Last Updated on April 17, 2022 by Mary

Today I am sharing 16 Classic Kids’ Party Games Ideas for Big Groups. Whether you are having a classroom party, a birthday party, or any other party where a large number of kids are involved, these party games ideas will be perfect.

You do not need much prep for all the games and I am providing free printables where those are needed. These active games are perfect to keep kids busy and happy at a fun party and will let the kids thoroughly enjoy themselves.

I have made a list of popular and classic games but most of these games remained popular in every era.

1. Bursting the Balloons

Here is a game that a large group of kids will love for sure! One thing to note before starting the game is that the balloons can only be burst by hand.

To start off, divide the players into pairs. One player has to tie an inflated balloon to the other players’ ankles. Once the music is turned on, the players are supposed to run around the room in their respective pairs. The partner without the balloon is in charge of bursting the other players’ balloons while protecting his own partner’s balloons from getting burst. The pairs with both balloons burst are eliminated. The winners are the final pair left with one or both balloons.

2. Chinese Whispers

Here is a classic, evergreen, and really popular party game for kids. Arrange all the players to sit in a circle. The player beginning the game has to whisper a sentence to the player sitting next to him, who then whispers it to the player next to him. This continues till the circle ends. Players are not allowed to repeat the sentence. The last player to hear the sentence says out loud what he heard, and then the first player repeats the original sentence aloud. To make it difficult and funnier an adult can whisper a long sentence or a tongue twister to the first kid.

3. Just Don’t Listen

This is a fun game where kids will get a prize for not following the instructions. Players are instructed to sit on chairs arranged in a circle. One player is selected as the leader, who is in charge of giving players instructions on where to move. For example, ‘Move to your right’ or ‘Stand up.’ He has to give these instructions very fast, and the other players have to do the exact opposite of what he says. Those players who do as he instructs are eliminated. The player left at the end is the winner.

4. Balancing Books

Here is an exciting game to test the balance of the kids. To start off, kids are given a book and instructed to stand in a circle. Music is turned on and players have to balance the books on their heads while walking in the circle. This continues until the music stops. Those kids unable to balance the books are eliminated. The last player left is the winner.

5. Pass the Parcel

Here is another classic game to play at parties with a big group of kids. Players are instructed to sit in a circle. The music starts and a parcel is passed around. The music is paused at intervals by a blindfolded adult. The player with the hat when the music is stopped is eliminated. The winner is the last player left.  

6. Balloon Jump

The balloon jump game is another game that is sure to be enjoyed by the kids. Leave helium balloons in a room so that they rise up with their strings above the reach of the players. When the music is turned on kids are instructed to jump up to gather as many balloons as possible. They have to hold all the balloons they collect in their hands. The player with the largest number of balloons collected is the winner.

7. Duck Duck Goose

Here is an all-time favorite game that everyone will surely love. The ducks are the players sitting in a circle. One player is selected to be the ‘fox’ or ‘it’. The fox has to walk around outside the circle tapping on each player’s head while saying ‘Duck’. After some time the fox selects a goose from the circle by tapping on the player’s head and shouting ‘Goose!’ The goose has to get up and run after the fox around the circle trying to catch him before he reaches the place where the goose was sitting. If the fox does so and sits down, the goose becomes the fox again. However, if the fox is tagged by the goose before he is able to sit down, he has to start the game again. The game continues till everyone has played the goose and the fox.

8. Pin the Tail on the Donkey

Attach a picture of a donkey onto a wall. Each player will be given a tail. To avoid confusion, write the name of each kid on the tail they will be using. Have the kids stand in a line in front of the picture. At their turn, each kid will be handed a donkey tail, blindfolded, and spun three times in a circle. The kid must then pin the tail on the donkey. The kid whose tail is closest to where it is supposed to be is the winner. You can print out the donkey and the tails from here. There is also a ‘pin the tail on the bunny’ game that you can download from here.

9. Musical Chairs

To play this classic kids’ party game, first arrange chairs in a circle. Kids are instructed to stand by the chairs. One child is selected to be the leader who is in charge of the music. When the music is turned on, the players must walk around the chairs. As soon as the music stops, players must quickly find a chair to sit on. The kid left without a chair is eliminated. For each round, a chair is removed from the line. This continues until there is only one chair left and two players to fight over it. The winner is the kid who sits down first when the music stops.  

10. Tug of War

To play this kids’ party game, lay a rope on the playing area to mark the centerline. Make two teams with an equal number of kids in each. Instruct them to stand on each side of the centerline. Tie something, for example, a scarf, on the tugging rope as a marker over the centerline. All the kids have to grab onto the tugging rope and pull as hard as they can to pull the other team over the centerline. The team that does so is the winner.

11. Summer Fun

Set up an area for a water war, and one for a water slide. Water guns, squirt bottles, sponges, and pails are required for the water war. Set up a hose and sprinkler as well. In order to make a water slide, cut up plastic garbage bags to make long rectangles and use waterproof tape to stick them together. Put this slide on the lawn and set the hose at one end. You can start off with the water war by dividing the kids into teams where they can use their water guns, sponges, etc, to get the other team wet. After this, the kids can play on the water slide or with the sprinkler.

12. Balloon Volleyball

This kids’ party game is extremely fun and easy to play. It’s exactly like normal volleyball, just that the ball is replaced with a balloon, and there is no need for an actual net.  If the ball hits your side of the court, the opposing team gets a point. The team with the most points is the winner.

13. Flying Saucers

Split the kids into two teams and have the teams stand about 20 feet from each other. Give each kid a Frisbee. To start the game, the kids will begin throwing the Frisbees at the other team. When the game ends, the winner is the kid who caught the most Frisbees.

14. Ball Tag

The only thing required to play this game is a ball. The kids must stand on one side of a field. One kid is selected as “It” and he stands in the center. When the game starts, the kids should run to the other side of the field while the kid who is “It” throws the ball at them to tag them. However, the ball should be thrown only below the waist. The person hit by the ball becomes “It” and the game continues.  

15. Sack Race            

This game requires one sack for each kid participating. Mark out a starting line and finishing line. A kid can be selected as a leader to give directions. When the race starts, the kids should be instructed to step into their sack and try to hop to the finish line. The kid who reaches first is the winner. 

16. SIMON SAYS

To play this fun party game, instruct the kids to sit in a circle and select one to be Simon. His job is to instruct the rest of the kids to do different things, which must only be followed when starting with “Simon says”. For example, “Simon says: Stand up”. This order must be obeyed, however, if he then says “Sit down”, this order should not be followed as it did not begin with “Simon says”. If an order like this is obeyed then the player is eliminated.