: On your computer, make up game cards using birthday-related items, instead of numbers, as well as the call card to be used by the announcer. Players can use pennies, mini-pretzels, or jelly beans to place on the called pictures. First person, to cover each picture is the winner.

Jungle Charades: A great game of acting-out, and pretending to be wild animals. This game is easy to organize before the party by cutting out pictures of wild, jungle animals that small children will easily recognize, then gluing each one to an index card. When everyone is ready to play, have each player take a turn picking a card from the pile, and then pretend to be the animal in the picture...growls, snarls, and monkey howlers are always welcome, but no words. Once the animal is correctly guessed, everyone joins the actor to pretend they are that wild animal.

Mario Kart for Wii: If everyone in your house is an electronic or video maven, why not coordinate a team play using Wii's Mario Kart. It is suitable for everyone to play, and can accommodate up to four players at a time. With silly characters like Mario and Donkey Kong on the screen, this game is bound to have everyone in a fit of giggles.

Consider this, if you are planning a birthday party near a special holiday or a party to celebrate the birthdays of several individuals, you may even want to consider making it a theme-based party. That way you can have decorations, a cake, even presents, that are related to the theme. If you are daring enough, you may even want everyone to come in a costume related to the theme. It is a party, and the sky is the limit.