Planning a Fun Birthday Party Game that Will Encourage Teamwork Among Children

The last thing any parent wants is a fist fight or someone crying at his or her child's birthday party. Parties are important to children, as they provide an opportunity to do something fun with their friends and to be the center of attention, if just for a day. Birthday party games can ensure a smooth day that your child will enjoy. If you plan them carefully, they may even contribute to a feeling of equality and camaraderie among your child's peer group.

The problem is some birthday party games, especially sports and the type of competitive games boys often like to play, can reinforce cliques among classmates or friends. Every child feels at times like the "odd man out," and what is most important is for the party-goers to all have something fun to do together.

This is why I suggest a game to play at birthday parties that encourages children to work together to achieve a goal. In this type of game, some structure and "rules" are necessary, but if you frame it in a fun way, the children will have a blast.

In one of my favorite birthday party games, each child is as important in the next in completing the task at hand. It will be impossible for them not to work together. Here it is, and I have facilitated it with great success with many different groups of children.

"Human Bridge Building"
A birthday party game.
Suggest ages: 7 to 12.

"What will I need?"

This is really a very simple game to set up. You will need a few flat objects approximately 1 1/2 ft. square. Linoleum tiles, sheets of wood (sanded, watch for splinters!) or the thin rubber type of baseball bases will do nicely. How many? That depends on how many children will be at the party. A good rule of thumb is to have one square for every three children, but you might want to add or subtract based on the age of the children.

"What are the rules?"

The children will need to get from Point A to Point B without touching the "ground," i.e. the open areas surrounding the squares, which will be handed to the birthday boy or girl at the start of the birthday party game. An ideal length is about 20 feet. This game is best played on grass, as there is a small chance someone might take a tumble, though in my experience this has rarely happened.

The children will have to find a way to cross the span stepping only on whatever sort of squares you can rustle up for this game. It takes a bit of problem solving, which you can leave up to the children. Because there are so many fewer squares than people, they will need to use teamwork (literally leaning against the weight of each other) to slowly find their way across the gap.

This can be accomplished in a few different ways, the most common being either to form "human bonds" on each of the squares except that which is furthest away from the goal, which is then passed to the front. Another way is to place the squares in a circular shape, and continually moving around the circle, always extending it with the remaining square that has no people on it.

Please note that it is important that you do not (or your child does not, if he or she is leading the birthday party game) explain any solutions to the task. Half the fun is coming up with a solution together, and trying something else if that doesn't work.

"How much time do I need to plan for this game?"

This can very based on how well the children are able to work together, and by age. If they are stuck for too long, keep an extra square hidden and produce it as needed. Generally, it might take 25 to 40 minutes.

"What if they get bored? Is this game any fun?"

You may be pleasantly surprised with how much the children will enjoy this birthday party game. To make it a surefire hit, come up with an elaborate story behind it. It can be a human board game, where the children get to pick which piece they would like to be. Or, they could be bridge workers who need to cross a chasm or a lake of fire. Be creative. The more elaborate and silly, the more the children will be playful and encourage each other on if it gets difficult. You can even involve the birthday boy or girl help make up the story, and serve as the judge or game master while the children complete the task.

While I am not yet a parent myself, I spent several summers as a nature camp counselor. We often employed this game to help the campers to get to know each other. They were always able to complete it with a little diligence and creativity. More importantly, they always had a blast!