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Games for Boys & Girls Under Eight Years Old

When hosting a party or gathering for a group of 8-year-old and younger children, keep them busy with exciting games. Games help young children build social skills and teach them how to meet new friends. Create games that physically challenge the youngsters and make them think. Awarding small prizes to game winners will encourage participation and have the little ones asking about the next game.

Rattlesnake Tag
- Have all the children line up in a single file line outside. Play this game where there is plenty of room to run. Have the children hold on to the waist of the player in front of them. The first person in line is the rattlesnake's head and the last person is the rattler. The head of the snake has to try to catch the rattler. If players let go of each other, the snake must stop and reconnect before advancing. When the snake catches the rattler, the rattler becomes the new snake head and must try to catch the new rattler. Keep playing until each child has a chance to be the snake head and rattler.
Dancing Balloons
- Inflate balloons and place a penny or a marble inside each balloon. Give each child a balloon and tell him to practice hitting the balloon in the air. The penny or marble make the balloon go to the ground faster. After the children practice for about five minutes, tell them to spread out about 3 feet from one another. When you say, "Go," the children must hit their balloons into air and try to keep them up for as long as possible. The player with the last balloon to hit the ground wins a prize.
Party Favor Hunt
- Purchase several bags of small party favors from your local party supply place or retail store and hide them all over the party area. Give each player a party favor bag and tell her to go hunt for as many party favor items as she can find. At the end of the game, count each player's items. The player who found the most items wins a prize. Each player can keep her sack of party favors to take home.
Silly Relay Race
- Divide the players into two teams and have them line up at a starting line. Mark another line about 20 feet away. Give the first player in each line a medium size foam ball or a balloon. When you say, "Race," the first player in each line must place the ball or balloon between his legs and hop to the other line. Once he reaches the line, he can run backward back to his team. The next player in line does the same thing. The first team to finish the relay race wins the game.

Kids Games