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Selection of totally fun filled party games for tweens that they are guaranteed to love. These games are all budget friendly, simple to coordinate and easy to play.
These tween games are perfect for birthday parties, camps or anytime a bunch of tweens are hanging together.
Fun and laughter will be had by all.
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Planning a birthday party for your tween?
Whilst the kids are starting to grow up, it is still important to remember to coordinate games for the party.
Think of party games like the glue.
The games are literally what holds the party together. If you have a well thought out and coordinated games list, then the party will run smoothly and you will ensure that everyone in attendance has a great time.
Stuck to know which party games for tweens are suitable?
It can be tricky to ensure that the games are not too young, but also not too old for the kids either.
Luckily we have gathered a whole heap of tween party games that are super easy for you to prepare.
Read on for a full list of awesome games.
What Is The Tween Age?
Typically a tween is a child aged between 9 and 12.
This can be a difficult age for kids because they are no longer a little child, but they are not a teenager either. They are the in-between age, the “tween”.
These kids are in between two distinct age groups, which can make them difficult to cater for, especially when it comes to coordinating parties.
They are too young to be treated like teenagers, but they certainly want something more “grown up” than what you would coordinate for a kids party.
How Do You Entertain Tweens At A Party?
Holding a party for a tween can feel challenging.
Kids of this age want to have a party that is reflective of their growing maturity, however they still enjoy the basic party ideas that younger children enjoy.
Tweens are however too old for the classic party games like pin the tail on the donkey and pass the parcel.
But don’t dispair because there are LOTS of party games for tweens that you can easily include at their next birthday party.
Having these games planned before the party starts will ensure that you feel prepared and you will enjoy the party a whole lot more.
These parties are a whole lot of fun, and your tween will thank you for the preparation.
Active Party Games For Tweens
There is one thing that a lot of tweens have a lot of and that’s energy!
Use these party games to ensure the tweens use some of that energy before tucking into the party food.
1. Limbo
This game can either be played with a limbo set or simply with 2 adults holding a broom or stick.
The tweens need to take it in turns to move under the stick without touching it. They need to move themselves under the stick by bending themselves backwards.
If however their body or their hands touch the ground they are out!
Keep moving the stick lower and lower to make it more difficult. This will certainly create a lot of laughter.
2. Tug Of War
Tweens will love the competitive nature of the tug of war game!
Divide them into two equal teams and have them stand at each end of a long rope.
Mark lines on the ground for the where the middle of the rope starts and where the rope needs to be pulled to for the team to win.
Ensure that you tie a ribbon to the centre of the rope so it’s easy to see.
When you shout GO, the teams both pull.
The first team to pull the ribbon on the rope over their line is the winner.
3. The Line Up
This game is great for interaction and also some fun discussion.
Ask the tweens to randomly stand in a line and then read out some instructions to them.
The tweens need to quickly organise themselves in a line according to the instruction read. Give them 60 seconds on the clock to ensure that they work fast!
Instruction examples could include:
- Line up in order of age
- Line up in order of height
- Line up in order of your first / last name in the alphabet
- Line up according to how many siblings you have
- Line up according to how many cousins you have
- Line up in your birthday month.
Have an entire list of things to read so you are not trying to think of things on the spot.
The tweens are playing against the reader. If they don’t rearrange in time then the reader wins that round. If they do it correctly then they win.
If the tweens win overall then hand out a candy prize. If the reader wins, eat a candy in front of them!
4. Pinata
You can never be too old for a pinata. The pinata doesn’t have to be filled with just candy. There are many other options too, for example:
- Tattoos
- Lipbalm or lip gloss
- Balloons
- Pens
- Mini notepads
If you decide to include non candy items, ensure that you have enough to share between the tweens so that they all have something.
Hang the pinata somewhere sturdy and let the tweens take it in turns to hit the pinata until it breaks open.
5. Sack Race
The simple sack race game is one that never gets boring. It’s perfect for tweens to be able to release some energy.
Just ensure that you have enough room for the game to be played.
Simply give each tween a sack (or divide into teams and give one sack per team). The aim of the game is to jump in the sacks to the finish line.
If playing in teams, run the race as a relay.
The winner is the first tween or team to cross the finish line.
6. Freeze Tag
Tweens will love running around for freeze tag.
The game is pretty simple.
One of the kids is chosen to be the tagger. Everyone else has to run around and try to avoid being touched or tagged.
If they are tagged they have to stand still with their legs apart and freeze.
The only way to unfreeze is for another player to crawl under their legs.
The game finishes when either the tagger has frozen all the other players, or a time limit is reached.
The game can be played multiple times with different taggers.
7. Bean Bag Toss
To play this game, you will need empty tin cans and bean bags. Build the tin cans up into a tower on a table.
The tweens are given 3 bean bags and the have to throw them at the tower.
The aim of the game is to knock all the tin cans off the table.
The player that knocks off the most is the winner.
8. Balloon Tower
Divide the tweens into teams and give each team a bag of balloons and some scotch tape.
Give the teams 10 minutes and in that time they need to blow up the balloons and create a big a tower as they can.
The team that builds the biggest tower is the winner.
For More Related Balloon Games > 23 of The Best Easy Balloon Games Kids Will Love
Tween Party Games That Include Food
Utilising food in the party games, can create a lot of fun, and kids are generally very eager to get involved.
This selection of tween party games all include food that is easy to prepare.
9. Donut Game
This game is easy to prepare with just donuts and string. Ensure you buy enough donuts so each tween has one. The donuts will need to be the ones with a hole in the middle.
Tie a piece of string around the donuts and then hang them. You could hang them in a row from another piece of string or just use what you already have in place such as a washing line.
The aim of the game is for the tweens to eat a donut whilst their hands are behind their back and ensuring none of the donut falls to the floor.
You will be amazed at how quickly some of the tweens can do this!
10. Apple Bobbing
Have some large tubs available and fill with water. Place 10-15 apples in the water.
The aim of the game is for the tween to pull as many apples as they can from the tub, using only their mouths. Ensure that their hands are placed behind their back!
Give the tweens a certain amount of time to play. The winner is the tween that was able to pick out the most apples.
11. Pass The Fruit
This game can be played with apples or oranges.
Get all the tweens to stand in two lines facing each other.
The aim of the game is to pass the fruit from one end of the line down to the other end.
Place the piece of fruit between two of the tweens foreheads. They then have to pass the fruit to the next two players in the line next to them, by passing the fruit with their heads. They are not allowed to touch the fruit with their hands.
If the game wants to be more competitive, create two teams. The first team to pass the fruit down the line is the winner.
12. Grapes In Flour
This game is played similar to the apple bobbing.
Have a pile of flour, and hide 10-15 grapes in it.
The tween has a certain amount of time to find and eat the grapes. You guessed it …… their hands need to be behind their backs, so they have to find the grapes using only their teeth.
This game will cause a lot of laughs and a lot of white faces!
13. M&M’s Game
For this game, you will need M&M’s and straws.
Place a bag of M&M’s onto a plate with an empty plate next to it.
The tweens have 60 seconds to move as many M&M’s from one plate to another. To do this, they need to place the straw over the M&M, suck and then transfer and drop to the other plate.
They are only allowed to use one hand that is holding the straw. The other hand needs to remain behind their back.
14. Chocolate Bar Game
This is one of those classic tween party games. All you need to play is a block of chocolate, a knife and fork, dress up clothes and dice.
The tweens need to sit in a circle and the chocolate, clothing and dice are places into the middle of the circle.
Tweens take it in turns to throw the dice. If they throw a 6, they move into the middle of the circle, put the dress up clothes on and start cutting away at the chocolate. They can only eat one piece of chocolate at a time!
As soon as another tween throws a 6, they have to stop eating the chocolate, take off the dress ups and swap places.
15. Egg Toss
To play this game everyone needs to pair up. Each pair needs an egg.
Facing each other the tweens need to throw the egg to each other. One move is when they have both thrown and caught the egg.
When both tweens have caught the egg they take one pace further away from each other and then resume play.
The game continues until every team has dropped their egg.
The team that has the largest distance between them wins.
Related > 12 of The Best Messy Games For An Awesome Party
Chatty Tween Party Games
Tweens love to talk, so why not include that conversation into their games!
These games are fun and will encourage group conversation.
16. Name The Tune
If the tweens love music, then they will love this game.
Divide the tweens into groups.
Play a snippet of a song and the groups have to be the first to correctly guess the tune.
The team with the most correct answers is the winner.
To keep the competitive nature going throughout the game, hand out a candy to each round of winners.
17. Would Your Rather
This is the kind of game that the tweens would play in the school yard. But instead of them coming up with their own, have a list ready for them.
This is a great way for the tweens to have some fun discussion and also helps everyone get to know each other a bit better.
Some suggestions include:
- Would you rather be able to go back in time or into the future?
- Would you rather give up chocolate or chips for the rest of your life?
- Would you rather be able to have a sleep in every morning or stay up late every night?
- Would you rather swim with mermaids or fly with fairies?
Ensure you have a long appropriate list of “would you rather” questions available to ensure the game can be played for as long as the tweens want it to without it getting out of hand!
Ensure that every tween has the chance to give their answer before moving onto the next question.
If you need ideas, check out this comprehensive list of would you rather questions for tweens.
18. Who Am I?
Before the party, label post It notes with famous people. Ensure that the tweens know who these people are.
To play the game the tweens need to sit in a circle. Stick one post It note onto each of the tweens forehead.
Each tween now has to work out who the person is on their note, by asking questions. They can ask one question before moving onto the next tween and continue going around in the circle.
The questions can only however be answered with a “yes” or a “no”. The game ends when everyone has guessed who is on their note.
19. Two Truths And A Lie
Give each of the tweens a piece of paper and they have to write down two things that are true about themselves and one thing that is a lie.
One by one their read out their three sentences. The group has to work out which one of the sentences is a lie.
20. Photo Booth
Tweens absolutely LOVE photo booth.
They love creating the photos and they love looking at them afterwards.
Simply create a party backdrop and have some props available. Set up a phone or ipad onto a tripod stand and then let the tweens loose with creating some fun and memorable photos.
21. Murder Winks
Ask all the tweens to sit in a circle. One of them is then chosen to be the “detective” and leaves the circle.
Another tween is chosen to be the “murderer”, without the detective knowing who it is.
The detective comes back to the circle and stands in the middle. It is their job to work out who the murderer is.
The murderer then looks across the circle and winks at the other tweens one at a time. Once winked at, they have to pretend to die.
It becomes a race for the murderer to try and kill all the tweens in the circle before the detective finds them.
The game can continue as many times as you like.
Depending on the group of tweens you have playing, this game can become quite dramatic in their acting.
22. Jenga
Whilst this game isn’t a conversation game as such, it will allow the tweens to have lots of conversations whilst playing.
The aim of the game is to pull out one of the blocks and place it on the top of the pile, without the pile toppling over.
To create some competitiveness, divide the kids into teams. The kids need to work together to ensure that their team wins.
It’s not always easy to find games and activities that tweens will enjoy.
These fun games will however be popular and the tweens will be having a blast in no time at all.
Discuss the options with your tween, prepare any items you require and then get ready to PARTY!
Does your teen have a birthday in winter? There are plenty of winter activities for teens that they will absolutely love, which can also be incorporated into a party.
Need some more ideas for party games? Check outthe most awesome fun party games for kids of all ages. You will have a ton of inspiration to keep the kids entertained.
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