Three Party Games That Need Almost No Setup
Long summer afternoons and birthday parties both call for games that take minutes to set up and keep children entertained for hours. All you need is a doorway, a rod and a little imagination.
Turn a doorway into a fishing pond
Hang a curtain or divider across a doorway using an adjustable rod such as IKEA's BOTAREN shower curtain rod, which fixes easily between doorposts without drilling, a useful trick in flats and townhouses where walls cannot be touched. Give each child a play fishing rod and let them cast the line over the top. Behind the curtain, someone ties on a small bag of sweets before each child reels in their catch. It costs nothing to set up and works just as well indoors on a scorching afternoon as it does in a shaded courtyard.
Get everyone limbo dancing
A rod hung across a doorway also makes a ready limbo bar. BOTAREN's adjustable height means the bar can start high and drop gradually as the game goes on, suiting younger and older children in the same round. Add a few strips of DITTE pre-cut fabric along the rod to give it a festive, carnival feel. Put some music on, let the children queue up, and see who can bend back the furthest without toppling over. It is a game that needs no instructions and barely any space, which suits most Maltese homes nicely.
DITTE pre-cut fabric, natural, 150x300 cm
DITTE pre-cut fabric, grey, 150x300 cm
DITTE pre-cut fabric, white, 150x300 cm
Keep score along the door frame
Once the limbo bar is up, it is worth keeping a record of how low each child managed to go. Small labels fixed along the door frame, each one written with a name, turn the game into a mini tournament that can run on and off throughout the afternoon or party. It is a simple addition that adds a competitive edge without any extra equipment, and the labels can be peeled off afterwards without leaving marks on paintwork, which matters in rented flats and shared stairwells alike.
String up a surprise for every guest
For a quieter moment between games, tie a row of small gifts to ribbons along a rod. DJUNGELSKOG soft toys work well here, since there is one for almost any animal a child might hope for. Line the children up, blindfold one at a time, and hand them a pair of child-safe scissors such as IKEA's MÅLA scissors to snip their own prize free. It keeps a group of children occupied for a good stretch of time and means every guest goes home with something to hold onto.
DJUNGELSKOG soft toy, brown bear
DJUNGELSKOG soft toy, orangutan
DJUNGELSKOG soft toy, lion
DJUNGELSKOG soft toy, mini/orangutan, 20 cm
DJUNGELSKOG soft toy, mini/elephant, 12 cm
DJUNGELSKOG soft toy, mini/tiger, 13 cm
Simple games like these need little more than a rod, some ribbon and a few willing hands, and everything mentioned here can be ordered through Maltashopper for your home in Malta or Gozo.