“Games are a way to spend time together.”
This is a collection of lively games that fit well in team competitions. Most come in the form of relays, but they can easily be adopted so that team members take turns and only one member participates in each game. Many of these games are entertaining for bystanders and participants alike.
A knife, fork, tray, sturdy plate, a glass that can withstand a beating, and a stopwatch.
This is a fun yet challenging balancing competition, perfect for adults, teens, and older kids. It works well in both your garden and at a park.
Begin by placing the knife, fork, plate, and glass on the tray. Players must carry the tray by balancing it on one flat hand held underneath. Note that players are not allowed to curl their fingers around the edge of the tray for support at any time.
The goal is to complete a designated course as quickly as possible without dropping any items.
The course can be simple, like running around a tree and returning to the starting point, or more adventurous by adding obstacles. For an extra challenge, consider incorporating tasks such as crawling under a table, stepping over objects, or weaving between markers.
If a player drops any item from the tray, they must stop to retrieve it. The game may only continue once all items are back on the tray and the player is again balancing it with one flat hand. Players are allowed to place the tray down and use both hands to reset any dropped items before continuing.
The fastest player to complete the course wins!
Team Relay: To turn this into a relay race, divide players into teams. Each team member completes the course in turn, passing the tray to the next player upon finishing. The first team to have all members complete the course is declared the winner!
A cookie and a chair for each participant.
Face the Cookie Challenge is a classic, popular, and fun game that’s much harder than it appears. It’s also easy to set up and entertaining for other party guests to watch.
To play, participants should sit in chairs with their faces directed toward the ceiling or sky, keeping their hands behind their backs. A cookie is placed on each participant’s forehead.
At the start signal, players must use only their facial muscles and head movements, making exaggerated expressions and movements, to move the cookie down their faces and into their mouths. Hands must remain behind their backs, and players must stay seated throughout the game. The first person to successfully get the cookie into their mouth and take a bite wins.
If someone drops their cookie, they can use their hands to pick it up and place it back on their forehead to start over.
Pancakes and frying pans.
For this lively outdoor party game, you’ll need pancakes and frying pans. It’s perfect for both kids and adults.
The rules are simple but add a hilarious twist to a classic race. Each player must run to a designated turnaround point, such as a tree or a stick, and then return while carrying a frying pan and flipping a pancake three times during the race. If a pancake hits the ground, that flip doesn’t count, and the player must flip it again. It’s a good idea to have some extra pancakes on hand, just in case any get dropped or damaged during the race. (Of course, you can play with something other than pancakes.)
The first person to cross the finish line wins, and the chaotic flips and fumbles are almost as enjoyable to watch as they are to participate in!
If there are many participants, consider organizing a team relay version of the race. In this format, each runner completes their lap with their own pancake and then hands the frying pan to the next team member. The next runner takes the pan, adds their pancake, and races off while flipping it. This version is fast-paced, funny, and exciting!
Chairs, cotton balls, bowls, and something sticky, such as hair wax or Vaseline.
This party game is a lot of fun for both kids and adults, and the best part is that everyone can participate, regardless of age. It’s easy to set up, hilarious to play, and just as entertaining to watch for those who aren’t competing. While it’s often played outdoors, it works just as well indoors as long as there is enough space.
To prepare for the game, set up two chairs for each player or team, placing them at least seven feet apart. On one chair, place a bowl filled with cotton balls; on the other, an empty bowl.
Before the game begins, apply a small dab of, for example, petroleum jelly or sticky hair wax to the tip of each participant’s nose. This is their only “tool” for transporting the cotton balls - no hands allowed!
The goal is to move as many cotton balls as possible from the full bowl to the empty one using only their noses. Players can shake, nod, or swing their heads to help drop the cotton balls into the bowl, but their hands must stay out of the game!
The player who transfers the most cotton balls in 2 minutes wins.
To play in teams, set up two chairs per team and turn it into a relay. One person at a time will take a turn moving cotton balls for about 30 seconds to a minute, then tag the next player. Continue this process until all team members have played or until a specified total time has elapsed (such as 5 minutes). The team with the most cotton balls in their bowl at the end wins!
Balloons.
This hilarious balloon race game is enjoyable for both kids and adults. It’s a bit goofy and chaotic, making it entertaining for spectators as well.
The game works great as either an individual challenge or a team competition.
Each player starts with a fully inflated balloon placed snugly between their knees. (Tip: use smaller balloons for younger kids to make it manageable.) At your signal, contestants must waddle, hop, or shuffle their way to a designated checkpoint, round it, and make their way back - all without dropping or popping the balloon.
If a player drops their balloon before reaching the checkpoint, they must pick it up and return to the starting line to try again. However, if they drop it after rounding the checkpoint, they only need to go back to that point, not all the way to the start.
If someone pops their balloon, they must run back to the start, inflate a new balloon, and return to the point where the old balloon burst before continuing.
To play a relay version, divide players into teams. Each team will have its own course and checkpoint. One player at a time completes the race and then hands the balloon over to the next teammate. The first team to have all members complete the course wins!
This game can be played at parties, in schools, or in preschools, making it suitable for all ages.
An open space and some strings.
This fun and active game can be played individually or in teams, making it perfect for any outdoor gathering.
Each participant ties their ankles together with a string or yarn, effectively “binding” their feet. Once everyone is ready, the goal is to complete a course as quickly as possible using only two-footed hops or waddling forward. Hands or crawling are not allowed!
You can design the course to include simple obstacles, such as circling a tree or navigating around garden furniture. Decide whether everyone will compete simultaneously or if participants will take turns with a stopwatch. The fastest player to finish the course wins!
For a team relay, players race one by one, each with their feet tied together. When one player crosses the finish line, the next teammate takes their turn. The first team to have all members complete the course wins!
For an extra hilarious twist, try binding the entire team together! After tying each player’s ankles, connect team members to one another, so the whole group is linked. Each person should be tied to at least one teammate.
Now, the whole team must work together to complete the course as fast as possible. The team that crosses the finish line first wins.
Get ready for laughter, teamwork, and lots of hopping fun!
A Kubb game set (or a few wooden blocks and batons).
Kubb is a popular lawn game (especially in Sweden) that’s perfect for backyards, parks, and other outdoor spaces. Typically played as a strategic team game, Kubb can also be adapted into various mini-games with a bit of creativity. Compete individually or in teams.
Here are some examples of mini-games you can play with Kubb.
Arrange five kubbs in a line away from you, spaced about 3 feet (1 meter) apart, with the king at the far end. For two teams, create two identical lanes with the king centered between them.
These variations make Kubb a fast-paced, skillful, and competitive game that’s fun for all ages. Challenge your kids, friends, colleagues, or family to see who has the best aim!
One empty bottle, a string or yarn, and a pen for each player/team.
This hilarious and slightly ridiculous party game is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, whether played solo or in teams. It’s great for mixed ages and works well both indoors and outdoors. Best of all, it’s just as entertaining to watch as it is to play, making it the perfect addition to your party lineup.
To play, each player ties a piece of string around a pen and fastens the other end around their waist, allowing the pen to dangle behind them like a tail. Place an empty bottle on the ground about 10 yards (or 3 meters) away from each player.
When the start signal is given, players race to their bottles and attempt to lower the pen into the bottle without using their hands - only by squatting, adjusting, and aiming with their hips.
The first player to get the pen into their bottle wins!
Set up one bottle per team and have the first player complete the pen-drop challenge. Once successful, they run back and hand the setup to the next player, who ties it around their waist and repeats the challenge. The team that gets all their players to land the pen in the bottle first wins.
For a fun twist (often popular at student or adult parties), swap the pen for a tampon and fill each bottle halfway with water. When the tampon hits the water, it begins to swell and gets stuck inside the bottle.
Here’s the twist: once the tampon is in the bottle, the player must race back to the starting line, hands-free with the bottle dangling behind them! If the bottle falls off, they are out of the game, so be careful.
Buckets or bowls, water, and one sponge per player or team.
This fast-paced water game is ideal for warm days and outdoor fun. It can be played solo or in teams and is suitable for all ages, making it perfect for birthday parties, family gatherings, or summer playdates.
Set up one full bucket of water at the starting line for each player or team. Place an empty bucket or bowl the same distance away; these are the goals. Make sure all containers are the same size, and give each player or team a dry sponge.
On “go,” players soak the sponge, run to the empty bucket, and squeeze out the water. They then return to repeat the process (or pass the sponge to a teammate in relay mode). Players may not move or touch the empty bucket.
The first player or team to make their bucket overflow wins!
To increase the difficulty, you can add challenges such as:
Suitable fruits, such as an apple or orange, for each team.
This game is typically played in pairs but can easily be adapted into a relay race. Each team starts with a piece of fruit, commonly an orange (or you could use a tennis ball). The pairs must work together to move the orange along a designated course or distance.
To play, the competing pairs stand face to face with their hands behind their backs, holding the orange securely between their bellies. The challenge is to move as quickly as possible from start to finish without dropping the orange.
If the orange falls, the pair must stop, pick it up, and take three steps backward before continuing the race.
To turn this into a relay, each pair passes the orange to the following team members once they have completed their leg of the course.
This game is perfect for kids’ parties and can easily be customized for any season. Try using pumpkins for a Halloween party, eggs for Easter, or even beach balls for a summer-themed event!
Replace the fruit with a plastic glass filled with water. The pair that has the most water remaining in their glass after crossing the finish line wins.
A stick, bat, or similar long object for each player (use longer bats for adults and shorter ones for kids).
Dizzy Bat is a hilarious game that’s just as entertaining to watch as it is to play. It’s best played on soft grass, as players will get dizzy and may stumble. You can play it individually or in a team relay format.
To set up the game, mark a starting line and place one stick or bat approximately 50 feet away for each player, ensuring they are spaced out.
On “go,” players will run to their designated stick, place one end on the ground, and the other against their forehead. They will then spin around the stick seven times. Once they finish spinning, they will race back to their starting point. The first player to return wins.
Players compete in teams. Each player runs to their stick, spins seven times, and races back to tag the next teammate. The first team to finish with all team members wins.
One sack per participant.
The sack race is a timeless favorite enjoyed by kids, adults, and spectators alike. It’s perfect for garden parties, family events, or group gatherings.
In this game, each player steps into a sack and pulls it up to their waist. When the starting signal is given, players hop from the starting line to the finish line, with the first one to cross winning the race. For added excitement, you can introduce obstacles or have players hop to a turning point and back.
In relay mode, players pass the sack to the next teammate after completing their leg of the race.
Get ready for plenty of laughs and bouncy chaos!
One boot (or “welly”).
Welly Boot Throwing (also called Welly Hoying) is a hilarious outdoor game that’s perfect for family gatherings, garden parties, or pentathlon events. Play it on a lawn, in a garden, or in an open field.
The goal is simple: throw the boot as far as possible!
Here are some ways to play:
Pro tip: Helmets can make this safer and add to the laughs. Expect funny throws and lots of competition!
The games on this page have been compiled for Games for Your Party, a website that collects game ideas for parties, holidays, and other gatherings.
Many of the games have been used at real parties and gatherings.
Choose a category below to find games that fit your party or event.
