Kids love balloons; that’s just a fact. Whether it’s the bright colours, their tendency to pop or the way they brighten up a room, there is something about balloons that children just can’t get enough of. Aside from bringing a venue to life, balloons also make great tools to create a huge variety of party games that can delight and entertain.
If you’ve got your child’s birthday party coming up, here are just some of the balloon-themed games you could organise to keep all those little ones entertained.
Find Your Name
This one is a simple game that is great for large groups of small children – so long as you have plenty of space.
Make sure you have as many balloons as you do children – and possibly some more “decoy” balloons to make it more difficult – and write each child’s name on a balloon. Place all the balloons in a large open space (or better still, use some sheets tied to the ceiling so you can create your very own balloon drop for added excitement) and when you say “go” the children have to search for the balloon with their name on it. The first one to find their balloon wins.
Surprise Pop
This party activity is a great way to delight the party guests as they attempt to win prizes. Simply blow up balloons and fill some with treats like lollies, small toys and miniature chocolate bars. The kids then need to pop the balloons to receive their prizes. For older children, you could even incorporate darts by attaching the balloons to a corkboard and having them throw the darts in an attempt to pop them and earn their prize.
For any game that involves popping balloons, make sure you collect all the little bits and pieces of balloon and dispose of them properly, especially if the game takes place outside.
Balloon Stuffing Race
This is a great game that requires some tactics on the children’s behalf to win, so it can be great for older children.
In this game, the children will receive some small balloons and a pair of large trousers and a t-shirt. In teams, they must choose one person to wear the oversized t-shirt and trousers, and on the “go”, the other team members must stuff the balloons into the t-shirt and trousers, trying to get as many in as possible. The winning team is whoever has the most balloon stuffed into the clothes.
Balloon Tennis
With some paper plates and sticks for makeshift racquets, a large clear space and a balloon, you can easily set up a game of balloon tennis suitable for both indoors and outdoors. It’s a fun way for the kids to release all their energy, and you can cycle through competitors whenever someone loses a certain amount of points by letting the balloon drop to the ground.
Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground
This is a classic game that children often play of their own accord whenever a balloon is close by. Turn it into a competitive game for a small group of partygoers by playing some music and installing a rule that the person responsible for it hitting the ground is out, and the winner is the last one standing. Introduce multiple balloons to make it more difficult.
Pass the Balloon
This game is excellent for teamwork building, making it ideal not only for parties but for PE and drama lessons, too. Split the children into even teams and have them stand in parallel lines, with each child half a metre apart. The person at the end starts with the inflated balloon, and the aim of the game is for the team to pass the balloon under their legs to the next person, who then must pass it over the back of their head, and so on until it reaches the end of the line. The winning team is the one who gets their balloon from one end of the line to the other.
Protect Your Balloon
This is a great game for larger groups of kids with boundless energy. Give each child a balloon and a piece of string about a metre long. The balloon is tied to the child’s ankle by the string, and the game is for the children to try and protect their balloon from being burst while they try to pop everyone else’s. The winner is the last one standing – this game requires careful supervision.
Keep the Balloon in the Funnel
This game requires concentration and therefore might not work for very young children. Each child gets a funnel and a balloon and after the “go” must keep theirs carefully balanced on top of the funnel, preventing it from dropping to the floor. The winner is the last child left with their balloon on their funnel.
Catch the Balloon
Balloons can be challenging to catch, which is why this is a fun game for young children. Stand in the centre of the space with a balloon and have the children stand around you. Toss the balloon into the air and call out a child’s name. The child whose name you called must catch the balloon before it hits the ground, and the other children must not touch the balloon unless their name is called. If the child fails to catch the balloon or someone catches it when it wasn’t their name called, they are out. The winner is the last one standing.
We hope these ideas have inspired you to break out those balloon-themed games for your child’s next party. At Fill n’ Away, we can provide disposable helium cylinders so you can get those balloons floating in the air, making them ideal for décor or as party favours. Contact us today for more information.