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Party on!
Throwing a kids’ party doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, the best kind of fun is often the simplest, filled with laughter, a little mess and plenty of movement. Whether you’re setting up a backyard bash or keeping the fun inside, we’ve gathered playful, budget-friendly games and activities that are big on excitement and low on stress. Think classic favorites like an egg and spoon race, a sandbox treasure dig, or trying to eat a doughnut dangling from a string (you are going to want a camera nearby for this one).
Click through to see all the party fun, or jump straight to the activity you just have to try today:
- Potato-sack race
- Three-legged race
- How low can you go?
- Pass the present
- Balloon stomp
- Egg and spoon race
- Photo booth
- Goal kick
- Treasure dig
- Hopscotch
- Pass the bag
- Doughnut on a string
- Streamer fashion show
- Round robin story
- Blind makeover
- Balloon bat
- Bingo!
- Catch the tail on the dragon
- Spin the nail polish bottle
Up first: Potato-sack race
More games and activities for families: |
Editor’s note: This article was originally published several years ago and was most recently updated on May 12, 2025, by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson, with a thorough fact-check and new details.
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