For the New Year, in addition to the Christmas tree and gifts, the holiday program must include original fun competitions and games for children.
From the ideas we offer, it is easy to create a scenario for celebrating at home in the family, in kindergarten or a matinee in elementary school.
We have selected a variety of games for you:
- movable (with and without objects),
- team,
- dance and music,
- drawing.
I'm still that actor
Each participant in turn receives a card with a certain phrase, which will need to be depicted so that others can guess what exactly the participant showed. Thus, the participant shows, the rest guess, then change to a new participant until everyone tries themselves in the role of an actor. Example phrases that cards may contain: - poor student at the board; - a crying child who wants to eat; - angry dog; — Santa Claus brought gifts; - dance of little ducks; - the street is slippery, and so on.
Musical and dance New Year's games-competitions
Friendly choir
Children begin to sing “A Christmas tree was born in the forest” or any other song familiar to the children together with Father Frost/Snow Maiden.
At a signal (waving a hand or clapping), everyone falls silent, but continues to sing to themselves. At the second signal they sing out loud again. Whoever does not fall into the general tempo and sings out of place is eliminated.
In a new way
Those who wish are invited to sing the words of a famous New Year's song (for example, “A Christmas tree was born in the forest”) in a new way and even to any motive.
You can use the voice of Santa Claus, a bear, a hare, a fox, a wolf, etc.
Snow dancing
The kids are divided into two teams and stand opposite each other. They quickly agree on what simple dance move they will do together and in sync. When the music starts, the teams take turns dancing: the first, then the second. They come up with a movement again and dance again.
The team that dances uncoordinated or cannot come up with the next move loses.
Dance with a ball
The children take turns dancing, holding a balloon in their hands. You can hold it with two hands, one, your teeth, your elbow... The main thing is that you get a beautiful dance and the ball does not fall to the floor.
New Year's round dance with tasks
It's just a fun game with no winners.
A general round dance of children moves around the Christmas tree to the music. When the melody stops, everyone stops and performs simple movements, which are shown by Father Frost or the Snow Maiden: raise your arms, sit down, spin.
Santa Claus's magic snow glove
Young participants dance, spin, and Santa Claus walks among them. The one he touches with his mitten freezes.
As soon as everyone is “frozen,” the game starts over again, but with different music.
Secret for Santa Claus
The guys are divided into teams of about 10 people. Each team stands in a row, one after the other. The first participants receive a sheet - a letter, the information of which must be conveyed to Santa Claus, for example, on December 31 in the evening, hares and squirrels, deer and wolves, children and adults are waiting for you at the Christmas tree! At the command “start”, the first participants convey the information as they memorized to the second participant in the ear, trying to do it quickly and not loudly, so that the opponents do not hear, and so on in the chain. The team that is faster than the rest and, most importantly, correctly conveys the information to Santa Claus (that is, the last participant must say the original text of the letter) will win.
Team games-competitions
Girls can play against boys, or mixed teams can be selected for competitions.
Staff for Santa Claus
Props:
- two sticks,
- long tinsel.
Two teams simultaneously begin to wrap their sticks with colorful tinsel. The condition is that all the tinsel must be used.
Whose team does this faster and more beautifully will win.
Collect cold pieces of ice
Props:
- two sets of multi-colored New Year's puzzles,
- several gloves.
Teams, at a signal, put on gloves and begin to assemble puzzles. The first team to assemble will win.
Game option. Gloves can be worn on two or only one hand. It depends on the age of the children.
Snow fight
Props:
- a few chairs,
- balloons (10-12 pieces for each team).
Chairs are placed in a row in the middle - this is the boundary of the fortress. At the signal, two teams playing from different sides of the “fortress” must throw balls of their color into the opponent’s territory. Whichever side has fewer balls after the stop signal wins.
Magic wands
Props:
- Balloons,
- two sticks,
- two bags or two small inflatable pools.
The first team players use their “magic wands” to push the ball into their bags/pools, and then pass the wands to their other players.
Those who collect the most balls win.
Agile squirrels
Props:
- four baskets,
- sets of cones.
Two teams line up in chains. Each one has a basket with pine cones at the beginning, and an empty basket at the end.
At a signal, they pass each other one cone from a full basket. The winner will be those who put all the cones together faster and shout “ready.”
Game option. You can transfer balloons (they can be small air or plastic). Cubes will also work.
“Happy Snowflakes” - winter relay race
Props:
- two chairs,
- several toy items according to the number of children in each team.
Children run to the opposite end of the room/hall, take the toy from the chair and run back with it. Whose team is faster wins.
Complicating the competition. You can run not just like that, but by jumping or backwards, etc.
Shoot down the magic icicles
Props:
- set of pins,
- balls.
This is a version of bowling, only for the New Year.
The team’s task is to knock down with one blow as many magical “icicles” as possible, which grew the other way around – “out of the ground.” The older the children, the heavier and smaller the balls can be.
This mass gaming competition is good to include in the program of the holiday, which is held in a fairly large hall, sports hall or assembly hall.
Decorating the Christmas tree - relay race
Props:
- two artificial small trees,
- two sets of unbreakable Christmas tree decorations in boxes,
- two chairs.
Two teams must quickly decorate their New Year's tree. To do this, they must take a toy from the box on a chair, run to the Christmas tree, hang the toy and run back. And so does every child.
Those who do it first win. Extra points can be given for neatness and beauty.
Centipede caterpillar
Props: balloons.
Children stand one after another in two chains. There are balls sandwiched between them that cannot be touched or adjusted with your hands. On command, the “caterpillars” must move to the opposite end of the room without dropping the balls.
The first centipede to crawl and not lose a single ball wins.
Option 1.
The game can be complicated: teams can not only run to the opposite wall/chair, but the captains will take another ball there, and everyone will come back.
Option 2.
Children take hold of the shoulders of the person in front, and the balls are clamped either in the knees (kangaroos) or in the ankles (penguins).
Don't lose the snowball
Props:
- badminton or tennis rackets,
- artificial snowballs or small balloons.
This is a variation of the traditional relay race. Team members need to carry snowballs/balls on rackets to the designated place and return back.
Fairy broom
Props: 2 brooms with handles (you can take mops).
Since Baba Yaga carried away and hid the Snow Maiden and she needs to be saved, she must learn to fly on a magical transport.
Children sit on a broom in twos, “fly” to the indicated place and return, passing the props on to their teams. Whose team is faster will win.
Competition option. You can organize a relay race on scooters or move around on “snow” skates.
Complication: children go around obstacles along the way (Christmas trees, cubes, skittles, chairs).
Catch a snowball
Props:
- 2 sets of artificial snowballs (you can take plastic balls),
- 2 large bags/baskets.
The participants of the game are divided into 2 teams, in each one one is selected who has a large empty bag/bag/basket in his hands.
The rest of the children, at the signal, begin to throw snowballs into their bag and stop at the command. The winner is the team that catches the most snowballs.
Winter fishing
Props:
- 2 fishing rods with magnetic hooks,
- winter pictures with pasted magnets depicting nature, gifts, fairy tale characters, an inflatable pool (small size) or basin, or hoop,
- 2 buckets or baskets.
First, you need to put the pictures with the pictures glued into the inflatable pool/basin, the children on both sides, at the command of the leader, begin to “fish” for the fish and put them in buckets.
At a signal they stop, the catch is counted and the winner is determined.
Savvy answer
The presenter asks questions that relate to New Year's characters and school subjects at the same time, and the children answer and the smarter and more interesting the answer, the better. For example: how is the Snowman related to geometry? (it consists of balls). How is Santa Claus related to geography? (he flies all over the world and delivers gifts to children at every point, so he must know geography to a solid 5). How is the Snow Maiden connected to the Russian language? (she signs birthday cards for children and must do it correctly). The more interesting the participant answers such questions, the greater his chances of becoming a winner.
Drawing competitions
Creative drawing competitions are especially suitable for an interesting home New Year's party. Organizing entertainment for a small family group of children does not require large investments in props. Rather, it requires the participation of an adult with a bit of creative ability.
Draw Santa Claus
Props:
- several large sheets of paper
- pencils or markers,
- scarves for blindfolding.
The players are blindfolded and given a felt-tip pen. They draw Santa Claus almost by touch. The prize goes to the one whose fairy-tale character turned out better.
Option 1.
Draw only with your left hand (for left-handed people with your right hand).
Option 2.
You can draw self-portraits. It’s fun to take a photo of the author and his image as a souvenir!
Option 3.
Do not close your eyes, but tie the felt-tip pen to a long stick.
Option 4.
Several people take turns drawing, also with their eyes closed. Each element: face, hat, beard, torso, legs...
Similarly, you can draw on any topic.
Guess one piece at a time
Props:
- sheets of paper with a drawn fairy-tale hero,
- a large white sheet with a cut window (2-3 cm).
Fairy-tale characters are drawn on several sheets of whatman paper. On top is a sheet with a window that can be moved around the picture. The children’s task is to guess from the fragment they see what is drawn.
Chain of drawings
Props: A-4 sheets, felt-tip pens.
Children stand in a chain. Santa Claus shows a very simple drawing that needs to be drawn (Christmas tree, house, snowman, sun...)
The first person puts a piece of paper on the back of the person in front and begins to draw on it. The second, without saying out loud which image he guessed, draws it to another comrade. That one to the next one. It will be funny at the end of the game to compare the first drawing and the last! It's reminiscent of the game "Broken Phone", only with drawing.
I'll draw your portrait
Props: paper, markers or pencils.
The players draw any of the children they see around. You don’t have to be a good artist; you can draw very schematically, noticing characteristic features.
Then the children guess who was depicted in the portraits.
What is he like, this Santa Claus?
Elimination game. All participants stand in a circle. And, starting with any one (which will be considered the first after), the guys say one word of praise for Santa Claus. So, what is he like, our Santa Claus? Kind, magical, cheerful, beautiful, wise, sincere, generous, strong, good, bearded, mysterious, unusual and so on. Let the children show their imagination and tell everyone how they see the good wizard. And whoever doesn’t name is out. And the few guys who stay in the game until the end will receive the title of winner and prizes.
Outdoor games-competitions
Snowy Egrets
Children stand by the Christmas tree and walk to slow New Year's music, as important as herons. After the melody stops, everyone freezes on one leg.
The one who stays in this position the longest wins.
We are artists
Those who wish take out pre-prepared cards with comic tasks. They need to depict in motion:
- Santa Claus, who is carrying a Christmas tree,
- Snow Maiden dancing by the Christmas tree,
- a fox looking for mice under the snow,
- man skating
- person skiing
- a child singing a song to Santa Claus,
- a sparrow who is very cold,
- a cat walking through deep snow, etc.
Game option. Children show movements, and everyone must guess what they are showing.
Magic staff
Father Frost and the Snow Maiden (or snowman) hold Father Frost's staff horizontally. The players' task is to pass under it without touching anything. The difficulty is that the staff gradually lowers.
You can make a “train” out of the players, which moves to the music. After each “flight” the bar becomes lower.
The winner is the one who can walk as low as possible without touching the staff.
Snowstorm
Props: a light felt boot or mitten, or a plastic bucket, or a broom.
Children stand in a circle. One child holds a mitten (felt boot/broom/bucket). The circle should be quite large, because Santa Claus (Snow Maiden/snowman/Baba Yaga...) will run around the outer circle.
The children are told that a snowstorm has arrived. He is so strong that he carried away Father Frost’s felt boots (Snow Maiden’s mitten/Baba Yaga’s broom/snowman’s bucket).
To the music, the children pass the object to each other in a circle, and the fairy-tale hero tries to catch up with it. If he catches up, then the child who has the object in his hands drops out of the game or must complete some task. For example, shout: “New Year is coming soon!”
Snowstorm (variant of "Buran")
Props: New Year's item - toy, pine cone, mitten, snowball.
Children pass each other a New Year's toy in a circle to the music. The melody stops and the item cannot be transmitted further.
Whoever happens to have a toy either leaves the circle or performs an easy task: jump, spin, sit down...
Melting ice floes
Several chairs are placed in a circle, one less than the number of players. These are “ice floes”.
Music is playing and everyone is walking in a circle. Stop music - children sit on chairs. Those who do not get a place leave.
Then the “ice floes” gradually “melt”, and each time there is one less chair.
The one who stays on the last “ice floe” wins.
Game option. The chairs are placed not in a circle, but in 2 rows - opposite each other. When the music stops, the players run to the opposite row of ice floes. And every time there are fewer and fewer of them. The participant who sits on the last chair becomes the winner.
Hide in the house
Children stand in pairs, holding hands - these are “houses”. The rest of the children run around to the music. There are more of them per person than “houses”. As soon as the music ends, everyone runs to hide “in the warmth.”
Whoever doesn’t get the “house” is eliminated.
“Dress warmly” – a game for two participants
Props:
- 2 chairs,
- 2 sets of clothes - jacket, hat, scarf, mittens, felt boots (or boots).
The players stand near the chairs and begin to move to the music around the chairs on which the clothes are lying. After the music stops, you need to put everything on yourself as quickly as possible.
The first one to dress correctly wins.
Complication: the jacket and hat can be turned inside out.
Collect snowballs
Props:
- artificial snowballs,
- baskets according to the number of players.
Baskets are placed along the edges of the room, and snowballs are poured into the center. On command you need to collect them. The one with the most snowballs in the basket wins.
Complication: snowballs can be collected blindfolded.
“Funny Snowdrifts” - an outdoor game
Santa Claus says that he made a lot of snowdrifts in the forest: both large and small. The children must show what he tells them what the snowdrifts are like: big ones - hands up, small ones - hands down.
Santa Claus speaks and acts together with the children. The difficulty is that sometimes he confuses them: he says one thing and does another.
“Snowman Charging” - a game for attention
The snowman names simple movements and performs them together with the children: hands up, hands down, brought up, stood up, hands to the sides, hands forward...
Children must carefully follow what the Snowman SAYS, because sometimes he confuses them: he does not do what he says.
“Forbidden Movement” – a variant of the game “Charging”
Children follow the Snow Maiden and repeat all movements except FORBIDDEN. Before starting, the Snow Maiden asks you to remember the forbidden gesture. For example, you cannot raise one hand up. Two are possible, but one is not. Children can get confused in such games and they are more suitable for small schoolchildren.
They begin to perform movements to the music, and as soon as the forbidden is shown, the children shout: “Forbidden! You can’t,” and they throw their hands down.
Game options.
The Snow Maiden (or Snowman) shows 2-3 movements, names their numbers and asks you to remember:
- “one” - raised their hands up,
- “two” - lowered down,
- “three” - bend your arms.
Or:
- “one” - sat down,
- “two” – stood up.
The Snow Maiden names the movements and repeats them with the children. But at some point, calling the number, it shows something completely different.
What makes these final four games funny is the confusion that arises.
Sweet tooth
Props: candy.
Children love sweets! That's why everyone loves this competition.
There are sweets on the table. As soon as the music starts, children begin to pick them up. Whoever manages to collect the most candies before the end of the melody wins.
Option 1.
You can put candies not only in your hands, but anywhere: in your pockets, in your bosom...
Option 2.
It will be even more fun if you collect balloons with short strings from the floor!
Don't laugh on a snowy night
Props: signs with images of animals.
Signs are handed out to the children. When Santa Claus says the word “day,” the children begin to move, depicting the animals that are depicted on each of the signs they received. As soon as “night” sounds, everyone freezes in different poses. Santa Claus comments on the poses of the animals. The task of Santa Claus is to make at least one person who drops out laugh.
“Prize for Five” - competition for endurance
Props:
- chair,
- small prize (candy, tangerine, ball...)
Several children participate (3-4 people are enough). Their task is to be the first to grab the prize when they hear the number FIVE. And Santa Claus can count like this: one, two, three, four, ten, seven, six, two, FIVE!
Whoever figures out when to grab the prize first will get it.
For inspiration, watch a video with cool ideas for outdoor games that will help entertain little guests.
