In This Series Party Invitations Party Games and Prizes Garden Parties Bootlegger's Ball Theme Party Crafts Theme Party Kitchen Ade Cheri's Place Space Lift Magi's Bring it on Home Gifts for Gardeners Theme Parties   On the Lighter Side Ho Ho Hold That Mirtha! Holiday Mirtha Mirtha's Birthday Bash Mirtha's Christmas 2000 Mirtha's Easter Mirtha's Garden Wedding Guide Mirtha's Halloween 2000 Mirtha's Halloween 2001 Mirtha's Halloween Recipes Mirtha's Patriot Party Mirtha's Thanksgiving 2000 Mirtha's Thanksgiving 2001 Mirtha's Valentine Mirtha's Winter Wanderland

PlantPirate - Your Party Pal! PlantPirate  the Party Pal Games are great for breaking the ice and keeping the interest and excitement level up for your theme party. Here are a few ideas that will work for many different types of theme parties. Trivia Games Clothes Pin Game Scavenger Hunts Tips on Prizes

Shop Online chefscatalogue.com Plow and Hearth Sears Stonewall Kitchen Sur La Table Wal-Mart

Ideas for Games

We'll cover the most popular games that can be "customized" to any party theme.  Keep games simple so if you get distracted, people can keep them rolling.  Trivia Games are good ice-breakers.  The Clothes Pin Game is a good warm up to get any party started.  Scavenger Hunts can be a party in themselves!  Prizes are required for some games, as well as best/worst costume awards, etc.

Trivia Games

We're not talking about the traditional way to play a trivia game here!

• If you own a trivia game, take out the playing cards and place them around the room in spots where people will be sitting.  

• Guests can then chose cards and ask people questions.  

• The host may want to walk around the room and randomly ask people questions to get them started. 

•  Keep in mind not all your guests may know each other, so this is a good way to get people to interact.

• This game doesn't necessarily require a prize.

Back to Top

The Clothes Pin Game

This is a great game to start when guests arrive.

• Choose 3 words.

• Upon arrival, each guest will be told the words and given a clothes pin.

• No one is allowed to use those 3 words until the time the host chooses the game to be over (this is a good game to keep going until the bitter end).

• If a person uses one of the 3 forbidden words, the first one to catch them gets their clothes pin.

• The guest with the most pins wins - so this game requires a prize.

Back to Top

Scavenger Hunts

A scavenger hunt can be a party game or be the party itself!

• Choose the location - it can be held in 

  • a park (great for a picnic type party)

  • on a hiking path

  • around your neighborhood or town

• At the end of the hunt, people arrive to the destination point for prizes and food.

• Prizes will be needed, but they don't have to be expensive.

• Gag gifts are great too.

Back to Top

Tips on Prizes

If you think you may continue to throw theme parties or costume parties, etc. on a regular basis:

• Find gifts that can be passed on from the previous winner to the next.

• Look for gifts for "booby prizes", the worst costume prize, etc. (these are most likely the type that the previous year's winner will like to pass on...)

• Keep in mind big winners should win big and get to keep their prize - after all they did do the best job!

• You can often pick up trophies at yard sales that can easily be recycled into prizes - that the winners will "love to lose".

Back to Top

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Party Invitations ] [ Party Games and Prizes ] [ Garden Parties ] [ Bootlegger's Ball Theme Party ] [ Crafts Theme Party ]