3 yo party...games?

Adriamichelle83

Did you have games for your 3 year olds party? I've been looking online and it seems the most common games are pin-the-tail, musical chairs, hot potato and a pinata. Any one have luck with these games? We're having the party at our home, so I need some ideas to make sure it's a success! Thanks!

jc&cat

We did a seasonal craft for DS's 3rd bday since it was set up in the back yard and the kids could do it as they wanted rather than trying to organize a game. DS is an oct baby so we did mini pumpkin painting. If your LO has a summer b-day maybe puffy paint, stickers and cheap beach buckets or similar? Built in favor too I know it isn't quite a game but throwing it out there on top of the games you already have (which sound great for this age!).

LoCarb

I agree w/ the crafts; the bucket party favor sounds like a winner. Or decorate your own cupcakes?

We had our party at a venue and the party hosts attempted to teach the kids musical chairs but it failed. It was the first any of children had been exposed to this game.  My DD has played duck, duck, goose before in P/S but her friends outside of school are not familiar with the game. At her b-day party, the hostess held a stuffed dragon and the girls pretended they were princesses being chased by the dragon and would run from pt A to B and back again. Nothing really structured but the girls loved this! Games are tough at this age but I think all will be interested in a craft activity.

neverblushed

I would pick games depending on the guest list.  If most of the guests are from a preschool class or daycare room, you're probably dealing with a mix of kids who are 2 and 3.  More complicated games with a degree of waiting your turn are tougher on younger toddlers.  Kids this age also don't deal well with games where they are sent out or eliminated. I would rule out pin-the-tail and musical chairs if the guest list has a lot of kids who are not yet 3 or who have just turned 3.

For a guest list that's mostly late 2's and early 3's, try more open-ended activities like a beanbag toss, easy craft table, sidewalk chalk drawing, etc.  A good game for that age is the "freeze dance."   

If the list includes older friends, cousins, etc. -- a range of ages -- then the younger kiddos will follow the lead of the older kids who can handle pin-the-tail and musical chairs.

If your guests are really small, consider the type of pinata where they pull a string.  I've been to many preschool parties where the kids couldn't break the pinata, and the adults had to cut it open and dump out the goodies.  Also, I once went to a party where the party mom had a bag of spare goodies.  Any kids who were too cautious to join the scramble for loot could just fill their bags from her.  As a mom of shy kids, I REALLY appreciated this! 

June2007

At DD#1 third birthday we did two structured games: Pun the Gingerbread Man on the Candy Castle (Like pin the tail on the donkey), drawing for Candy striped straws (short straw won a prize, everyone got to keep their plastic reusable fun straws). For unstructured activities we had a water balloon fight, slip and slide and kiddie pools.

For her fourth birthday a month ago we did a pi?ata, which went well, a treasure hunt, and attempted a crab walk race but it didn't work at all!

Adriamichelle83

Thanks so much for the responses! I definitely think I'll stick with crafts...now to come up with the crafts...ha!

Quiksilver620

DD went to a bday party last summer and they had a type of fishing game. It was a filled kiddie pool with some animal tub toys. The kids each got a few turns 'fishing' the animals out of the pool with a butterfly net. It was a huge hit and DD still has the toys she caught.

good luck