March, 2021 | Fun Youth Group Games for Kids

Best Group Games for Kids’ Parties (3 Epic Outdoor Games)

Trevor Large Group Games,, Outdoor Group Games, Party Group Games, Team Group Games, Youth Camp Games March 22, 2021February 28, 2023Best Group Games for Kids' Parties 0 Comment

Today is my ten-year-old daughter’s Birthday Party. Akaisha has invited her whole class to her Birthday Party down at a park near to the beach. She is super excited! We’re new to the little town of Augusta, having recently moved from the Cocos Islands, and this will be the first time for Akaisha to have friends from her school joining with our family for a celebration. In this article I share the best group games for kids’ parties that we played at Akaisha’s party.

Pre-Planning

The birthday cake is ready, party food prepared, and tables and chairs set. All that is needed are group party games and a bunch of eager kids!

group games equipment — Inexpensive equipment from K-Mart

Luckily, my expertise is running group games for kids. So, coming up with a selection of group games for Akaisha’s Birthday Party was easy.

We planned for Akaisha’s party to run for two and a half hours. We wanted to run a couple of shorter games right away to get the kids moving and allow them to get to know one another. Then we would stop for some food and drink. After that, we will have a longer, large group game to run the kids off their feet! Finally, we plan to sing a Happy Birthday and share a cake before the kids all head home.

Inexpensive Equipment

To be able to play these games we needed a little equipment. Cathy, Akaisha’s Mum stopped by the Big W store and bought some inexpensive soft balls, hoola hoops, marker cones and some colored plastic mats. I cut the mats up to make headbands.

So, let’s fast forward to after the party and talk about the group games we played…

Octopus Tag

First up, a game called Octopus Tag. This is a fun outdoor large group game, a little like the traditional game, British Bulldog. Only Octopus Tag is a lot less physical. This game took about 20 minutes to play with toddlers through to adults joining in.

Aim of the Game

The aim of Octopus Tag is to be the last player left in the game.

Set-up

I set up a rectangular space about 50m long and 30m wide. Someone was chosen to be the Shark. He started in the middle of the area. All the other players were the minnows (fish). They began by standing at the base line.

How to Play

The game starts, and the minnows run the field to the other end to where it is safe. The shark chases the minnows trying to tag them. The first two minnows tagged become the crabs. The crabs joins the shark’s team. Crabs may sidestep in a line back and forth from one side of the field (width) to the other. They cannot run forwards or backwards, only sideways. They try and tag minnows swimming past. There can only be two crabs.

Once all the players are safely behind the end line, they then must run back to the baseline. The shark and crabs, tag minnows. When minnows are tagged, they become octopuses. Octopuses stay glued to one spot. They have long wavey tentacles to tag any minnows swimming past.

The game continued until all minnows had been tagged! The last minnow to be tagged, became the shark for the next game. The kids loved the game and we played four rounds, then stopped for a quick drink break.

You can add other creatures to the mix if you like, for example you could have a jelly fish. A jellyfish could be two players holding hands, chasing the minnows.

Dragons’ Tails

Aim of the Game

We were straight into our next game, Dragons’ Tails. A fun 20 minute team game where dragons chase one another around trying to, either steal tails, or have opposition dragons break apart.

Set-up

This is one of the best group games for parties, as it is quick, requires strategy and team collaboration, and can be run with large groups. All you need is a tail for each of the dragons. This can be a t-shirt or a length of cloth.

I put the players into teams of about eight players. The players in each team form a dragon, similar to the Chinese festival dragons. Players hold onto the player in front of them. The front player is the head, and the rear player is the tail. The rear player tucks a tail into the back of their shorts.

How to Play

Allow a little time for dragons to plan a strategy and to have practice moving around without breaking apart.

Our game kicked off with dragons moving around the space seeking opportunities to grab a tail. If a tail is snatched, then that dragon is out of the game. In the excitement of the battles, dragons will break apart. These dragons are also out of the game.

Finally, the game will be left with two dragons battling it out. There can only be on victor! Our first game of Dragon’s Tails lasted about five minutes.

Now that the kids knew how the game works, they were better prepared for the following rounds of Dragon’s Tails. I noticed that they would each devise strategies for attack and defense.

Here is an article with a great little video showing Dragons’ Tails.

Having a Break

After these two games, we stopped for a drink and party food. However, before the kids settled down for too long, we had them up and ready for our final game. This game must be my all-time favorite. It is fast moving, caters for large groups and once the kids know the game, it will run itself.

Capture the Flag

Aim of the Game

The aim of Capture the Flag is for one team to steal the flags from all the other teams. The team with all four flags, wins! Note: this is difficult to achieve, and often, no one wins the game.

Set-up

We used a large space in the park, about 50m by 50m. This worked well for our group of about 40 players. This space, I Divided into quadrants using marker cones. If you don’t have marker cones, you could use rope, shoes or beanbags. In each quadrant I marked a circle (3mX3m) and place a ball in the middle of each. The balls are called the Flags, and each team must start with one. A flag can be any object. Shoes make great flags.

Lastly with the setup, I placed a hoola-hoop (or you could use a mat) at the rear of each quadrant. These are the jails for holding captured enemy.

Divide the players into four teams and use something to identify teams. I used the colored mats that I had cut up. These were worn as either a headband or armband.

How to Play

To give you the general gist of how the game works I’ll outline the rules. Teams, each controlling a quadrant, defend their flag by tagging anyone who tries to steal it from them. When defending their flag, they do so by standing outside the defined circle where the flag is held (no doggy guarding). Whilst some team members are defending their flag, other players try to sneak into other teams’ quadrants and steal their flags. If successful they must run it back to their team and place it in their team’s flag circle. They cannot kick, throw, or pass the flag. If they are tagged whist escaping with their flag, then they simply drop it. Anyone can run in and grab it.

If a player is tagged whilst invading another team’s quadrant, they must go to that team’s jail (the hoola-hoop). They place one foot in the jail and wait to be rescued. If multiple players are in the jail, then they can link, by holding hands and form a chain from the jail.

To be rescued from jail, a player from your own team must reach you and hold your hand. They can then run you back to the safety of your team’s quadrant. If they let go of hands as they are running back to the safety of their quadrant, then they can be tagged immediately and send back to jail. A player can rescue more than one player at a time, but only players from their own team.

We played Capture the Flag for 45 minutes on a hot day. There were four-year-olds right through to adults playing. During the 45 minutes we had two winning games and the last one was called a draw. Between each game the players stopped for a quick drink, then straight back into the next round. Everyone had an awesome time!

Best Group Games for Kids’ Parties Final Thoughts…

I like to stop games whilst the kids are really enjoying it, despite protests to keep going. That way I know they’ve all had a great time and will be keen to play again another day.

Akaisha had a wonderful time sharing a fun experience with all her classmates and her family. Everyone went home tuckered out … and full of sugar!

These three kids group party games worked perfectly for the outdoor venue we had, and for the size group we had. There are many more games that would work just as well. Here is a list of some of my best group games for kids’ parties.

Indoor Group Games for Birthday Parties

Whoosh Ball
Jockey’s Up
Huckleberry
Screaming Toes
Human Pinball
Stinger
Squirrelly Nut
Pac Man
More indoor group games for birthday parties found here
Circle games that also make excellent indoor group games for birthday parties found here

Outdoor Group Games for Birthday Parties

Treasure
Secret Hunter
Narnia
End Zone
Tic Tic Tic
Kaboom
Hero
Check out more large group games suitable for Birthday parties here

Wacki App has most of these games, with excellent mini demo videos that give a great visual of each game, and a written description of the game and game rules.

10 Tips to Running Youth Group Games (Ultimate Guide)

Trevor Uncategorized March 8, 2021January 10, 2023Guide, Running Youth Group Games successfully 0 Comment

Top tips to running youth group games successfully

You’ve picked out a great group game, checked out its rules, picked a great spot to play and found some equipment to use. All you need now are the enthusiastic kids! What possibly could go wrong? Hopefully nothing! However, to ensure all is smooth sailing for your youth group, I have put together my top ten tips to running youth group games.

High Energy

This would have to be the tip with the biggest punch! Use your excitement and energy to fuel the kids in your group. Energy is infectious. Before you know it, the kids will be pumped and eager to play. Even boring games can be super fun if you’re energetic! I like to fire up the teams before the game commences with a bit of team comraderies. Give teams names and let the kids come up with a team chant or a team ‘move’. Check my little video clip at the bottom of this article to see what I mean.

Why not join in the game with the kids. It’s no fun being the bystander or referee. You can always give one of the kids that roll. The kids love to see that you’re having fun too! If there are parents watching, pull them into the game as well. The more the merrier!

10 Tips to Running Youth Group Games (Ultimate Guide)

Why not give commentary throughout the game, or give this job to one of the bystanders or players?

Believe That the Game is Worth Playing

Your confidence in the game will determine how the game goes. Believe that the kids want to have fun and that the game is a great game! This believe will exuberate from you when motivating the kids and with delivering the group game rules. If the kids sense you’re not confident, then they may play on it or lose faith in the game before you even begin.

Shared Ownership

All people like to be heard and valued. It is no different with the youth in your group. Another top tip for running youth group games is to involve the kids with the decisions around the game. You may not want to jump straight into this as there does need to be boundaries and expectations set around the game. So, to start with, allow decisions around small things, like coming up with a team name. However, as your group gets more and more used to playing collaborative group games, then they can also take on more and more of the decisions around the game.

Something I find to be powerful, is to have a short reflection routine after every game session. Have the kids be present to one another and give them an opportunity to share what they liked about the game. Then ask them, “What can WE do to make this game even more fun?” Encourage the kids to pair up and discuss ideas, then have these ideas shared with the group. If you feel there is eagerness to go with one of these ideas, then bring it to a vote. Call it a trial idea and add it into the game.

This process is great for kids, and they do come up with excellent ideas that do build upon the game. For the process to be effective, the group would need to be facilitated in a way that the kids feel safe to speak out and to be heard.

This process can also be used to sort out problems, or situations that caused a problem, in the game. Be careful not to name and shame individuals, rather, use the group to seek fair solutions.

You Can Never Be Too Prepared

As a school teacher, I learnt years ago that I needed to be one step ahead of the kids. If I wasn’t fully prepared, they would walk all over me and the lesson I was running would fall apart. Preparation with group games is super important.

Know your game. Watch a video on it and read the game brief so that you fully understand the game. You will soon be in front of your excited youth group explaining how it works. You need to know the rules inside out.

Think about your space where you’ll be running the group game. Is it safe, big enough and suitable for the size group you have and type of game? Consider any kids with special needs and how you’ll cater for them. Where will the bystanders be? For outdoor group games, is the space suitable for the expected weather and do you have a back up plan if the weather changes?

Gather together equipment needed and think about how it will be utilized. Set equipment up beforehand. Consider how teams will be selected. I like to just number kids off randomly, rather than let them pick teams. This is quick and you can manage it, so you can ensure that is fair.

Have the Goal in Mind

Have the group game goal in mind whilst planning and when delivering the game rules. Tell the kids what the game goal is. It will make the game so much clearer to the kids and put the game rules into context.

Also be clear on why you want to play the game with the kids. Is it about team building, communication, leadership, to energize, or simply to have fun! If you know ‘why’ you chose that particular game, you’ll be keeping in mind as to whether you’re achieving your outcome throughout the game.

Delivering the Game Rules

Make sure you have eliminated distractions and you have the kids’ full attention before giving the game rules. When outside I always ensure the kids have their backs to the sun, so they don’t have it in their eyes when listening. Do this for distractions as well. Have the kids backs to whatever it is that may distract them. I like to sit the kids down for the rules.

Keep the group game rules concise. Kids only have a short attention span. More than five minutes delivering the game rules will be counterproductive. It is a good idea to have the rules written out on a palm card. Avoid skipping over rules. This will only lose the kids and when you start the game, they won’t get it, and the game will fall apart.

If you have downloaded our Wacki App, then consider showing the kids the short demonstration video for the game. A visual of how the game works is the best way for them to understand.

Remember, keep your energy high. Start with the game goal. If the kids know the objective to the game, then they will better understand the rules.

Where possible, model aspects of the game. You may enlist someone who already knows the game to help with the demonstrations.

Use the kids’ names when delivering the game rules. This keeps them alert and enrolled in the game.

For games with many elements, it is better to start with a base game, play it for a while, then stop the game, gather the kids and build upon the game.

Have individual repeat back different game rules. Have kids pair up taking turns repeating the game rules to each other.

Always ask if anyone has questions before commencing the game.

Kill the Game Before it Dies

Killing the game whilst the kids are still having great fun ensures that they will want to play it again. This is reverse psychology. The kids won’t want to stop! What it will do is guarantee that they will be super excited to play the game again when you next meet. They’ll also talk about how awesome it was days afterwards.

Be careful not to over play your best games. You don’t want the kids to get bored with them. Best to mix them up.

If a game isn’t working for some reason, then stop it and change the game. Avoid pushing on with it. It’ll only snowball into a bad experience for all.

It’s All About the Experience

Entwine a story into the game to create the experience. Have characters, leaders, special roles etc

Games like Narnia and Star Wars do it well. For example: Narnia entwines the story of the battle between the White Witch’s army and Aslan’s (the lion) army. Each army has a dungeon. The armies battle it out to save their leaders who are locked up in the dungeons. They have to deliver the magic keys to their leaders without getting captured.

Even consider some props to enhance the characters. Like a witch’s hat and a lion’s mane for Narnia.

As the kids get to know a game, amp it up with additional features/challenges to the game. As outlined above, involve the kids with building layers to the game.

No Bystanders

The best youth group games involve everyone all the time. You don’t want kids standing around waiting for a turn or sitting on the ‘out’ bench getting bored. Have things in place that gives everyone something to do. For example, if you have kids who get out and would normally sit to the side waiting until the game finishes, consider giving them an opportunity to win their way back into the game. In the game Human Pinball, kids who get out can seek to catch a wayward ball to earn their place back into the game.

With games where kids go to a jail, give them an out, such as they have an opportunity to be rescued by a team-mate, or they do some sort of task in the jail (funny dance or push-ups) that gets them a free pass out.

Find ways to include those on the sidelines. These might be reluctant parents. The kids love to see their parents running around!

Ensure your game is suitable for the group size and age. If there are too many players, then they will have limited opportunities to be involved. Avoid having kids waiting for their turn.

Give kids the opportunity to be the referee.

Pit Stops

Having short breaks during longer games or between group games helps to revive the kids. Send them off for a drink of water (hydrate) or give them a time out. This also allows you a few moments to set up for the next game and to catch your own breath. With team games, allow the kids time for short team meetings to discuss strategy.

There you have it. Thirty-five years of experience bundled into ten top tips to running youth group games session that are simply awesome. Good luck and enjoy!