Animal-Themed Birthday Party Games

Hunt Games

• Hide a plush animal around the party area and have the children hunt for the animal. The first child to find the animal wins a prize. Alternatively, hide several plastic animals around the party area and have the children find as many animals as they can. The player who finds the most animals wins the game. Another idea is a chicken egg hunt. Hide plastic ̶0;chicken̶1; eggs filled with small party favors around the party area. The children can hunt the eggs and keep the prizes inside the eggs as mementos of the party.

Charades

• Play a game of animal charades by writing down several names of animals on small slips of paper, such as pig, monkey, chicken, snake, tiger and dog. Divide the children into two teams. One player from each team must act out an animal. If the team guesses correctly in 30 seconds, they earn a point, and the team with the most points wins the game. Another idea is to tape an animal name on each child̵7;s back and have children ask yes or no questions about their animal to try and guess what it is. The first player to guess correctly earns a prize. Keep playing until everyone guesses correctly.

Obstacle Course

• Create an obstacle course. Players must carry a large inflatable animal like a crocodile or shark while balancing on boards, weaving through cones, jumping through hula hoops, jumping rope and crawling under picnic tables. The child with the fastest time wins the game. If you have enough items to create two identical courses, have two teams compete against one another and the team with the fastest time wins the race.

Classic Games

• Organize a few classic party games for the children to play like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. You can also play Pin the Tail on the Horse or Pin the Rattler on the Snake.

  Instead of Hot Potato, play a game of Hot Animal using a plush animal. The player who wins the game wins the plush animal.

  Hang a candy and toy-filled animal piñata and allow the children to try to bust it open with a stick. They can fill party favor bags with candy and animal-themed favors to take home.