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Cheap Indoor and Outdoor Party Games for Kids

Have a barbecue or birthday party coming up? Here are some great ways to entertain (and wear out) your little partygoers!

Published on: April 04, 2022

Cheap Indoor and Outdoor Party Games for Kids

Daughter giving dad a gift

Pass the present

Before the party, gather together small gifts, pieces of candy or packages of treats. Examples: bookmarks, sticker sheets, tattoos, snack-size packages of gummy treats or goldfish, candy bars. Wrap the first “gift” in wrapping paper. Place the next gift on top, and wrap again. Continue wrapping until you have enough gifts and layers for each guest, plus an extra.

Try to alternate the colors of wrapping paper so that it’s easier to see each layer and guests don’t accidentally unwrap two layers — you can also use different sizes of gift bags. To play, kids sit in a circle and pass the present around the group as music plays. When the music stops, the one holding the gift unwraps the top layer and keeps that gift. Continue passing until everyone has a prize. For extra fun, change the passing direction every now and then.

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