These great games are generally inexpensive and will go over really well with most groups of children.  Try some of these games at your next birthday party or family gathering.

Balloon Buns

You will need:

• balloons
• sheet of paper
• a pen
• scissors

This game requires a little bit of preparation time.  Write messages on pieces of paper (i.e. sing a song, bark like a dog, meow like a cat, dance, race around the circle, etc.).  Place one message inside each balloon before you blow them up and tie them.  Place the balloons in a secure place, such as a garbage bag to avoid popping.

This game can be played either inside or outside.  Have the children sit in a circle.  One child will be handed a balloon with a message in it.  The child will sit on the balloon with all of their weight.  If the balloon pops, the child must do what the message says.  If the child is too young to read, read the message for them.  If the balloon does not pop, pass it on to the next child.  If the balloon was popped, provide a new balloon to the next child.

Balloon Battle

You will need:

• balloons, sorted into two colours
• scissors
• string

This game is best played indoors.  Blow the balloons up in advance.  Split the children into two teams.  Give each team one colour of balloon.  Each child will be given a balloon tied on a string.  This string is then tied to one ankle.  Be careful that the string is not tied too tightly.  The objective of this game is to pop the other team’s balloons by stepping on them.  The children are allowed to do such things as jump on one foot in an attempt to keep their balloon off the floor, and make it harder to pop.

Balloon Help

You will need:

• 1-3 balloons per child

Blow the balloons up in advance, or have some children help you.  Have the children stand in a circle with one child in the middle.  The child in the middle will have 3 balloons.  Each child in the circle will have 1-3 balloons hidden behind their backs.  The child in the middle will try to keep all three balloons in the air at the same time.  If a balloon hits the ground, they must get it back into the air again.  Whenever the child decides it is too hard to keep the balloons in the air by himself, he must say “_x_(another child’s name), I need your help.”  “X” will then go into the middle and add x’s balloons to the collection of balloons that they are attempting to keep in the air.  When “X” decides it is too hard to keep the balloons up, X must call on another child.  This process is continued until all of the children are taking part.

Ball Bop

You will need:

• 1 balloon
• an adult

Have the children all gather in a circle with the adult in the middle.  The adult will call the name of a child and say what body part she should use to hit the balloon with (i.e. elbow, hand, foot, head, etc.).  The adult then calls another child’s name and the body part to hit the balloon with.

Balloon Relay

You will need:

• 4 balloons (this includes extras in case a balloon pops)

Blow the balloons up in advance.  Divide the children into two teams and have them stand in two lines.  The person at the front of the line is given 1 balloon.  This balloon goes under her legs to the next person in line.  The next person puts the balloon of his head.  This process repeats (over-under-over), until the balloon reaches the person at the end of the line.  The person at the end of the line runs to the front of the line and starts the process again.  This process continues until the person that started at the front of the line is again at the front.  Then the whole line of children sits down to indicate that they have finished.

Balloon Relay #2

You will need:

• 4 balloons (this includes extras in case a balloon pops)

Divide the children into two teams.  Have the children stand in four lines, two lines at either end of the play area.  One balloon will be given to each team at the starting line.  Each child will take a turn placing the balloon between her legs (without using hands) and racing to their team member waiting at the other side.  Transfer the balloon to the next team member without using any hands.  The first team to have each member race across the play area with the balloon between their legs wins.

Ring Toss

You will need:

• helium filled balloons
• string
• weights
• masking tape
• hula-hoops

Tie the helium filled balloons with string.  At the end of each string, attach a weight that is heavy enough to keep the end of the string on the ground.  Mark a line on the ground with masking tape.  This will be the line that the children will stand behind when attempting to throw the hula-hool over the helium balloon.