10 Easy (& Free) Birthday Party Games
10 Easy Games to Play at a Birthday Party That Are Completely Free to Do
A birthday party is probably an event that everyone will end up planning at some point in their life. Birthday parties happen to be one of my favorite things to plan because the possibilities are truly endless. From one planner to another, there is one thing you MUST know about planning a birthday party: there needs to be games! Without games or any sort of planned activity, the party will start to feel awkward if guests don’t have anything to do between eating food, opening gifts, and cutting the cake! If coming up with games to play at your party has you feeling stuck, enjoy this list of 10 free and easy birthday party games good for all ages!
1. Charades
This one is a classic and is enjoyable for any age group! All you need is a little imagination!
How to Play Charades:
- Split into Teams: Divide players into two (or more) teams. Each team takes turns acting and guessing.
- Prepare Word/Phrase Cards: Write down words or phrases on slips of paper (There are also online apps or generators you can use if you need more ideas). Place the words into a bowl, hat, or anything that will hold them
- Choose an Actor: One player from the team becomes the actor for that round. They pick a word/phrase from the hat without showing anyone.
- Start the Timer: Set a timer (I recommend 1-2 minutes). The actor must act out the word/phrase without speaking or making sounds in order to have their team guess the word before the timer runs out
- Act It Out: The actor uses gestures, movement, and facial expressions to help their team guess the word. No pointing to objects or spelling!
- Team Guesses: The actor’s team tries to guess what they’re acting out before the time runs out. If they guess it right, they earn a point.
- Next Team’s Turn: Now the other team gets a turn with a new actor and word. Keep alternating turns until all the words have been used or a set amount of rounds have been played
- Winning: The team with the most points obtained from guessing correctly within the timer will be the winner!
- Need some ideas for words to act out?
- Alien Invasion
- Christmas Tree
- Spaghetti
- “Hold your horses”
- Running on a treadmill
- Surfboard
- Charades is also a game that is perfect for going with a specific theme! All you have to do is come up with words that align with the theme such as “Lion” for a Safari themed birthday or “Afro” for a ‘70’s themed party.
2. Musical Chairs
Yes, I know this one seems kids only, but adults can also enjoy this game if they love competition- or if there are prizes (or alcohol) involved!
How to Play Musical Chairs:
- Set Up the Chairs: In an open area, arrange chairs in a circle or back-to-back in two rows. Use one less chair than the number of players (Ex: If there are 10 players, make a circle of 9 chairs)
- Start the Music: You need someone to act as the DJ. They will play and stop the music at random times (The music can be played from a phone or speaker)
- Walk Around the Chairs: While the music is playing, all players walk in a circle around the chairs
- Stop the Music: When the DJ stops the music, everyone must quickly sit down in a chair. (Make sure the DJ isn’t watching to time the music with their bestie so that they win)
- One Person is Out: The person left standing is out of the game. Remove one chair and start the next round by playing the music again
- Repeat: Keep playing by removing one chair and eliminating one player each round.
- Final Round: The last two players will race for the last remaining chair once the music stops! The one who sits first wins!
You can choose music that matches your theme such as Disney songs at a princess party or tropical music at a luau!
3. Capture the Flag
Capture the flag is a game you can play, even if you don’t have a flag! You could use any object such as a towel, a cone, a shoe, waterbottle, or anything you find around your house that would be easy to snatch and run with! You could even go above and beyond if you wanted and relate the object to your theme! For example, you could play “Capture the Coconut” at a beach themed birthday or “Capture the Noodle” at a pool party.
How to Play Capture the Flag:
- Divide Into Teams: Split players into two equal teams. Each team will defend its flag and try to capture the other team’s flag.
- Set Up the Field: Choose a large area (like a park or yard) and divide it into two equal zones. You can use cones or tape (if you don’t have these materials, you can use items like chairs to make general marks around the outside of the field for the center and end lines)
- Place the Flag: Have each team use a cloth, cone, towel, or any object to place somewhere in their zone.
- Start the Game: Both teams start on their own side. When the game begins, players try to sneak into the other team’s zone to find and capture their flag.
- Tagging & Jail Rules: If you’re in the opposing team’s zone and get tagged, you go to that team’s jail (the jail can be marked as a back corner of the team’s zone) You can be rescued by a teammate if they make it to the jail and tag you (then they get to lead you safely back to your side).
- Capturing the Flag: If you are tagged while holding the flag, you must return it and go to jail. The goal is to steal the other team’s flag and bring it to your own zone
- Winning the Game: The first team to successfully bring the opposing team’s flag back to their side wins!
4. Relay Race
A relay race is a fun, competitive game you can play at any party. All you need is an area to run back and forth!
How to Do a Relay Race:
- Divide Into Teams: Split players into equal teams. Each team should have the same number of players.
- Line Up at the Starting Line: Teams line up in a row, one behind the other, at the starting line.
- Choose a Baton (Optional): Give each team a baton or small object to carry and pass between runners. You can also just tag hands if no baton is used. This could be anything between a real stick, a spoon, a pool noodle, or any object that fits into your theme (maybe a plastic sword for a pirate party or a wand for a wizard party)
- Set a Course: Mark a turnaround point or course for runners to follow (like to a cone and back). Make sure the path is safe and clear.
- Start the Race: When the race starts, the first player runs to the turnaround point and back.
- Pass the Baton / Tag the Next Player: When the first player returns, they pass the baton or tag the next teammate, who then runs.
- Keep Going: Each team member runs the course in turn until everyone has gone.
- Finish Line: The team whose last runner crosses the finish line first wins the race!
5. Guess the Song
This game is perfect for any age group that loves listening to music! All you need is a device to play music from or even a speaker.
How to Play Guess the Song:
- Divide into Teams or Play Individually: Players can compete alone or in small teams, for a birthday party, you will probably want to split into teams!
- Choose a Host: Choose one person who will control the music and keep track of scores.
- Play a Short Piece of a Song: The host plays 5–10 seconds of a song by using the play/pause buttons (you can start from the beginning or a random spot)
- Guess the Song: Players raise their hand or shout out when they think they know the song. The first correct guess wins the point. You could also play this game where each team has a chance to answer first, and if they are wrong, the next team can steal.
- The host can ask for: Song title only, or song title and artist (for extra points)
- Keep Score: Earn 1 point for each correct answer. (Optionally give bonus points for naming the artist or year the song was written)
- Play Until Someone Wins: Set a time limit (maybe 10 minutes) or play until someone reaches a certain number of points (like 10).
Similar to musical chairs, you can choose to play pieces of songs from a genre that matches your theme! This will enhance the vibe you are trying to go for and keep your guests wowed!
6. Head, Shoulders, Knees, Cup!
This game is great for competitive players who want to show off their speed! All you will need are some plastic cups, which you will most likely have on hand for a party. If you don’t have any plastic cups, you can select to use items that can easily stand and are easy to pick up from the floor (ex: a pen might be too tricky, but a water bottle would be great). Be sure not to choose something that is not fragile since it will be getting smacked around!
How to Play Head, Shoulders, Knees, Cup:
- Set up the cups (or whatever items you will be using): Place one cup for every pair of players in a line or spread out within the playing area.
- Pair Up Players: 2 players stand across from each other with a cup placed between them on the floor.
- Choose a Leader: One person will need to call out different body parts such as “Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes, Elbows, etc).
- Start with Hands on Knees: All players will keep their hands on their knees, ready to move when the leader calls out a body part.
- Call Out Body Parts: The leader says body parts in random order: “Head, shoulders, knees, shoulders, head…” Players must touch each part as it’s called.
- Say “Cup!”: At any random moment, the caller can say “Cup!” Players race to grab the cup as fast as possible.
- Points/Elimination: The first player to grab the cup wins the round and gets a point. If you want to play with higher stakes, the losing player (who didn’t grab the cup) from each pair will be eliminated. The players left over will then find a new opponent to face.
- Play Multiple Rounds: Continue playing for a set number of rounds or until someone reaches a certain score (like 5 or 10 points), or until there are only two players left to go head to head in a final competition.
7. Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt can be a fun way to get your guests to go on a mini adventure. A scavenger hunt doesn’t have to cost a dime because you can just create a list of common things that could be found around your party area!
How to Host a Scavenger Hunt:
- Create a List of Items: Include 10–20 things that can be found in your space (like “something red,” “a spoon,” “a leaf,” “something soft”). If you want more of a challenge, make clues or riddles instead of naming the item directly.
- Decide the Rules: Can items be touched and left in place, or do they have to be brought back? Is it individual play or teams? Will there be a time limit? (like 10–15 minutes) or will it be whoever finds all the items first?
- Set the Boundaries: Tell players exactly where they can and cannot go to find items. Keep the area safe and easy to navigate. (This will help with keeping guests out of certain rooms of the house or with keeping people from wandering too far away outside).
- Start the Hunt: Hand out the item list (or read it aloud). Shout “Go!” and let players search. They can collect items in a bag or take a picture of each one (phone scavenger hunt style).
- End the Game: When time is up, gather everyone together. Check items and tally how many each player/team found. Or if the goal is to be the first to find all the items, mark a place where the team/player can race to once they’ve found everything.
- Declare the Winner: The person or team who finds all the items first or with the most correct items wins. In case of a tie, add a sudden-death bonus round with one final mystery item. (The winner can now claim bragging rights, or maybe they will be the first to get a slice of cake!)
While a scavenger hunt is a fun and free activity, if your budget allows, you could even purchase items that go along with your theme to hide around your venue! This is completely optional, especially because you can simply incorporate your theme when designing the item list for your hunt!
8. Human Knot
This game is a great challenge for team bonding and problem solving! All you need for this game is a group of friends and some unscrambling skills.
How to Play Human Knot:
- Get in Position: Everyone stands shoulder-to-shoulder in a tight circle and then reaches their right hand into the center and grabs a random hand that doesn’t belong to the person next to them. Without letting go, then reach your left hands in and grab a different person’s random hand that doesn’t belong to the person next to you.
- Establish Time/Race: You can choose to play as one big human knot that will race against the clock to try and untangle as fast as possible, or you can set up two human knot groups that will race against each other to see which can untangle first!
- Untangle Into a Circle: Once in position, the goal is to untangle the group to become one or more circles without letting go (do this by stepping over/under arms, rotating, etc).
- Winning: The game is won once the group forms a clean circle while still holding hands (Note: If the group splits naturally, you may end with two linked circles; that still counts as solved.)
- Additional Rules: You can choose someone to give gentle directions or play where everyone collaborates. (You could also play where no one is allowed to talk!)
9. Three-Legged Race
This game is a great chance to share some laughs while also showing your teamwork and racing skills! All you need is something from around the house that can be used to tie two ankles together (bandanas, scarves, long socks).
How to Play Three-Legged Race:
- Pair Up: Group players into pairs (it’s easiest with similar height). Pairs must stay tied the whole race, if one partner falls, wait for them to stand up; no dragging.
- Tie the Inside Legs: Pair stand side-by-side and tie the two inside ankles or lower calves together. (Tie snug but not tight)
- Practice Sync Steps: Give pairs 10-20 seconds to practice stepping in sync. (you can count “left-right, left-right” to find a rhythm)
- Define Lines: Have pairs line up at the designated “start” and designate a finish line such as “past this tree,” “past this chair/cone,” etc. Also make sure that pairs stay “in their lane” so that there are no collisions.
- Start the Race: The caller shouts “Ready, set, GO!” or blows a whistle, then the players will move in sync to reach the finish line.
- Winning: The first pair to cross the finish wins!
Source: A Girl And A Glue Gun
10. Frozen Shirt Race
Perfect for a hot day, this game is a great competitive race that uses teamwork and body heat!
How to Do a Frozen Shirt Race:
- Prep: You will need one t-shirt per team. This could be any old t-shirt large enough to fit most of your guests. To freeze the shirt, soak it in water until fully wet, ring out, scrunch into a ball, place in a plastic bag (optional if you want to contain potential water mess or separate multiple shirts), then place in the freezer overnight or until completely frozen.
- Divide into Teams/Players: Outside or in an area that can get wet, divide players into teams or play as individual players. (Keep the shirts in the freezer or in a cooler/bag to keep cold until starting the game.
- Hand Out Shirts: Each team (or player if playing individually) will be given a shirt which they must completely unfold and put on all the way; not just draped. (No tools like scissors or hair dryers; only hands and body heat allowed)
- Start the Race: Shout “Go!” and let them work to thaw and unfold their shirt using different strategies: sitting on it, pulling it apart, rubbing it, etc.
- Winning: The first person or team to wear the shirt correctly is the winner. Keep going until everyone finishes or call time and cheer for the funniest attempt.