Exciting Birthday Games and Sugar-Free Prize Ideas
Creating The Best Birthday Ever!
Every year is different and it’s hard to keep up with the growth of our little ones! The cake and the theme will most definitely change from year to year, but what about the games and prizes?
I often get asked by mums about helpful tips and ideas for what kind of games to play, so to make your life a bit easier, I have compiled a list of exciting games and prizes to get your inspiration flowing!
Pass The Parcel (All Ages)
A classic which is always a BIG HIT with the kids!
What to do
Wrap your prize in several layers (or however many children you are expecting). You can choose to add chocolate, a small toy or a token to each layer. Sit everyone in a circle and play a short snippet of funky, upbeat music that the kids love. When the music stops, the person holding the parcel removes one layer of wrapping paper and receives whatever is underneath!
Small Prizes
There are so many to choose from. Chocolate is alright, but I tend to steer away from candy as there is already so much candy at kids parties! I would recommend that you check out the $2 Shops for small quirky ideas like curly straws, puzzles, stickers or neat gadgets. You could also use tokens instead between each layer and have each individual child choose their own prize from a basket!
Main Prize
As for the main prize, you need to find something that’s non-gender specific if you have both boys and girls at your party. Sticker books, crafts or colouring bits from Rave Discounts is a great idea, but if you want something a little bit different to really amp up the party, I would highly recommend our Starter Bubble Pack. Great for all ages and a real prize that the kids can use for years to come!
Below I have listed a bunch of ideas for Pinata fillings, some of them would be perfect for Pass The Parcel as well!
(image source www.kmart.com.au)
Piñata (All Ages)
Such a simple and high energy activity! The kids absolutely love smashing pinatas! These days you can find almost any design to suit any theme possible. Try and check out the party decor section at Kmart, Big W and Spotlight. They come in at a great price as well, starting from $4 for a Mini Unicorn Pinata at Kmart. I found Spotlight to have the best selection though.
Check out the links above to make life a little easier – they go straight to the party sections!
Piñata Filling Ideas Which Aren’t Sugary!
Feast your eyes on these great ideas. Birthdays are already so loaded with sugar, so why not do it a little differently. All the parents will thank you!
- Finger Puppets
- Erasers
- Stickers
- Notepads
- Pencils
- Crafts
- Temporary Tattoos
- Beaded Bracelets or Necklaces
- Hair Clips or Bows
- Puzzles
- Glow Sticks
- Legos
- Stamps
- Mini Bottles of Bubble Bath
- Bubbles
You can even find items that match your theme. I was booked for an Astronaut Birthday a few moths ago and the mum of the birthday girl put little plastic men with parachutes in there that would blow out when the Piñata cracked open! The kids raved about it!
Musical Statues or Musical Bobs (All Ages)
Kids love moving! I love dancing around the house every morning, it’s a part of my crazy morning routine that gives me that extra spark through the day.
Easy peasy classic. Simply choose your child’s favourite music and stop/start when you desire! Watch the circus unfold!
For Musical Bobs, you can find a bunch of cushions and have the kids walk around them, just like Musical Chairs (Just without all the hassle of chairs if you don’t have a bunch of space).
Never Any ‘Losers’
With any games, I always try and ‘soften the blow’ when the kids lose the round. I get them to help me with managing the music or pointing out other kids that are moving. That keeps them engaged in the game and feeling like they are contributing to the fun!
Cookie Monster Challenge (All Ages)
This is one of the games that I play with the kids when I get booked for birthdays. It’s a bit more technical but the young ones still give it a go!
What to do
Hand out one cookie per person, you can either use Oreo’s, chocolate chip or any healthy alternative you can think of.
Next up, get every child to place the cookie on their forehead, looking towards the ceiling/sky. On the count of three, they start the Cookie Monster Challenge by wiggling and scrunching their faces to get the cookie in their mouth! This is a STRICTLY NO HANDS game!
They can try as many times as they want until a winner is found. You should see the look on the winners face when they achieve the challenge! It’s not easy, so they feel immensely proud afterwards.
I am always curious to know and engage with mums and dads out there who have found some great ideas that work wonderfully for parties!
Also, how do you feel about all this sugar that’s going around at parties, do you mind it or do you think it could be so much better?
Add your comment below and share with others what you have tried and what you feel!
