20 indoor party games for kids
A room, some children and an hour to fill. These games need almost nothing and have worked for generations.
The classics
- Musical statues Dance, then freeze when the music stops.
- Pass the parcel A prize wrapped in many layers, unwrapped one layer per stop of the music.
- Sleeping lions Lie still. Anyone who moves is out. Popular with adults.
- Simon says Only do it if Simon says.
- Hide and seek Still unbeaten.
- Treasure hunt Written or picture clues, each leading to the next.
Team games
- Charades Act it out without speaking.
- Balloon keep-up Do not let it touch the floor.
- Spoon race An egg, a potato or a ping-pong ball on a spoon.
- Chinese whispers Whisper a sentence round the circle.
- Wink murder One secret winker, one detective.
- The floor is lava Cushions required.
Quiet games
- Kim’s game Study a tray of objects, cover it, remember as many as you can.
- Who am I? A name stuck to your forehead; ask yes or no questions.
- Twenty questions Animal, vegetable or mineral.
- Squeak piggy squeak Blindfolded, guess who you are sitting on.
- Consequences Fold-over paper stories.
- Dead ants On your back, legs in the air, last to move.
- Beetle Roll dice to draw a beetle part by part.
- Marble Rumble For the sit-down moment: four children round one tablet, one-minute rounds, winner stays on. We make Marble Rumble, so of course it is on this list. Everything else here is someone else’s game, and we have no connection to any of them.
More game ideas
Common questions
What are good indoor party games for kids?
Musical statues, pass the parcel, sleeping lions, charades, treasure hunts and wink murder all work indoors with no special equipment.
How many games do you need for a children’s party?
Plan six to eight for a two hour party, mixing active games with quiet ones, and keep two spare.
Ready to flick?
Marble Rumble is free, runs in the browser and needs no account or download.