Block Party Kid Games

At a big gathering with both kids and grown-ups, you want games that are simple to set up, easy to explain, suitable for all ages, and (for those who’d rather stay on the sidelines) hilarious to watch. Ideal for block parties, reunions, birthday parties, and more, these five games will have your group cheering and laughing at every turn.

Share A Pair

Give a friend the pants off your legs — and make it snappy!

What You Need:

• several pairs of stretchy sweatpants

Instructions:

1. Setup: You’ll need several pairs of stretchy sweatpants for this challenge. Pair up players of similar size and have one player on each team put on sweatpants over her clothes. The teammates sit on the ground facing each other, with their legs stretched out in front of them and the soles of their feet touching.
2. At “Go,” the pants-wearing player must transfer her pants to her teammate, turning the pants inside out in the process, without their feet ever losing contact. The first team to get the pants’ waistband around the second player’s waist wins.

 

Stepping Stones

Cross a pretend stream in a race that requires both skill and speed.

What You Need:

• old T-shirts, hand towels, or dish towels

Instructions:

1. Each player gets two stepping stones: old T-shirts, hand towels, or dish towels. At “Go,” each player races to the finish line by standing on one stone, placing the second ahead of him, then jumping to that stone, without touching the grass. He then reaches back to retrieve the first stone, places it farther ahead, and so on.
2. Tossing the stone a long way may seem like the best way to move quickly, but if it’s too far away, you’ll have to leap to reach it — and struggle to grab the one you just left. If a player steps off his stone, he must return to the starting line. The first to cross the finish line wins.

 

Shoe-Pile ScrambleTalk about a challenge for kids: find your shoes and put them on — fast!

What You Need:

• players’ shoes

Instructions:

1. Setup: Have players remove their shoes and place them in a pile. Someone scrambles up all the shoes and lines up the shoeless players side by side on the starting line a short distance away.

   2.  When the whistle blows, players race to find and put on both of their shoes, then race back to the starting line.

Mom (or Dad) CallingIn this game, blindfolded parents try to pick out their children’s voices in a cacophonous crowd.

What You Need:

• blindfolds

Instructions:

1. Setup: On one side of an open expanse, line up the mothers side by side and blindfold them. On the other side, have the kids line up side by side.
2. At “Go,” the kids start calling their mothers. Whoever touches her own child first is the winner. Play a second round with blindfolded fathers. 

Snack Station

Ingredients:

• nuts
• O-shaped cereal
• dried frut
• melted chocolate for drizzling
• pretzels
• peanuts
• coconut flakes
• cranberries
• popcorn
• ice
• seltzer
• concentrated or regular fruit juice
• sandwich bags
• cups

Instructions:

1. Fill plastic cups with trail mix that players can grab as they run past, like marathon runners grabbing drinks. Make your own mix by combining nuts, O-shaped cereal, and dried fruit, or drizzle melted chocolate over pretzels, peanuts, coconut flakes, and cranberries.
2. Fill sandwich bags with popcorn or other snacks and tape a label to each bag with the name of your party.*
3. As a healthier substitute to bottled soda, set up a make-your-own-soda station with ice, seltzer, and concentrated or regular fruit juice. Each guest can personalize a cup to use throughout the day.