By Hannah · former primary-school teaching assistant & mum of two · 9 October 2026
Quick answer
15 easy party games for 5 year olds — musical statues, pass the parcel, a treasure hunt and more — plus a 90-minute party plan and ideas for 6 year olds.
Key takeaways
- The best party games for 5 year olds have simple rules and lots of movement: musical statues, musical bumps, pass the parcel, What’s the time, Mr Wolf? and a short treasure hunt.
- Five-year-olds focus for about 10 minutes per game. Plan 5–6 games for a 90-minute party, with food in the middle.
- Avoid long elimination games — give the ones who are ‘out’ a job instead. Keep sleeping lions ready to calm things down.
- For 6 year olds, add a bit of competition: musical chairs, relay races and a rhyming-clue treasure hunt.
Short on time? A printable treasure hunt for ages 4–9 is the easiest main event for a fifth birthday.
In this guide 15 games for 5 year olds · A 90-minute party plan · Party games for 6 year olds · Tips that save the day · FAQs
15 Party Games for 5 Year Olds
- Musical statues: The perfect opener — everyone joins in, and at five, “freezing” is still the funniest thing in the world.
- Musical bumps: Sit down when the music stops. Instead of knocking children out, give the last one down a silly job (“you’re the DJ now!”).
- Pass the parcel: A sweet or sticker in every layer so nobody leaves empty-handed. Five-year-olds can manage 8–10 layers.
- Sleeping lions: Your secret weapon for calming a giddy room before food.
- What’s the time, Mr Wolf?: Simple rules, lots of squealing. A grown-up makes a good first wolf.
- Duck, duck, goose: Sit in a circle on the floor — ideal for a living room.
- Simon says: Let the birthday child be Simon for a round.
- Follow the leader: Hop like a bunny, stomp like a dinosaur, tiptoe like a mouse.
- Corners: Number four corners; the caller shuts their eyes and calls a number. Easy enough for five-year-olds to run themselves.
- Bean bag throw: Buckets or hoops at different distances. Everyone scores something.
- Balloon keepy-uppy: Keep the balloon up as a team. Pick up any burst pieces straight away — they’re a choking hazard.
- Animal charades: Act out an animal for the others to guess. No reading needed.
- Colour hunt: “Find something blue!” — first one back gets a cheer. A mini scavenger hunt for the attention span of five.
- Pin the tail on the donkey: Or a theme version: the horn on the unicorn, the cape on the superhero.
- Treasure hunt: The main event. At five, use picture or short rhyming clues, 5–7 stops and a grown-up helper per small group.
Hannah’s tested tip: At Oscar’s fifth, I learned that five-year-olds will happily play musical statues for twenty minutes but lose interest in anything with more than two rules. Keep it simple, keep it loud, and have a grown-up ‘helper’ in every game.
Want the full list? Our children’s party games guide has 40 games for every age.
A 90-Minute Party Plan for 5 Year Olds
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0:00–0:10 | Arrivals: colouring, stickers or a craft table |
| 0:10–0:35 | Musical statues, pass the parcel, What’s the time, Mr Wolf? |
| 0:35–1:00 | Food |
| 1:00–1:05 | Sleeping lions to settle tummies |
| 1:05–1:25 | Treasure hunt in small groups |
| 1:25–1:30 | Cake, party bags, goodbyes |
Our treasure hunt for 5 year olds guide has ready-made rhyming clues and a free printable.
Party Games for 6 Year Olds
Six-year-olds can handle a bit more competition and slightly longer rules. Keep the favourites from above and add:
- Musical chairs — now they can take being out without tears (mostly).
- Relay races — egg and spoon, sack race, or carrying a balloon between knees.
- Stuck in the mud — brilliant in the garden.
- Kim’s game — 10 objects on a tray, one taken away.
- A themed treasure hunt — 6–8 rhyming clues and a story. See our treasure hunt for 6 year olds.
Superhero Treasure HuntA save-the-day superhero mission with clues simple enough for a four-year-old. Ages 4–9.View the hunt · £12.99 →
Princess & Knight Treasure HuntKnights and princesses on one quest — teamwork is built into the story. Ages 4–9.View the hunt · £12.99 →
Dinosaur Treasure HuntDino characters, rhyming clues and a treasure map — indoor or garden. Ages 4–9.View the hunt · £12.99 →
Tips That Save the Day
- One grown-up per 5–6 children. Five-year-olds need a referee and a cheerleader.
- Prizes for everyone. A sticker for joining in; the treasure at the end for the whole team.
- Short games, often. Stop while they’re still enjoying it.
- A calm corner. Some children need a break from the noise — a few books and cushions help.
Common mistakes (and easy fixes)
- Complicated rules: Fix: if you can’t explain it in one sentence, save it for next year.
- Long elimination games: Fix: give the ‘out’ players a job — DJ, judge, helper.
- Food too late: Hungry five-year-olds melt down. Fix: food in the middle of the party.
- Treasure hunt too hard: Fix: picture or rhyming clues, 5–7 stops, hide clues in plain sight.
Frequently asked questions
What party games are good for 5 year olds?
Musical statues, musical bumps, pass the parcel, sleeping lions, What’s the time, Mr Wolf?, duck duck goose, Simon says and a short treasure hunt with picture or rhyming clues.
How many games do you need for a 5 year old’s party?
Five or six games for a 90-minute party, each lasting about 10 minutes, with food in the middle and a treasure hunt as the main event.
How long should a 5 year old’s party last?
Ninety minutes to two hours is plenty. Most five-year-olds run out of steam after that.
What games can 5 year olds play indoors?
Musical statues and bumps, pass the parcel, sleeping lions, corners, animal charades, balloon keepy-uppy and an indoor treasure hunt.
What party games suit 6 year olds?
Everything that works for five-year-olds, plus musical chairs, relay races, stuck in the mud, Kim’s game and a themed treasure hunt with 6–8 rhyming clues.
Is a treasure hunt suitable for a 5 year old’s party?
Yes — use picture or short rhyming clues, 5–7 stops and a grown-up helper per small group. Printable hunts for ages 4–9 include easier versions for younger children.
Written and play-tested by Hannah — a Yorkshire mum of two and former primary-school teaching assistant. Last reviewed October 2026.
About the author
Hannah is the mum behind Riddlelicious — a former primary-school teaching assistant who tests every printable hunt on her own two before it reaches the shop.
