Treasure Hunts

• Treasure hunt games are always a fun addition to parties. For younger children, hide a variety of objects around a designated area. Let the kids decorate paper sacks with stickers, crayons and markers to collect their treasure in and then send them hunting. Plastic bugs for an insect-themed party, gold coins for a pirate party and toy fish for an ocean theme are just a few ideas for treasure hunts.
  
  Older children will have fun following a treasure map or finding clues to help them find their treasure. Let them hunt individually, in pairs or in small groups. Send your young pirates searching for a treasure chest. Your princesses can go on a quest to find a prince in distress. No need to use a real prince. A picture of one will work fine.
  
  

Musical Chairs

• This classic game is always a favorite. Line up chairs back to back in two rows, using one less than the number of children playing. Play music while the children walk around the chairs. When the music stops, everyone sits down and the child without a chair is out. Take one chair away each round until only one child remains.
  
  Adapt this game to fit your party theme by changing the name, the chairs or playing different music. For a princess theme, play music from the Disney princess movies and call it "Musical Thrones." Make large flower shapes for the children to stand on for a insect theme. Tell them to pretend they are bees looking for the perfect flower. Use bases if your child is having a sports themed party.
  
  

Pin the Tail on the Donkey

• You can change Pin the Tail on the Donkey to fit just about any party theme. Children can play Pin the Tail on the Puppy, Pin the Trunk on the Elephant or Pin the Fin on the Dolphin. Just choose an animal that fits your theme and draw a large picture of it on poster board, leaving out the part you want the children to try to place in correct spot on it. At a "Toy Story" party, the children can try to put Woody's star on his shirt or his hat on head.
  
  

Racing Games

• It's amazing how much fun children can have just lining up and racing against each other. Take advantage of this and plan some fun races for your party-goers to participate in. Three-legged races, sack races and baton relays will really get the children moving. For animal-themed parties, let the children take turns racing like different animals: crab-walking, hopping like frogs or galloping like horses.