Looking for party games for kids that actually work on the day? This list covers tried and tested birthday party favorites plus plenty of indoor games for kids at home or at school, including games with no equipment at all. Every game here is easy to explain in under a minute, suits a range of ages and keeps the whole group busy, whether you have six children in a living room or thirty at a party hall.
Each game lists the number of players, what you need and how to play. Where we have a full rules page, follow the link for details and variations. If you are planning a full celebration, our birthday party games page has a ready-made running order.
Classic party games for kids
Musical Chairs
Players: 6 to 15. You need: Chairs (one fewer than players) and music.
Children walk around the chairs while the music plays. When it stops, everyone sits, and the child left standing is out along with one chair. The last child seated wins. See the full musical chairs rules.
Passing the Parcel
Players: 6 to 20. You need: A small prize wrapped in many layers of paper, and music.
Children sit in a circle and pass the parcel while the music plays. When it stops, the child holding it removes one layer. Hide a sweet or a small task in each layer, and whoever unwraps the final layer keeps the prize. See the full passing the parcel guide.
Musical Statues
Players: Any number. You need: Music.
Everyone dances while the music plays and freezes like a statue the moment it stops. Anyone who wobbles or moves is out and becomes a judge. Little ones love the judging job as much as the dancing.
Hot Potato
Players: 6 to 20. You need: A soft ball or beanbag and music.
Pass the hot potato around the circle as fast as possible while the music plays. Whoever is holding it when the music stops is out. Play until one child remains. See the full hot potato game.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Players: 4 to 20. You need: A donkey poster, paper tails with tape and a blindfold.
Each child is blindfolded, spun gently three times and tries to stick the tail in the right spot. Mark each attempt with the child's initials. Closest tail wins. Swap the donkey for any theme, such as a nose on a clown or a horn on a unicorn.
Treasure Hunt
Players: 4 to 20 in small teams. You need: Picture or rhyme hints and a small treasure.
Hide a trail of hints around the house or garden, each one leading to the next. Use pictures for children who cannot read yet. The final hint leads to the treasure, which should be shared by the whole group. See the full scavenger hunt ideas.
Simon Says
Players: Any number. You need: Nothing.
The leader calls out actions, and children copy them only if the command starts with "Simon says." Anyone who moves on a plain command is out. Speed up the commands to make it harder.
Dumb Charades
Players: 6 to 20 in two teams. You need: Slips with names of animals, cartoons or songs.
One child acts out a word without speaking, and their team guesses before the timer ends. For younger kids, use animals and everyday actions like brushing teeth. See the full dumb charades rules.
Lemon and Spoon Race
Players: 4 to 12 per heat. You need: A spoon and a lemon (or a potato or plastic egg) for each child.
Children hold a spoon in their mouth or hand with a lemon balanced on it and race to the finish line. If the lemon falls, they stop, pick it up and carry on from that spot.
Balloon Pop Relay
Players: Two teams of 4 to 8. You need: Balloons and two chairs.
Each child runs to a chair, sits on a balloon until it pops and runs back to tag the next teammate. The first team to pop all its balloons wins. Keep it for children over four, as the pops can startle toddlers.
Indoor games for kids at home with no equipment
Chinese Whispers
Players: 6 to 20. You need: Nothing.
Sit in a line or circle. The first child whispers a sentence to the next, and it travels down the line once. The last child says it aloud, and everyone laughs at how much it changed.
Statues and Red Light, Green Light
Players: 4 to 20. You need: A hallway or open room.
The leader stands at one end facing away. On "green light" children creep forward, and on "red light" the leader turns and anyone still moving goes back to the start. First to tag the leader wins.
I Spy
Players: 2 to 10. You need: Nothing.
One child says "I spy with my little eye something beginning with" and a letter, or a color for younger children. The others guess the object. It is perfect for winding down at the end of a party.
Hide and Seek
Players: 3 to 12. You need: A safe house with hiding places.
One child counts to twenty with eyes closed while the others hide. The seeker finds everyone, and the first child found counts next time. Agree on off-limits rooms before you start.
Animal Guessing
Players: 4 to 15. You need: Nothing.
One child acts and sounds like an animal while the rest guess. The correct guesser takes the next turn. Toddlers can join in with simple animals like cats and cows.
Twenty Questions
Players: 3 to 15. You need: Nothing.
One child thinks of an object, animal or person. Others ask yes or no questions and have twenty chances to guess. It is great for older kids at home on a rainy day.
Antakshari
Players: Two teams of 3 or more. You need: Nothing.
One team sings a song, and the other team must start a new song with the last letter or sound of that song. Use children's songs and rhymes for younger groups. See the full antakshari rules.
Indoor games for kids with simple supplies
Memory Tray
Players: 3 to 15. You need: A tray, 10 to 15 small objects and a cloth.
Show the tray for one minute, then cover it. Children write or say as many objects as they can remember. For a second round, secretly remove one object and ask which is missing.
Bottle Bowling
Players: 2 to 10. You need: Six to ten plastic bottles with a little water inside, and a ball.
Set the bottles up like bowling pins at the end of a hallway. Each child gets two rolls per turn, and you count the bottles knocked down. Add up five rounds on a score sheet.
Paper Plane Contest
Players: 2 to 20. You need: Sheets of paper.
Everyone folds a paper plane and decorates it. Hold contests for the longest flight, the longest time in the air and the best landing on a target. Every child can win something.
Indoor Hopscotch
Players: 2 to 8. You need: Masking tape and a small beanbag or coin.
Tape a hopscotch grid on the floor. Toss the marker into the first square, hop through the grid skipping that square, and pick it up on the way back. Then aim for the next square. See the full indoor hopscotch rules.
Snakes and Ladders and Ludo
Players: 2 to 4 per board. You need: A board, dice and counters.
Board games are ideal quiet time between active games. Snakes and ladders needs no strategy, so even small children can win, while ludo adds a little choice for older kids. See also our ludo rules.
Planning tips for a kids party
- Plan more games than you need. Most games last 5 to 10 minutes with young children. For a two hour party, have eight to ten ready.
- Alternate active and calm. Follow Musical Chairs with Memory Tray or a board game so children do not get overexcited.
- Give out small prizes generously. Stickers for everyone who takes part keep tears away when children are out early.
- Match the age. Under fives love Musical Statues, Animal Guessing and Passing the Parcel. Children of eight and up enjoy Treasure Hunts, Dumb Charades and team relays.
- Clear the space. Move breakables and furniture before indoor running games and agree on rooms that are off limits.
Questions people ask
What are good indoor games for kids?
Musical chairs, passing the parcel, hot potato, memory tray, bottle bowling and dumb charades are favorite indoor games for kids. They work in a living room or classroom and need very little equipment. Mix active and quiet games to keep energy steady.
What indoor games for kids need no equipment?
Simon Says, Chinese Whispers, I Spy, Red Light Green Light, Animal Guessing, Twenty Questions and Hide and Seek need nothing at all. Antakshari only needs voices. These are perfect for a rainy day at home or a gap in the school timetable.
What are the best party games for kids?
Musical chairs, passing the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey, a treasure hunt and musical statues are the classic party games for kids. They are easy to explain and let every child join in. Add a lemon and spoon race if you have outdoor space.
What indoor games can kids play at school?
Simon Says, Chinese Whispers, Twenty Questions, Memory Tray and Dumb Charades all work well in a classroom. They need little space and can be played in rows or small groups. See our classroom games page for more ideas.
How many games do you need for a kids birthday party?
Plan eight to ten short games for a two hour party, since most games last only 5 to 10 minutes with young children. Keep two or three extra quiet games in reserve for when the group needs to calm down.