What party games can I run with little preparation or equipment?

What makes a party game easy to run with little preparation?

A low-prep game is one you can explain in a sentence, show in one turn and finish at a point everyone understands. It also helps if the game uses one play area, keeps score in one place or not at all, and doesn't need a second adult to hold equipment or guide a player while you lead.

Games with a shared goal, like counting balloon taps together or adding to one story, can be easier to run than games with an individual winner. There's less to judge and less to argue about.

Easy setup doesn't mean you can watch less. A game that needs little refereeing still needs an adult watching the children. Some popular games look simple but give one adult two jobs at once. In relay races you have to watch both the start and the far end. In pin the tail you guide a blindfolded player while keeping an eye on everyone waiting. In musical chairs you work the music and also judge who reached a chair first. Treasure hunts can need someone at a separate prize station. Check the exact version you plan to play before you count it as low-prep.

Games you can play with no supplies at all

If you have nothing to hand out, choose word, memory, movement or conversation games. These need only voices and enough suitable space. Choose based on the children's ages and how many are playing.

The ages and player numbers below are suggestions for each game. They are not limits on how many children one adult can supervise. Announce the ending before you start, and stop there even if the group finishes sooner or takes longer than you expected.

Simon Says: lead from a spot where you can see the whole group. Explain that players follow a command only when it starts with "Simon says." Try "Simon says touch your shoulders," then "Touch your knees." Give twelve commands. If someone follows a command that didn't start with "Simon says," they go back to their position and join in with the next command. Nobody is out and nobody keeps score. The game ends after the twelfth command. Only one person calls commands at a time. If a child wants to lead another round, have them show two commands before they start.

Category round robin: name a broad category, such as animals, fruits or things at a birthday party. Go around the circle once, with each player naming one item. If someone repeats an answer, gets stuck or would rather not answer, they can try another item or pass, and play moves on. Nobody drops out. Play three categories, starting with a different child each time. Any reasonable answer counts. If an answer isn't clear, ask the child to explain or give another one. The game ends after the third full circle, with no winner.

Story circle: begin with a sentence such as "A penguin arrived at the party carrying a suitcase." If you have a stuffed animal, pass it to the left so everyone can see whose turn it is. Each player adds one sentence or says "pass" (a pass still counts as a turn). Go around twice. On the second time around, ask players to help the story reach an ending. After the last player, you can add one closing sentence if it needs one. There are no points and no winner.

Would You Rather: read a choice aloud. Everyone points to the option they'd pick, then lowers their hands. Tell the group before you start how many questions you'll ask, for example six, and stop after the last one. There are no right answers, so it also works as a fallback when a guessing game turns out to be too hard.

Games you can play with things you already have at home

A few household items give you more options without a shopping trip. Start from what you actually have, and fit the setup to your room and group. Before you decide which plan is cheapest, check what you would still need to buy.

Sock basketball (ages 5 to 12, 4 to 14 players). You need three rolled socks, a laundry basket and tape or another marker for a throwing line. For written scores you also need a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil. Players take turns throwing all three socks from the line. Each sock that stays in the basket earns one point. A miss, or a sock that bounces out, earns zero. Collect the socks after each player's turn. Go around twice, so everyone gets three throws per round, and stop after the second full round. With written scores, write each player's points where everyone can see them. The highest total wins, and tied players share the win. Alternatively, skip the paper and count one shared group total out loud, with no individual winner. If someone needs a nearer line, agree on it before their first turn and keep it the same for both rounds. If you have to stop early for food, don't score the game unless everyone has had the same number of throws.

Balloon keep-up (ages 5 to 11, 6 to 18 players, open room). You need two or three balloons and a timer, but use only one balloon to start. The group taps the balloon to keep it off the floor, counting each hit out loud. The goal is twenty hits together. An attempt ends at twenty hits, when the balloon lands, or when a two-minute timer goes off, whichever happens first. Start the count at zero for the next attempt. Play three attempts, then announce the group's best count. There's no individual winner. For a harder version, once the group reaches twenty, add a second balloon on the next attempt and count hits on either one. That attempt ends at twenty hits, when either balloon touches the floor, or when the two-minute timer goes off, whichever happens first. Agree on this before that attempt starts. If balloons don't suit your guests or your space, pick a different game.

Scavenger list (ages 7 to 13, 6 to 18 players, indoors or in a backyard). You need one sheet of paper for the list, a pen, and a timer. A clipboard is optional if you want something firm to write on. Before the party, list ten things you've checked are actually visible in the play area, such as a blue cushion, a round clock, a striped towel or a yellow flower. Children point to each item instead of collecting it or searching other rooms, and you keep the whole group in view. Go around in a fixed order. On their turn, each child names an unchecked item they can see. They may pass, and other children can help if the player asks. Each item gets checked off only once, and naming it again doesn't add another mark. Keep going until all ten are found or a fifteen-minute timer goes off. When the timer goes off, read out the items nobody found and finish. It's one shared list, so there's no winner and no tie to settle.

Cups, cotton balls and paper also work for quick games: a cup-stacking race, a cup-flip challenge, moving cotton balls with spoons, hiding cotton balls for a search, or drawing and category games with paper and pens. You can play cup games in short rounds. A one-minute timer is one option if it suits your group, but you don't have to use one. This article doesn't set out full rules for these games. Party Games: Budget Party Games That Cost Almost Nothing covers them, so check that guide's instructions before you choose one.

How many games should you plan?

You don't need a long list. A small plan is easier to run and leaves room to repeat whatever the children enjoy.

Worked example: a low-prep game plan for a small group

This is an illustrative example, not a fixed plan. Picture eight children aged 7 to 9 in a living room, one adult leading, and no shopping done. The eight children include the birthday child. Any siblings who join would be extra.

Arrival game: category round robin. As children arrive, the host says, "We're naming animals. Say one animal or say pass. Watch me: giraffe." A child who arrives late joins at the next category.

Main game: sock basketball. The host rolls three socks into balls, puts a laundry basket against a wall, and marks a throwing line with tape. Each child gets three throws per round for two rounds, so each child throws six times in total. The host writes each child's score with a pen on one sheet of paper that everyone can see.

Quiet backup: story circle. If energy drops or the food is late, the host says, "We'll go around the story circle once, then check whether the food is ready."

If the food is very late, these party games to use when food is delayed include more short games you can stop at any point. If you can't watch for the food yourself, ask someone to tell the group when it's ready instead of guessing a time.

Ending: before each game, the host says how it ends, such as two rounds, three categories or two times around the circle, and stops there, even if the children finish early or want to keep going.

How to explain and run a game you haven't prepared

Before the first game, teach a pause word and practice it once. For example: "Pause. Put things down and stay in your places. We'll carry on from this turn when I say go." Leave scores and turn order as they are. A pause doesn't cost anyone a turn. If a timer is running, pause it too. Keep the children in view while you answer the door or handle food nearby.

When a game falls flat or players disagree

Problems are easier to sort out when you've explained the rules and the ending before the first turn. If something comes up, deal with it before the next turn rather than arguing in the middle of play.

Supervision, space and playing outside

The player numbers for each game describe the game, not how many children one adult can supervise. Think about the children's ages and support needs, the space, and your other jobs, such as food and answering the door. If you can't keep the whole group in view, or can't help one child without leaving the others unattended, get more help or change the plan.

Games with shared counting or a visible timer need less refereeing, which makes your job easier. They don't mean you can leave the children alone. Try one short round first and stay close. Come back sooner if the group needs help. If you must leave the play area, ask another responsible adult to watch the group, or pause the game and bring the children with you.

Many low-prep games can move outside. Freeze dance, Would You Rather and Simon Says can work in a backyard if there's room for the actions and everyone can hear the caller or the music. The scavenger list works outside too, as long as every item on it is visible from where the children are. The five-minute setup guide also suggests a seated circle for Hot Potato or Silent Ball. Check that guide's rules before choosing either one. Go by your actual ground, seating and guests rather than assuming every yard works the same way.

Checklist before you start

• Pick three games: an arrival game, a main game and a quiet backup.
• Gather any household items, including paper and a pen if you're writing scores, and put them within reach before you call the children over.
• Check that you can see the whole play area from where you'll lead.
• Test the music controls if you're playing freeze dance.
• Say what players do, show one turn, and say how the game ends and whether passing is allowed.
• For scored games, explain the scoring, agree that ties are shared, and decide how you'll settle a disputed turn.
• Teach the pause word and practice it once.
• Decide when a late arrival can join without starting behind.

Sources and further reading

• Party Games One Adult Can Run Alone
• Party Games Where the Host Can Step Away
• Party Games With Less Than Five Minutes of Setup
• Easy Party Games
• No Supplies Party Games
• Parent-Led Party Games
• Budget Party Games That Cost Almost Nothing

Related questions

• How many activities should I plan for a party?
• Which party games work indoors without moving furniture?
• Which party games work in a backyard or outdoor space?
• What should I do if a party game is not working?