Easy Toddler Birthday Party Games

Toddlers have notoriously short attention spans, but these toddler birthday party games are guaranteed to keep them interested!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Toddlers love to move around, and this toddler party game will keep them hopping! Best of all, you'll love it just as much as they will - because there's no set up, this is a great way to fill time between activities and there's no mess afterwards!

To play, first choose a leader. An older child or an adult would be best; another toddler would be chaos! The leader begins with a single move that toddlers can easily copy - a hop, for example - which the kids then repeat. Next, the leader repeats the first action and adds a second. Hop, clap. Then hop, clap, stomp and hop, clap, stomp, clap. The kids should not begin to repeat the motions until the leader has finished the sequence, repeating previous movements in order and adding a new motion each time. The leader can also repeat movements, such as in the example clap, clap, jump.

This toddler party game continues as long as the kids can remember the movements, and it becomes increasingly difficult as the motions are added. When a child forgets which movement to do next, he or she is out. The last player standing wins, but the fun lies in the fact that the leader has to be able to remember all of the motions, too!

Why is this game so fabulous? Because not only will toddlers hone their memory skills, but the game will end naturally when they either grow tired of it or when it becomes too difficult for them. That said, don't be surprised to hear them beg for round two!

Off to the Races

The best toddler birthday party games are fun for all ages, and this one is no exception! Leave your guests in giggles and get parents and older siblings involved when you set up this activity that is easy to play both indoors and out!

To get started, you'll need a few sturdy cardboard boxes which are each large enough for one child to sit in. If you have a small guest list, provide a box for each child. For larger parties, plan to divide kids into teams; in either case, first offer kids the opportunity to decorate their boxes for a bonus activity that will easily fill party transition times.

When you're ready to start the game, designate start and finish lines and instruct your toddlers to climb into their race car boxes. Each child needs a "pit crew" member to help them win the race, and this is where the older siblings and parents get to play! On "go" the pit crew member pushes the box, toddler on board, to the finish line. The first one across wins! If you play with the kids in teams, set it up as a relay race with "pit stops" for the crews to change drivers.

Silly Obstacle Course

Kids shouldn't be expected to follow too many directions during toddler birthday party games, but they thrive on activity. This party game is perfect on both counts!

All you have to do to set it up is to create a few small obstacles in a path for kids to navigate. Indoors, pile up sofa cushions, create a wall of hanging streamers, or drape a sheet over a coffee table to make a tunnel. Outside, lay out a path with ropes, make a tunnel from cut cardboard boxes, or make a "forest" from bunches of Mylar balloons. Whatever the location or choice of obstacles, demonstrate each new activity to kids before they begin, and then turn them loose to have a great time!

Finally, have fun and be creative, then relax. These toddler birthday party games are sure to make your party an unforgettable one for even your youngest guests!