By the age of seven or eight, children are full of life and imagination. Here are some ideas for workshops to entertain a group of children of this age during a party.
Sack race
It's a great classic that looks like nothing, but is very difficult (and very funny)! You can get jute pouches at a horticultural center, some grocery stores, or even on Amazon. Some supermarkets also sell colorful bags made especially for these races. All that remains is to determine a start line and a finish line. Also organize a small race with the other parents. Your children will really appreciate this opportunity to laugh at you!
Treasure Hunt
Draw a plan of your house on a nice parchment paper and draw a red X where the first clue is. Write down five or six clues and let the children go from clue to clue to the treasure! If you have blinders and sabers, you can even dress them up as a pirate to add to the vibe.
Skills Contest
Do you have the makings of a showman? If every time you goat a carnival or at La Ronde, your children want to participate in paid games to win a teddy bear, why not organize one or more workshops that will put their skills to the test? You can prepare:
- A wall of balloons: burst 3 of them with darts to win a prize;
- Baskets/containers placed diagonally: you have to fit 3 balls in them;
- 2-litre soft drink bottles in a box: you have to succeed in throwing 3 rings on the necks;
- Rubber ducks balanced on glasses: knock one down with a water gun.
Don't forget to put up some prominent prizes to motivate them!
Puppet Theater
If you have puppets and a theater, great! Alternatively, you can make characters out of cardboard, popsicle sticks, and premade eyes. Ask the children to each make a character or an animal. Then, form two small teams who will prepare a short story and put on a show while hiding behind a piece of furniture.
One, two, three… Sun
A person stands in front of a group of fidgeting children trying to get closer. The person says “One, two, three…Sun!”, turning around suddenly and all the children must make the statue. If a child moves, he is eliminated. The winner is the last to beeliminated or the first to catch the one in front.
Hide and Seek
This is the perfect age to play hide and seek! You know the rest: choose someone to look for the others and ask him to count to twenty. “Ready, not ready…here I go!” Plus, your guests won't necessarily know your house and will find the first rounds really exciting. Moreover, remember to delimit the accessible rooms from those which are not so as not to have unpleasant surprises.
Tag contamination
The person who must catch the others (the tag) infects the other players they touch and who in turn become tagged. Since it's a party, infected people can hold a balloon or wear a hat to be more easily identified. The last player not to be infected wins. It's a good game for those who have a big yard or a park nearby, and feel remorse if they don't let the kids play outside!
Yogurt bar
In addition to being good for your he alth, the yogurt bar is a real eye-catcher for children. By paying particular attention to the presentation, your yogurt bar will even be part of the decoration. Use cute bowls and make little labels using a nice font to identify ingredients that can be dropped into the yogurt. You can offer cranberries, raisins, coconut,pumpkin seeds, berries and sunflower seeds to add to vanilla or plain yogurt. If you want, you can also make an ice cream bar by offering chocolate chips, marshmallows and syrups, but remember to watch the portions so you don't end up with nauseous kids on your hands. Also remember to inform yourself about food allergies whenever you prepare a meal for children you know less.
Jewellery
If you mostly invite girls, you can prepare a jewelry workshop and let them leave with their creation in a nice bag and some cute candies as a guest gift. The jewelry patterns will depend on the marbles you find. Several jewelry and DIY stores sell loose beads, wires and latches, all you have to do is choose a style!
