1st Birthday Party Games

Party games especially for 1st Birthdays

Games for 1 year olds that are fun and age appropriate for first birthday parties.   
In addition to these party games for 1 year olds see our page on  first birthday ideas for more ideas on how to make a first birthday special.  First birthday ideas that include activities, keeping memories, tips and advice.

Treasure Hunt Games
Hide plastic eggs (so they are easy to find) or hide any item that is as large as an egg that matches your first birthday theme around the party area. Help them search for the items and collect them in a basket or paper sack. Older children and adults can help the younger guests. 

Simon Says
Young children like to mimic adults so play a fun version of Simon Says.  Have an adult stand up in front of the kids and start patting their head - then ask the 1 year olds to pat their heads.  Then switch to other easy gestures like putting their arms in the air, smiling, sticking out their tongues or making a funny face.

Hokey Pokey
For the game Hokey Pokey have adults stand with their child so that everyone is in a big circle. The Leader takes their arm and places it forward and then sings the Hokey Pokey song. "Put your left arm in (everyone puts their left arm toward the middle of the circle. ) ... Take your left arm out (everyone takes their left arm out of the circle) ... Put your left arm in then shake it all about (everyone put their left arm back inside the circle & then shakes their hand) .. do the hokey pokey, then turn yourself about (everyone puts up their two pointer fingers and points to the ceiling as they turn around) and that is what it is all about!". Say the last saying after each round while clapping.  Then you start again but this time it's your right hand, then your left foot, right foot, head and whole self.   

Color Poster Boards
Write the child's name on a large poster board. Let them draw with colors and markers on the big poster boards.  It is easier if you tape the large poster to a table top, if it's a nice day tape the posters to a fence to make a simple easel.

Dancing
One year olds like to dance to music. Put on a fast song and let them dance freestyle with the party guests.  

Freeze Dance Game
Have everyone at the party dance to music - one year olds can be held by an adult.  When the leader calls out "Freeze!" everyone has to freeze in the position that they were in at that time.  After a 10 - 15 seconds call out "Unfreeze" and everyone starts dancing again. 

Pass bean bags around to music Make or buy bean bags in bright colors.  Have children sit in a circle on adults laps and pass the bean bags around while the music plays.  If there are older children at the party you can play fox and hen with the bean bags.  Hen and Fox Game Party guests sit down. Give a bean bag to two of the children  opposite from each other. Name one of the bean bags "Hen".  The others name is "Fox".  Bean bags are passed around fast to keep the hen away from the fox.

Duck Pond Game
Place rubber ducks into a small tub or pool. Birthday guests take a duck from the pool and win a small prize matching the ducks number. With permanent marker underneath the duck place a number or symbol before the party. Set out prizes that you will give out that match the ducks numbers.   Rice or sand can be used instead of water if playing the game inside.

Ball Pit
Make a ball pit with a blowup swimming pool and plastic balls that you can buy at the toy or discount store (the plastic balls like at McDonalds).  Let kids climb in and out and play inside of it.

Sidewalk Chalk
Set out lots of sidewalk chalk. Help the kids draw pictures on the porch or driveway and then take a picture of every child with their artwork and send it to them with a thank yiou card.