Ten-Year-Old Birthday Bash: Interactive Group Activities
Planning a tenth birthday celebration means keeping every attendee busy and helping them mingle. The right mix of indoor and outdoor activities can turn the event into a lasting memory, from the treats to the presents.
By Taylor Mitchell
Birthday party games allow guests to stay entertained.
A tenth birthday celebration deserves to stand out in a child's memory. Each year, from the dessert to the presents, kids carry away recollections of their own party. Organizing group activities ensures that every attendee takes part and gives those who don't know each other a chance to become acquainted. Ten-year-olds tend to enjoy games that work both inside the house and out in the yard.
Paper Sack Skit Challenge
Pack paper bags with a mix of items like hats, shoes, party favors and clothing. Split the attendees into equal teams and hand each team one paper sack. Instruct them to keep the sack closed until the game begins. Each team should choose a room or an outdoor area away from the others. Once the host shouts "Go!" every team gets 15 minutes to build a skit using nothing but what's inside the bag. For a twist, teams can incorporate music or a tribute to the birthday child. When the 15 minutes are up, each team performs, and the adults pick the winner.
Cotton Ball Nose Relay
Gather petroleum jelly, cotton balls and small bowls. Everyone sits in a circle on their knees. Apply Vaseline to the tip of every player's nose. Place an empty bowl and a pile of cotton balls in front of each person. At "Go!" players try to pick up a cotton ball using only their nose and drop it into their bowl. Hands are not allowed. Whoever has the most cotton balls in their bowl after two minutes wins.
Play Money Auction
Ask every guest to bring a small, inexpensive gift—a white elephant gift works well, meaning a gently used item the guest no longer wants. Wrap it in a paper bag so the contents stay secret. Set all the gifts on a table and hand each guest who brought one $20 in play money. Begin the auction by holding up the first gift. Start the bidding at $1 and continue until it sells. The buyer opens the gift, then the next item goes up, and so on until everything is auctioned. Afterward, guests can spend their remaining play money buying gifts from one another. If anyone still has cash left, they can use it to be first in line for cake or to choose the first song.
