Small prizes are essential for carnival games.
The best carnival game ideas for children are ones that remain age-appropriate and combine both skill and chance activities. Offering both skill-based and chance-based carnival games provides every child with a chance to win a prize, regardless of their skill level. The games should also be visually appealing and use the cheerful colors common to a carnival setting.
Alien Bowling
Turn plastic bottles into aliens for a carnival bowling game. Each bowling pin consists of a 2-liter soda bottle decorated to look like a green alien. A star-decorated wooden plank provides an alley and a red "comet" kickball provides the bowling ball. Each child has two chances to roll the "comet" down the "stars" and knock over the "aliens." Prizes can include plastic alien figurines, spaceship lollipops and plastic alien-eye sunglasses.
Butterfly Beanbag Toss
Combine bright colors and flower-shaped beanbags for a butterfly-themed carnival game. The large, plywood game board consists of a colorful butterfly picture with small holes in the middle of each upper wing and large holes in the middle of each lower wing. Each child has three chances to toss a flower beanbag into the butterfly holes. Prizes can include plastic butterfly necklaces, bee-decorated bouncy balls and flower lollipops.
Fishing Pond
A fishing pond is a classic carnival game that results in a prize for every player. Plastic ducks with different colored paint dots on the bottom and small magnet strips on the top sit in the water-filled kiddy pool. Each child uses a stick with a magnet hanging from a string to catch one of the ducks. The color of the dot on the bottom of the duck determines which prize the player receives. Prizes can include Silly Putty, friendship bracelets and mini water guns.
Monster Rock Toss
Create foam balls that look like rocks for a ball-toss carnival game with a monster theme. The large wooden game board consists of a giant monster face with the lower two-thirds of the board covered by a giant snarling mouth. Every third tooth in the mouth is cut away to provide several holes to toss the rocks into. Each child has three chances to toss the rocks into the holes to "feed" the monster and win a prize. Prizes can include a rock candy stick, monster stickers and a monster jawbreaker.
Penny Drop
Decorate a large clear plastic bin to create a chance-based carnival game. The decorated, water-filled bin consists of large seashells and treasure chests scattered randomly across the sand painted bottom. Each child has three chances to drop a penny into the bin. If the penny drops into one of the containers, the player wins a prize. Prizes can include a plastic fish that squirts water, seashell sidewalk chalk and gold foil-covered chocolate coins.
Tags: Each child, Prizes include, carnival game, child three, child three chances, Each child three, include plastic