How do I prepare and use Printable Party Games?

What you can print from this page

This page has eight drawing prompts for a drawing-and-guessing round, plus a player line, a prompt line and a blank box to draw in. The prompts are words only. They are not illustrated cards. It also has blank host notes for game instructions, guest details, food and supplies, helper jobs and party-day details.

The other games mentioned here are on separate pages, and each one has its own contents and preparation steps. They don't all print the same way. For example, the Christmas picture bingo page doesn't include finished illustrated boards. You add matching pictures yourself before playing with children who can't read yet.

Choose which game to print

Choose the game guests will play before you print any host notes. Think about whether guests will read, draw, build or look for clues, and how much preparation you want to do. Each game below links to its own page, where you'll find its materials and rules.

For children who can't read yet, a printed word card only works if someone reads it aloud. Printing it in large type doesn't remove the reading task. For pre-readers, compare games that use picture clues and simple demonstrations. If you need a seated backup game, decide whether normal talking is fine or whether you need an activity with very little talking before you choose a guessing game.

If a game still depends on someone reading cards aloud, look at party games with no reading required instead. These rely on showing children what to do. It helps to show them how a round ends before you start, so pre-readers know what happens when it's over.

How to play the drawing game

Give everyone paper and a pencil. These are suggested house rules: one player who wants a turn draws while everyone else guesses together. If needed, read the prompt quietly to the drawer, and keep it out of sight of the guessers. Anyone can pass, and you can give a hint if the group gets stuck. Reveal the prompt before the next player takes a turn. No one keeps score.

You could allow about two minutes per drawing, or let the drawer say when the picture is ready. The game ends once everyone who wants a turn has had one. You don't need an answer key, but whoever is running the game should keep the chosen prompt handy so they can reveal it.

If waiting for turns won't suit your group, read one prompt aloud, have everyone draw it, then let them show their pictures if they'd like to. That turns it into a group drawing activity rather than a guessing game.

Long waits usually happen when one child draws at a time while everyone else watches. If your group is too big for that, having everyone draw the same prompt at once is one fix. You can also check which party games work for your group size, then compare the ideas with your numbers and space.

Get your game copies ready

Print one test copy and check the preview before printing the whole set. To work out how many copies you need, count the players or teams who will hold their own sheet. Decide whether that count includes the birthday child, siblings and any adults joining in, and don't count anyone twice. This is an illustrative example, not a rule: if eight children are playing, including the birthday child, plus one sibling who joins in, and each player gets their own drawing sheet, print nine player sheets and one host copy.

Before you count copies, settle who is actually coming. A guest-list planner gives you one attendance record where you can note siblings and any adults joining in, so each player appears only once. It also records the finish time and who is collecting each guest, which your host notes will need anyway.

• Count the players or teams, and write down how many copies each game needs.
• Check the words and instructions against the guests' reading skills. Arrange for someone to read aloud, or prepare pictures, wherever the game needs them.
• Keep player sheets apart from answer keys, hiding maps and helper directions.
• Gather pencils, paper and anything the game needs, such as bricks or bingo markers.
• Play through the game once to check that the player copy has everything needed.
• Put the game name, how to start and how the game ends together with its supplies.
• Leave the backup game where a helper can find it without digging through the main game's materials.

Write host notes a helper can follow

Write notes clear enough that another adult could take over during setup. The blank notes cover the game name, number of players or teams, number of copies, where to play, where supplies are kept, how to start, how the game ends, where the answers are kept, who leads the game and the backup game. They also cover guest RSVPs and sibling notes, allergies, contact numbers, pickup times, food and supply jobs, and party-day details. Party-day details include where shoes and bags go and what each guest takes home.

Group supplies by where you'll use them, not as one long shopping pile. For each item, note whether it needs to be bought, borrowed, prepared, labelled or packed.

A printable supply list gives you one place to write down each item, where it will be used and whether it needs buying, borrowing, preparing, labelling or packing. Work through the list in an order that suits the time you have before the party, and update it if your plans change.

Keep guest messages separate from host notes

Your invitation or group text only needs the practical details. Say whether parents should stay or drop off, and make sure the pickup time matches your host notes. Keep replies with the guest list. A helper needs to know what changed after the invitations went out, especially if someone different is picking up a child.

When a family sends a change, such as a different pickup person, note it in one place and copy it into the helper's host notes. A parent communication checklist can help with this. On party day, update only the details that changed and keep the contact and pickup information handy.

When to update your party notes

Here is a rough preparation sequence. Adjust it to the time you have. It isn't a party-day schedule.

• Two weeks before: write down the date, time, place, guest list and budget, and choose the game.
• One week before: add RSVPs, food notes and helper jobs. Try the game, and prepare any pictures, grids or hiding maps it needs. If you're playing outdoors, choose an indoor backup.
• The day before: print the player copies, put the answers somewhere separate, and set out supplies by room or table.
• Party day: add late replies and pickup changes. For a pool party, keep paper games on a separate dry table.

Final check before guests arrive

• Player copies are printed, with no answers showing.
• The host copy has the rules, answers, allergies and pickup details.
• Pencils, paper and any game supplies are at the table.
• A helper knows how to start and how to end the game.
• The backup game is easy to find.

Sources and further reading

• Printable Party Games

Related questions

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