| What's a kids party without balloons? Great | | | | |
| for decorating, party favors, and of course, | | | | a balloon and pop it by sitting on it, |
| party games. Floating balloons, googly | | | | kicking it, etc. to get the prize hidden |
| balloons, water balloons, screaming balloons | | | | inside.ROUND UP THE HERDFor this game you |
| ... Here's a great collection of looney | | | | will need two brooms, a long string to mark |
| balloon games kids will love.BALLOON POP | | | | your course, six balloons (and a few extra in |
| RELAYForm guests into two lines facing a bag | | | | case any should pop). Set up an obstacle |
| of balloons about 20 feet away. At the | | | | course in your party area using boxes, |
| starting signal, guests must race to the | | | | |
| balloon bag, take one out and pop it as | | | | chairs, bushes, trees, etc. Mark the path of |
| quickly as possible by sitting on it, | | | | your obstacle course with string.Divide your |
| stepping on it, or any other means. They | | | | party guests into two teams and line up both |
| then race back and tag the next team member | | | | teams at the starting line. Give the first |
| in their line. The first team to have every | | | | person in each line a broom and three |
| player pop a balloon is the winner.BALLOON | | | | balloons. (Be sure to use different colored |
| BALANCEBlow up about 10-15 balloons and place | | | | balloons for each team). They must use the |
| them on the floor. Each guest has 2 minutes | | | | broom to herd their wild ponies (balloons) |
| (use a timer) to pick up and hold as many | | | | through the course.Each player must herd |
| balloons as possible. They must pick up the | | | | their balloons through the entire course to |
| balloons all by | | | | complete their turn. The first team to |
| | | | finish the course, wins! If a balloon pops |
| themselves without help, put them in their | | | | during a player's turn, he or she must take a |
| clothes, between their legs, under their | | | | new balloon to the starting line and begin |
| arms, between their teeth, etc. Each guest | | | | again.BALLOON RELAY RACE #1Instruct the |
| takes a turn while the others watch and laugh | | | | children to stand in two single-file lines, |
| themselves silly! The guest who holds the | | | | facing |
| most balloons when their time is up is the | | | | |
| winner.BALLOON BOPForm guests into a circle | | | | forward. Place a balloon between the knees |
| with an adult leader in the middle with a | | | | of the first child in each line. When the |
| balloon. Each guest will have a chance to | | | | race starts, the first child on each team |
| hit the balloon to keep it up, but here's the | | | | turns to face the next person in line. The |
| catch. The leader will call out the person's | | | | second child must grasp the balloon with his |
| name and a body part, and they must use that | | | | or her knees and turn to |
| body part to hit the balloon upwards to keep | | | | |
| it in play. You can use hands, feet, knee, | | | | pass it on to the third person, and so on. |
| elbow, head, and hips or butt. Players who | | | | If the balloon falls to the ground, the team |
| use the wrong body part or let the balloon | | | | must start |
| fall to the ground are out. The last player | | | | |
| standing with the | | | | over. The first team to successfully pass |
| | | | the balloon down the line, wins!BALLOON RELAY |
| balloon in play is the winner.CATCH THE | | | | RACE #2Divide guests into two or more equal |
| BALLOONGather children in a circle around the | | | | teams and have them stand in a line. Give |
| adult leader. Toss a balloon in the air and | | | | each team ten balloons in a basket or trash |
| call one child's name. That child must catch | | | | bag. The first child in each line takes a |
| the balloon before it touches the ground. If | | | | balloon and runs to the other side of the |
| the child succeeds, she gets to toss the | | | | room and sits or stomps on the balloon to pop |
| balloon and call the next name.BALLOONS AND | | | | it. They then run back to the line and tag |
| BEADSFill 20-30 balloons with two to four | | | | the next person who does the same thing. The |
| beads each and hide the filled balloons | | | | winning team is the one who pops all their |
| around the house or yard. Divide guests into | | | | balloons the fastest.WATER BALLOON TOSSFill |
| groups of two and tie one set of hands and | | | | up to 50 water balloons, depending the number |
| one set of feet together. Each team must | | | | and place them in large buckets. Divide |
| find as many balloons as they can, pop them | | | | guests into teams of two, standing and facing |
| by themselves, and return with their beads. | | | | each other. They begin by tossing a water |
| The team with the most beads at the end of | | | | |
| the game is the winner.GOOGLY BALLOONSBlow up | | | | balloon back and forth, taking a step |
| balloons, putting a small marble through the | | | | backward with each toss. If the balloon |
| neck of each one before tying the end. This | | | | pops, the team is out. The last team with an |
| makes the balloons move in unexpected ways. | | | | intact balloon wins.MUSICAL WATER |
| Release into the group one more balloon | | | | BALLOONSGuests sit in a large circle, about 4 |
| | | | feet apart. They must pass a water balloon |
| than children. The object is to keep the | | | | around the circle as music is played, without |
| balloons up in the air. Play this in two | | | | breaking it. Everyone who gets wet is out, |
| teams, each side with an extra balloon. The | | | | as well as each person left with the balloon |
| team who lets a balloon drop to the floor | | | | when the music stopsSCREAMING BALLOONSThis |
| first loses.FLOATING BALLOONSPass out a large | | | | isn't a party game, but it's just as fun as |
| balloon to each guest. Let them blow up their | | | | one! Tell kids you know how to make a |
| balloon and offer your help tying each one | | | | balloon scream. Before the party, drop a hex |
| securely. The object of this game is to hit | | | | nut into a latex balloon and inflate. When |
| the balloons up into the air and keep them | | | | you're ready to demonstrate, hold the balloon |
| afloat for the longest period of time. This | | | | in both hands and move it rapidly in a |
| is a fun and easy way to start or end any | | | | circular motion. Can you hear it scream?The |
| party!BALLOON POPPlace notes inside | | | | unique six-sided shape of the hex nut |
| un-inflated balloons, one or two of the notes | | | | vibrates the walls of the balloon as it |
| should indicate that this balloon is a | | | | moves, producing a rather unique "screaming" |
| winner. Inflate the balloons and hang them | | | | sound.Stock up on hex nuts and balloons |
| around. Let each child pick a balloon then | | | | because all your party guests will want to |
| pop it to see if their note is a | | | | try this one!Copyright 2005 Kids Party |
| winner.BALLOON FAVORSBefore the party, insert | | | | Paradise All Rights ReservedPatricia B. |
| a small, light-weight party favor such as a | | | | Jensen is a mother of three and kids party |
| sticker, into the opening of a balloon before | | | | enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner |
| inflating it. Then, inflate the balloon and | | | | of - a complete resource for kids party ideas |
| repeat until you have a balloon for each | | | | including invitations, cakes, decorations, |
| guest. Use these balloons to decorate the | | | | games, costumes, favors, and food.For all the |
| party area. At the end of the party, each | | | | latest party news, read her Kids Party Blog. |
| guest may take | | | | |