Party Games for The Garden or Park.
If you are planning a summer party in the garden, then a carnival theme is a fun idea for both boys and girls (and the parents!)
We went to went to the Food Festival at Hampton Court last summer and they had a great array of carnival style games set up for the children, which I wanted to share, as they would be perfect for a kids’ party. The games could be easily recreated at home using things you can find round the house and some foam board or cardboard sheets.
KNOCK HUMPTY
Throw small bean bags at Humpty to try and knock him off his wall. This is harder than it looks, Humpty is pretty heavy!
PASSE BOULE
Have a bowl full of small balls which the kids have to try to throw into the clowns mouth.
FLAT CAP FLING
Fling the flat caps at the door and hope to get as many as possible on the hooks.
TARGET WELLY WANGING
Throw three wellies each onto puddles. Each puddle has a set amount of points and if a welly lands standing up then you get double points.
BUCKET PONG
Throw ping pong balls (or small beanbags) and try to get them to land in the different coloured buckets and add up your score.
FISHING FOR TREASURE
Use your magnetic fishing rod to fish for treasure, each item has a set number of points.
STAND THE BOTTLE
There is a beer bottle lying on it’s side and you have to stand it up, only using a small ring on the end of a fishing rod and line.
CLOG PONG
Similar to Bucket Pong, but with clogs! Possibly not the easiest of games to recreate unless you happen to be a clog wearing family, but perhaps you could do it with plastic plant pots or last years Crocs.
HOOP-LA
Throw the hoops onto the post, it’s as simple as that, or is it…? You could easily make your own ring toss game by using paper plates with holes cut out in the centre, and a wooden dowel for the post. This game is great for improving hand-eye coordination and can be adapted for different age groups by adding more posts and varying the distance between them.
HOOK A DUCK
Hook rubber ducks floating in the tin bath, using a rod with a hook on the end.
GNOME HOOP-LA
Throw the hoops over as many gnomes as you can. (No gnomes were harmed during this photo!).
APPLE TREE
Throw small beanbags through the holes in the apple tree. You can create your own bean bag toss game by using cardboard boxes or wooden boards with holes cut out. This game is great for improving hand-eye coordination and can be made more challenging by varying the distance between the targets.
If you are hosting a party for older children, then another popular carnival game is the balloon dart game. This game involves throwing darts at balloons filled with water or confetti, with the aim of popping as many balloons as possible. To make your own balloon dart game, you can use a corkboard as a backdrop and attach balloons to it with pins. This game is a great way to get kids active and encourages friendly competition.
Overall, carnival-style party games are great for a kids’ party, as they are easy to set up, shouldn’t cost very much, they encourage some friendly competition and offer a fun and engaging way for kids to develop their coordination and motor skills.
