Great Earth Friendly Activities for Children's Parties

Games for children's parties are lots of fun and something that no birthday party can be without, but so many of the party games available today require cheap plastic items that get used once and then thrown away. Modern kids' parties are hardly environmentally friendly at all, especially with the throwaway piñatas filled with trashy plastic toys and the single use pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey games. Here are some great ways that you can throw a fun kids' party and stay eco-friendly at the same time.

Hot Potato

A great old-fashioned favorite is "Hot Potato." If you've never played Hot Potato, you are going to have to get in with the kids on this one at least once. You can play the game with a real potato, but it may be a better idea to use something soft like a bean bag as some kids will fling the "potato" at another person in an effort to get rid of it quickly, resulting in bumps and bruises.

To play Hot Potato, have the kids sit in a circle facing each other. One person starts by holding the "hot potato." You should have a cassette or CD recorded beforehand with some music on it. Every now and then, there should be a break in the music with a silent spot. The person holding the hot potato when the music stops is "out." Then the music is started back up again and the potato continues going around the circle again. The last person left in the game is the winner.

Relay Race

Relay races are a blast and kids can play on teams, increasing their chances of "winning" a game. Have kids trade off doing different kinds of relays, or you could have each child do each individual relay rather than playing on a team. Some great relays are: carrying an egg on a spoon, jumping through a hula hoop, hopping over small hurdles, or racing to a finish line in a potato sack or pillow case.

Three-Legged Race

The three-legged race is definitely a team game. This is also a type of relay race. You will need an even number of children in order to play. Have kids team up in pairs of two and stand next to each other. Using soft strips of cloth, tie one child's left leg to the other child's right leg at the ankle and again at the knee. Each pair of kids will then try to race to a finish line without knocking each other over or tripping themselves.

Egg Toss

The egg toss is the old-fashioned version of the water balloon toss. Instead of using water balloons which break and leave pieces of trash everywhere, use fresh chicken eggs for this game. Kids should team up in pairs. Line them up in two lines so that the pairs are facing each other. Start the kids very close - about one foot apart. Have one person toss the egg to their partner. After each toss, have the kids step back one step and toss again. Eventually, their partner will not be able to catch the egg. The team that lasts the longest without dropping the egg upon catching it is the winning team.

Reusable Pin-the-Tail-On-the-Donkey

You can make your own reusable pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game using cardboard and thumb tacks. Paint your donkey onto a large piece of cardboard. Don't forget to leave out his tail. You can make lots of little reusable tails from paperboard or felt. Each tail should be a different color or should have a number on it identifying its owner. Stick a thumbtack through the end of each so that the kids can "pin" his tail on.

To play the game, everyone stands in line and gets a tail of his or her own. When it is the first person's turn, blindfold him or her and then spin them three times. Aim the child toward the wall where the donkey picture hangs and tell them to walk straight forward and pin the tail exactly where their hand hits the wall. They cannot feel around on the cardboard to try and "guess" where the donkey is. The person whose tail is closest to the right spot is the winner.

Homemade Pinata

Instead of buying an expensive piñata from the party supply store, make your own at home instead from materials you probably already have laying around the house. To learn how to make your own easy piñata, check out my article: How to Make an Easy Homemade Pinata.

Musical Chairs

Musical chairs is a great earth-friendly game that children will know from school. Set up a circle of chairs with one less chair than you have children. The chairs should face toward the outside of the circle. Have the kids walk around the circle as music plays. Stop the music after a few seconds. When the music stops, everyone has to rush to find a chair. The person left standing without a chair is "out." Each time a person is out, you should also remove a chair from the game. The last person left in a chair is the winner.

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Duck, duck, goose is another game that children will probably know from playing it at school. Have the children sit in a circle facing inward. One person should be left standing. This person is the "goose." The goose walks around the circle touching heads as he or she goes by. Each time a head is touched, the person says "duck." At random, the person who is it, will touch a head and say "goose!" Then the "goose" has to get up and chase the person who called them around the circle. If the person who "goosed" them makes it to their empty seat and sits down before they are tagged, then it is the next person's turn to be the goose.

Duck, duck, goose is a great way to keep kids entertained when you need a break because the game has no winners and it does not end. It can be used in lull periods when you need some time to go do something such as get the birthday cake ready.

Simon Says

Usually, and adult will lead a game of "Simon Says," but children can also be the leader. Have all of the kids stand around in a group watching the leader. The leader will say "Simon says...touch your head" or will give some other random command. If the person says "Simon says" at the beginning, then everyone can do it. If the person fails to say "Simon says," then no one should perform the act. Anyone who misses is "out." The last person left standing (besides the leader) is the winner.

Apples on a String

A very old game that is rarely played these days is the apple on a string game. This is a great game to play because it also doubles as a healthy snack for the kids. Hang apples by the stem from a tree branch or doorway so that the apples are the same height as the children's mouths. Each person has to hold his or her hands behind their back and try to take a bite out of the hanging apple. This is very difficult to do! The first person to take a bite out of their apple is the winner.