20 simple, fun and cheap birthday party games for kids that EVERYONE will love
Birthday parties can be a lot of work, especially if you are doing one at home. That’s why you should pick the games that will keep everyone entertained without burning a hole in your pocketbook or stress you out. Here’s 20 birthday party games for kids that are guaranteed to be a hit!
I love throwing birthday parties for my five kids. And I have thrown a lot of parties. Through trial and error, I have figured out which games work and which games everyone loves. So, here’s a list of birthday party games for kids that are guaranteed to be a hit, no matter what the age. You can also check out my birthday party game idea list.
#1: Indoor treasure hunt
Okay, I designed this super simple indoor birthday treasure hunt that works in basically any home. Kids just love finding the clues and every single person gets a prize at the end. However, my recommendation would be to make sure everyone gets a turn to find a clue. That way, the fastest and most aggressive child doesn’t find all the clues before everyone else.
#2: Saran wrap ball
If you’ve never done a saran wrap ball, they are super fun. You just wrap a bunch of presents in Saran wrap and then let the kids take turns unwrapping it. Each kid gets a turn until they uncover a present. Then, you can put a big prize in the middle.
#3: Pinata
I have a complicated relationship with pinatas. Kids love them. But adults–like myself–don’t love the chaos and potential harm a stick swinging in the air might cause. However, I always end up doing a pinata because they are just so much fun. They are the classic birthday party game for a reason. Here’s how to make your own pinata for only $5.
#4: Giant bubbles
If you’ve never done giant bubbles before, they are a definite hit. This is however, an outdoor game, so keep that in mind. All you need to do is make a simple bubble solution and bubble wands. My recommendation is to only allow adults to make the bubbles and let the kids run around and pop them. If you let the kids do it, you’ll be untangling bubble wands the WHOLE time.
#5 Riddle Balloon Game
Kids love riddles and they love popping balloons. So, this game is perfect. Kids are given two balloons (with a riddle or an answer inside) each and a pin. Then, they pop their balloons and work together to match up the riddles with the answers that were inside the balloons.
#6: Musical hats
This is a fun twist on the classic musical chairs game, but instead of chairs, you use hats! We’ve played this game at birthdays, classroom parties and just for fun. You can have prizes for the winners. If you need some hats, here’s a pack of 12 hats on Amazon.
#7: Pass the parcel game
This game has been around forever but because more popular after it was played on the TV show Bluey. While music is playing, players sit in a circle and pass around a present that is wrapped in multiple layers of wrapping paper. When the music stops, the person who is holding the present gets to unwrap the first layer of wrapping paper. Continue passing and unwrapping layer by layer. Whoever unwraps the last layer gets to keep the present. You can have a small treat for everyone else for participating.
#8: Kim’s game (memory game)
The game has been around for years and this is a great “quiet” game that requires a bit of concentration and focus. Basically, you place a bunch of small items on a tray and allow the group one minute to look at it. Then, you take the tray away and give the kids two minutes to write down as many items as they can remember. Whoever remembers the most, wins!
#9: Pin the Tail on the Donkey
This is a classic birthday party game. But you don’t have to stick with a donkey, you can also play pin the _____ on the _____ games listed below:
#10: Limbo
Kids are particularly good at this island-themed party game. Just have two adults hold a broomstick and crank up some music. Watch as kids take turns trying to pass under the stick without falling or touching the stick. You can also buy a cute inflatable limbo set online that won’t set you back too much.
#11: Zombie tag and other tag variations
Zombie tag (plus tons of other variations of tag) is a great way to get kids’ energy out during a birthday party. Plus, they really like it. In this game, a couple of students will start as the zombies – these are the “it” kids. They must move like zombies (no bending legs or arms) trying to tag other players. When another player is tagged, they also become a zombie.
#12: Capture the flag
My son did a Capture the Flag birthday party when he turned 10 years old and it was a blast! We went to a wooded park near our home and set up boundaries with balloons and divided into teams. After I explained the rules, they took off. Everyone had so much fun.
#13: Marshmallow gun war
This game makes kind of a giant mess, but it would work great for a backyard water party. Plus, the kids absolutely LOVE it. Just give each kid a mini marshmallow gun and their own small bag of miniature marshmallows. Then divide into teams and have a marshmallow war!
#14: Minute to Win It games
These games never get old. And usually with a few supplies, you can involve the entire group and have loads of fun. Here’s some fun Minute to Win It game ideas to get you started.
#15: Photo Scavenger Hunt
Gather into two teams at a mall or grocery store and work as a team to take pictures of all of the items listed on a photo scavenger template. The first team to find all of the items wins! This is a fun game because everyone can get involved and it doesn’t take a lot of work.
#16: Water balloon games
If it is nice weather outside when you are hosting your birthday party, there are TONS of fun water balloon games that you can play. Here’s a list of 25 water balloon games to get you started.
#17: Candy Bar Game
This game is so much fun and the kids are highly motivated to play because they get a candy bar. Places a tray of candy bars in the middle of the table. Then, take turns rolling a die. Whoever rolls a one or a six, they get to pick a candy bar. Continue until all of the candy bars are gone. Players can also steal candy bars from other players. It’s super fun!
#18: Donut on a string
Traditionally, this is a popular game during Halloween season. But it is so much fun that I say, “Why not birthdays too?” It’s super simple too. Just tie a bunch of donuts to a string and see which player can eat the entire donut first without using their hands.
#19: Food fight
Gather all the players on chairs in a circle facing each other. Place a shower cap on everyone’s head and top each head with shaving cream. Then, give each kid a bowl of popcorn and let the popcorn fly. A tarp underneath their chairs is also very helpful for quick clean up.
#20: Glow in the dark balloon stomp
Crack a glow stick and place it in a filled balloon. Tie a balloon to each player’s ankle. Then turn off the lights and let every loose. The goal is to stomp and pop the balloons of the other players. The last player with a balloon still remaining is the winner.
I hope you like all of the birthday party games for kids and that they will help during your next birthday party. If you have any other fun games, let me know in the comments below. Thanks!
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Love this! Birthday scavenger hunts have become our go-to party activity. The kids always love them more than traditional games. I use https://clue.ninja to generate the clue chains — pick a theme and age group and it creates everything in minutes. We did a pirate-themed one for my son’s 7th birthday and it was the highlight of the whole party.
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Good stuff. I've fallen into the habit of a quick round of 2048 Cupcakes between tasks — same merge mechanic as 2048 but with dessert tiles. Free and instant in the browser.
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Keeping at-home birthday parties low-stress really comes down to games that don’t require piles of store-bought props. Classic relay setups and DIY scavenger hunts usually end up keeping seven-year-olds way busier than anything fancy anyway.
For our last one, I put together printable clue cards and station signs to match the theme. With GPT Image 2.5, the image editing tool I’ve been using, I could tweak the label text on the cards while keeping the rest of the drawing intact. It didn’t get the layout right on the first try, but it saved me from buying premade printables online.
Twenty games is a generous list, and I appreciate that you’ve leaned toward the cheap, low-stress at-home ideas instead of the paid-venue stuff — the bit that actually sinks a party is usually the dead time between cake and pickup. Picking a handful rather than trying all twenty is the part I’d underline.
On a completely different note, the tool I keep coming back to for myself is Ozil Goal — it’s become a small habit of mine once the kids are finally down and the paper plates are in the bin.
At a birthday party with mixed ages, a treasure hunt can quickly become a race the younger kids can’t win. Giving everyone a turn to find a clue sounds like a simple way to keep the game fun without letting the fastest child take over.
These are wonderful ideas for planning a fun and affordable birthday party for kids! I especially like the treasure hunt and musical games because they keep children entertained while encouraging teamwork and creativity. Thanks for sharing these budget-friendly activities.
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These game ideas are fantastic for keeping kids entertained without breaking the bank! I especially love the indoor treasure hunt; it’s such a fun way to engage everyone. I recently discovered an AI story game that could also be a great addition to birthday parties!