Toddler Birthday Party Games
While many toddlers can have a great time at a birthday party just running around with their friends and tearing open gifts, a few planned toddler birthday games can add more excitement to a birthday party. The key to toddler birthday party games is to keep them limited to just a few simple, short games that will keep a crowd of toddlers interested and entertained.
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Planning Toddler Party Games
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Parents planning to include toddler birthday party games in their child's gathering should have all of the items necessary to play the games ready to go before the party begins. Toddler birthday party games are the most successful when played in the middle of the party before the cake is eaten or presents opened. Typically during the beginning of the party, toddlers will be happy to play with arriving guests. Once all of the guests arrive and the children start getting restless, toddler birthday party games can be introduced. Each of the toddler birthday games should last no more than five minutes; it can be difficult to keep toddlers' attention for much longer than that.
Having Fun Playing Toddler Games
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It is best to have a sense of humor about toddler birthday party games and not be too concerned if they don't turn out just right. Some parents plan several party games and never end up having the children play any of them because the kids are perfectly content to just play with one another for the entire party. Others may end up having the children play only one of the games because the toddlers are not interested enough to play another. Be prepared to have any rules or guidelines for a game fall to the wayside, as the toddlers usually have their own plans for how the game should be played or what the final objective is. No matter how the games turn out, the atmosphere should be carefree and fun.
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Age-Appropriate Toddler Games
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Many games can be adapted to create suitable toddler birthday party games, but three classic children's games stand out.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey is a simple, fun game that toddlers can easily play and enjoy with a little help from an adult. The game is also adaptable to different theme parties. For instance, if the party has a princess theme, toddlers can Put the Crown on the Princess, or if the party has a cowboy theme, the children can Put the Hat on the Cowboy. The only items needed for this game are a picture of a donkey or other figure, a tail (or hat or crown) with tape or sticky tack and a blindfold. This party game is easy to play, and the toddlers will have fun seeing how close they can get to putting the tail in the right spot.
Hot Potato is another classic toddler birthday party game. This game is versatile, and any item related to the theme of the party can easily replace the potato. Toddlers simply pass the potato or other item around in a circle while music plays. Whoever has the potato when the music stops is eliminated, until finally only one person is left.
Duck, Duck, Goose is an easy-to-understand game that keeps toddlers active and interested, making it a good pick for a toddler birthday party game. Depending on how young the children are, some may be confused about the rules of the game. But they will quickly catch on and enjoy running around and chasing their friends.
Why Toddlers Need Party Games
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Many parents enjoy making toddler birthday party games a part of the festivities because they keep children entertained while waiting for cake and presents. Others like toddler birthday party games because they provide structured fun for the guest of honor and their guests, and because many of the children may already know how to play the games from preschool or other parties.
Preventing Hurt Feelings at Toddler Parties
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To avoid hurt feelings--which can be all too common in toddlers--it's usually a good idea to give all children who play the toddler birthday party games a prize instead of just giving something to the child who wins. Many parents have small prizes for all the children and a slightly more significant prize for the children who win the toddler birthday party games, keeping all toddlers happy while still rewarding the game winners.
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- Photo Credit birthday party image by Liz Van Steenburgh from Fotolia.com
