Most 5-year-olds love celebrating their birthdays with all the trappings of decorations, snacks and a cake. However, a child’s birthday party can fall flat unless you provide some interesting party games for the guests. Preschool and kindergarten birthday parties tend to have a balance of unstructured, open-ended activities and organized games. Have some simple filler birthday games and activities ready, in case the guests whip through your itinerary or need redirection to a new game.
Most 5-year-olds love celebrating their birthdays with all the trappings of decorations, snacks and a cake. However, a child’s birthday party can fall flat unless you provide some interesting party games for the guests. Preschool and kindergarten birthday parties tend to have a balance of unstructured, open-ended activities and organized games. Have some simple filler birthday games and activities ready, in case the guests whip through your itinerary or need redirection to a new game.
Function
Most 5-year-olds love competitive games, until they lose. Keep the mood friendly and cheerful with prizes for every runner-up, or consider some cooperative games instead. A group treasure hunt has everyone working together to solve picture clues, count steps and look for landmarks. Classic party games like Follow the Leader and Simon Says are about participation, rather than keeping score. Less-active games like Heads Up Seven Up and Hot Potato help wind kids down toward the end of the party.
Types
Circle games, such as Duck Duck Goose, Telephone, Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar and Doggy Doggy Where’s Your Bone work well with 5-year-old party guests. Running and chasing games like Link-up Tag, Red Light Green Light and wheelbarrow races entertain children outside. Water play and games, such as racing boats, blowing soap bubbles and tossing water balloons, enliven a summer party. Children this age enjoy singing and movement games like If You’re Happy and You Know It and Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes.
Considerations
Make small changes to traditional birthday games to comply with your party’s theme. For example, a pirate party may feature a fort or a pirate ship as base during tag. A fairy party may feature a round of Pin the Wand on the Fairy. Decorate chairs to look like thrones for a princess-themed round of musical chairs. A jungle party may include a round of animal charades.
Features
Party games for young children have few rules. Most favorite games, like jump rope, hopscotch, Mother May I and Ring Around the Rosy, can expand and contract to accommodate players as they join in and as they leave.
Warning
As young children get excited at birthday parties, some other get overstimulated. Plan for a variety of rhythms to the party, from icebreakers and all-out running and chasing games to mellow games. Activities, such as playing in sand, painting, sculpting Play-Doh, building with Legos or dressing up for a photo shoot, provide a break from more structured games.
Photo Credit
- child’s birthday image by Katrina Miller from Fotolia.com
