Sack race
This is a classic that looks fairly easy but don’t be fooled… it’s really hard and a lot of fun! You can buy sacks in gardening stores, grocery stores or on Amazon. Some supercentres even sell bags designed specifically for these races. After that, you only need to draw start and end lines. Try to race with other parents too. Your children will appreciate a good opportunity to make fun of you!
Treasure hunting
Draw a floor plan of your home on parchment paper and draw a red X where you will put the first clue. Write five or six clues and let the kids go from hint to hint all the way to their treasure! If you have eye-patches and swords, you can even dress up as pirates to add to the ambiance.
Skills competition
If your kids always want to play skills games at fairs and carnivals, set a competition at home for their birthday. You can prepare:
- A balloon wall: burst three with a dart to win a prize;
- Baskets /containers placed diagonally: throw three balls in a basket to win;
- 2L bottles in a box: toss three rings and make them land over the neck to win;
- Plastic ducks standing on glasses: knock one off with a water gun.
Don’t forget to show off your prizes if you want to keep them motivated!
Puppet Theater
If you have a puppet theater, you already have everything you need! Otherwise, you can make your own characters with cardboard, wooden sticks and ready-made eyes. Ask each child to make a character or animal. Then, form two small teams that will prepare a little story and give a show by hiding behind furniture.
Red light, green light!
Everyone tries to catch someone at the front. When that person says “green light!” everyone can walk towards them when they say “red light!” everyone must stop or be eliminated.
Hide-and-seek
It’s the perfect age to play hide-and-seek! You know the drill: choose someone who will look for the others and make them count to 20. “Ready or not… here I come!” Because your guests don’t necessarily know the whereabouts, the first rounds will be really exciting. Remember to decide where they can’t hide beforehand to avoid bad surprises.
Tag contamination
The person who must touch the others (the tag) contaminates them and turns them into tags. The last one to remain uncontaminated wins. It’s a great game if you have a big yard or a park nearby and if you prefer to let the kids play outside.
Crédit : Hostess with the MostessYogurt bar
Besides being healthy, a yogurt bar is beautiful to look at! If you present it well, it could even become part of your décor. Use nice bowls and design labels to identify all the ingredients. You can offer cranberries, raisins, coconut, pumpkin seeds, fruits and sunflower seeds to add to plain or vanilla yogurt. If you wish, you can also make an ice cream bar with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and syrup, but keep an eye on the portions to avoid having nauseous children to take care of. Also, remember to ask parents about food allergies every time you prepare food for other children.
Jewelry
If you invite girls, organize a Jewelry Workshop and let them leave with their creation in a nice bag with cute candies as party favors. The kind of jewelry will depend on what you find. Several DIY, school supplies, and superstores sell beads and locks, you only have to choose your style!
