The holidays are here! If you’re planning a holiday party for your friends or your childrens’ friends, I’ve done some of the work for you! Here are 15 fun holiday party games all of your guests are sure to enjoy. Have fun and happy holidays to you and your family!
1. Bowling is a fun activity for kids of all ages, and this wintertime spin will be a hit at your holiday party. Snowman bowling can be done in many different ways, depending upon the age levels of your guests. For tiny tots, try this version using toilet paper rolls and a plastic ball found at From ABCs to ACTs. Alternatively, white paper cups with snowman faces stacked into a pyramid will fancy your toddlers to big kids.
2. This fun jingle bell toss game from Playground Parkbench is sure to be a hit and costs less than $10 in craft supplies. Coming together in less than 5 minutes, it’s not a time-consuming undertaking either. And the best part? No messy clean-up! Win-win!
3. Who loved playing musical chairs as a child? Why not put a holiday spin on this childhood favorite? You could simply use Christmas music as you play the standard version of the game, but I like the idea from Birthday in a Box. They suggest placing a large box on the floor that children can crawl through and label it “the North Pole.” When the music stops, the child in the box is out – or the child in the box wins a small prize!
4. Need to expend some of the kids’ energy? How about a snowball relay? Divide the kids into two teams. Place a large container of snowballs (cotton balls) about 10 feet in front of the kids and give each one a straw. You’ll need two other smaller containers for team boxes. The objective is simple. On “go,” the first two players run to the container of cotton balls and use their straw to suck up a cotton ball to take back to the team box. If the player drops the cotton ball on the way to the box, he or she must pick up using only the straw. No hands! When the player releases the cotton ball into the team box, the next player goes. The first team to finish wins!
5. Pin the tail on the donkey is a classic party game that kids love. For a holiday spin, here is a free printable for Pin the Red Nose on Rudolph.
6. Bingo is a fun game for young and old alike. Here are 11 free printable Christmas Bingo games to choose from for your next holiday party!
7. Want to get a bit messy? Try shaving cream skating. Lay a large piece of plastic on the floor and spread shaving cream over it. Let the kids take off their socks and shoes and “skate” on the shaving cream. For an added twist, play Christmas music. When the music stops, the skaters must freeze! It’s a fun sensory experience the kids will be raving about!
8. Entertain your guests from big to small with the penguin race! Divide everyone into two teams. Each player must put a ball between their knees and waddle to the designated line, then waddle back and tag the next in line – relay style! If they drop the ball, they have to go back to the starting line and try again. The first team to finish wins the race!
