35 Birthday Party Bash Games for Every Age & Occasion

Planning a birthday party bash that's full of fun and excitement? Look no further than our ultimate guide to 35 birthday party games that will keep guests of all ages entertained and engaged.

Games for Young Children

1. Musical Chairs (Ages 3+): Arrange chairs in a circle, one less than the number of players. Play music and have kids walk around the chairs. When the music stops, they must sit down on a chair. The child without a chair is out.

2. Pin the Tail on the Donkey (Ages 4+): Draw a donkey on a large piece of paper or poster board. Cut out a tail and attach it to each child's back. Blindfold the kids and spin them around. They must then try to pin their tail on the correct spot on the donkey.

3. Hot Potato (Ages 5+): Play music and pass a small object, such as a beanbag, around the circle. When the music stops, the child holding the object is out. The last child remaining wins.

Games for Older Children

4. Scavenger Hunt (Ages 7+): Create a list of clues and hide them around the party area. Divide kids into teams and give them the first clue. The team that solves all the clues first wins.

5. Simon Says (Ages 8+): One child gives commands, starting with "Simon says." The other children must follow the commands only if they start with "Simon says."

6. Pictionary (Ages 9+): Divide kids into teams. One person from each team takes turns drawing a word or phrase on a whiteboard or piece of paper while their team guesses.

Games for Teens

7. Charades (Ages 10+): Write down words or phrases on slips of paper. Divide kids into teams and have them take turns acting out the words or phrases for their team to guess.

8. Truth or Dare (Ages 12+): Have kids sit in a circle and ask them questions. They can either answer the question truthfully or do a silly dare.

9. Mafia (Ages 13+): Assign roles to players: mafia, villagers, and detective. The mafia tries to kill the villagers one by one, while the villagers and detective try to identify and eliminate the mafia.

Games for Adults

10. Trivia (Ages 18+): Create a list of trivia questions on a variety of topics. Divide guests into teams and have them answer the questions for points.

11. Beer Pong (Ages 21+): Set up cups in a triangle formation on a table. Teams take turns throwing ping pong balls into the cups. If a ball lands in a cup, the other team must drink the beer in the cup.

12. Flip Cup (Ages 21+): Arrange cups of beer in a line on a table. Teams race to finish their beers and flip their cups upside down on the table.

Games for All Ages

13. Balloon Relay (All Ages): Divide guests into teams. Give each team a bunch of balloons. The first person on each team must blow up a balloon and pass it to the next person. The first team to get all their balloons blown up wins.

14. Red Light, Green Light (All Ages): One person stands with their back to the other players. They shout "Red light!" and the other players must freeze. They then shout "Green light!" and the other players can run towards them. If a player moves when they shout "Red light," they're out.

15. Simon Says (All Ages): One person gives commands, starting with "Simon says." The other players must follow the commands only if they start with "Simon says."

Games for Small Groups

16. Werewolf (Ages 10+): Assign roles to players: werewolves, villagers, and a seer. The werewolves try to kill the villagers one by one at night, while the villagers and seer try to identify and eliminate the werewolves.

17. Two Truths and a Lie (Ages 12+): Each player takes turns telling three statements about themselves. Two of the statements are true, and one is a lie. The other players must guess which statement is the lie.

18. Mafia (Ages 13+): Assign roles to players: mafia, villagers, and detective. The mafia tries to kill the villagers one by one, while the villagers and detective try to identify and eliminate the mafia.

Games for Large Groups

19. Elimination Dance Party (All Ages): Play music and have guests dance. Every few minutes, give them a dance move to do. The last person to do the dance correctly is eliminated.

20. Sardines (All Ages): One person hides in a room. The other players search for them. When someone finds the hidden person, they hide with them. The last person to find the hidden person is "sardined."

21. Charades (All Ages): Write down words or phrases on slips of paper. Divide guests into teams and have them take turns acting out the words or phrases for their team to guess.

Games for Indoor Parties

22. Minute to Win It (All Ages): Set up a series of simple challenges that can be completed in one minute or less. Guests take turns trying to complete the challenges.

23. Pictionary (Ages 9+): Divide guests into teams. One person from each team takes turns drawing a word or phrase on a whiteboard or piece of paper while their team guesses.

24. Charades (Ages 10+): Write down words or phrases on slips of paper. Divide guests into teams and have them take turns acting out the words or phrases for their team to guess.

Games for Outdoor Parties

25. Water Balloon Toss (All Ages): Divide guests into teams. Give each team a bucket of water balloons. Teams take turns throwing water balloons at each other. The team that has the most water balloons left at the end wins.

26. Three-Legged Race (All Ages): Tie the legs of two guests together. Have them race against other pairs to see who can reach the finish line first.

27. Egg and Spoon Race (All Ages): Give each guest a spoon and an egg. Have them race to see who can reach the finish line first without dropping their egg.

Games for Rainy Parties

28. Board Games (All Ages): Bring out a selection of board games and let guests play.

29. Card Games (All Ages): Play card games like Uno, Go Fish, or Poker.

30. Charades (Ages 10+): Write down words or phrases on slips of paper. Divide guests into teams and have them take turns acting out the words or phrases for their team to guess.

Games for Budget-Friendly Parties

31. Freeze Dance (All Ages): Play music and have guests dance. Stop the music at random intervals. When the music stops, guests must freeze in place.

32. Simon Says (All Ages): One person gives commands, starting with "Simon says." The other players must follow the commands only if they start with "Simon says."

33. Charades (Ages 10+): Write down words or phrases on slips of paper. Divide guests into teams and have them take turns acting out the words or phrases for their team to guess.

Tips for Choosing Birthday Party Games

• Consider the age and interests of your guests. Choose games that are appropriate for the age and interests of the guests you're inviting.
• Have a mix of games. Offer a variety of games to cater to different interests and age groups.
• Set up the games in advance. Set up the games before guests arrive so that they can start playing right away.
• Provide clear instructions. Explain the rules of each game clearly so that everyone can understand how to play.
• Encourage participation. Encourage all guests to participate in the games, regardless of their age or skill level.

By following these tips, you can plan a birthday party bash that's full of fun and excitement for everyone.