10 Unique Animal Party Games For The Young Ones

Looking for ways to make your child’s animal-themed party unforgettable? Whether your little one dreams of jungle adventures or safari escapades, we’ve got you covered with an exciting lineup of unique games that will bring the wild to life.

From lively icebreakers to exhilarating active games and soothing calming activities, these creative and engaging games are perfect for preschoolers and children up to six.

Last Updated: August 6, 2024  |  7 min Read

Find detailed breakdowns for each game, including the benefits they offer, the intensity level of physical exertion, age appropriateness, suggested playtime, number of players, and the materials needed.

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1. Animal Name Chain

Objective: Complete a chain of animal names around the circle without forgetting any.

Setup: Children sit in a circle. Have a stuffed animal to pass around.

How to Play: The first child holds the stuffed animal and says, “I’m a lion.” They pass the animal to the next child who says, “I’m a lion, and I’m a tiger.” This continues around the circle, with each child adding a new animal to the chain.

2. Animal Sound Orchestra

Objective: Create a symphony of animal sounds together.

Setup: Prepare cards with different animal pictures. Have a small bell or whistle.

How to Play: Give each child an animal card. When you ring the bell, each child makes the sound of the animal on their card. Repeat several times, changing cards if desired.

3. Animal Relay Dash

Objective: Be the fastest team to complete the relay while imitating different animals.

Setup: Mark a start and finish line. Have cards with different animals and their movements.

How to Play: Divide children into teams. Each child picks an animal card and must reach the finish line mimicking that animal (e.g., hopping like a frog, stomping like an elephant). They then tag the next teammate.

4. Jungle Path Adventure

Objective: Successfully navigate the entire path while performing various animal movements.

Setup: Create a path using ropes or chalk, with stations for different animal movements.

How to Play: Children follow the path, performing actions like “swing like a monkey,” “crawl like a snake,” and “jump like a kangaroo” at each station. They can take turns or go simultaneously if space allows.

5. Safari Scavenger Hunt

Objective: Find all the hidden animal toys or pictures in the designated area.

Setup: Hide various animal toys or pictures around the yard or room. Provide each child with a small bag or basket.

How to Play: Give children a list or pictures of the animals they need to find. Set them loose to search the area and collect the animals in their bags. The game ends when all animals are found, and the child with the most animals collected wins a small prize.

6. Animal Freeze Dance

Objective: Freeze in the position of an animal when the music stops.

Setup: Create a playlist of upbeat animal-themed songs. Have a space where children can dance freely.

How to Play: Play the music and let the children dance. When the music stops, they must freeze in the position of a chosen animal (e.g., a lion roaring, a bird flying). Anyone who moves after freezing is out, and the last child standing wins.

Here are some good animal-themed songs.

7. Cheetah Chase

Objective: Catch the “cheetah” by tagging him or her while following the rules of the game.

Setup: Designate one child as the “cheetah” and the others as the “lions”. Define a safe zone and boundaries for the play area.

How to Play: The “cheetah” gets a head start to run around the play area. After a countdown, the “lions” try to catch the “cheetah” by tagging him or her. The game can have variations where the cheetah can freeze in place to avoid being tagged for up to 5 seconds. Once tagged, the cheetah joins the lions, and a new cheetah is chosen.

8. Penguin Waddle Relay

Objective: Successfully complete a relay race while waddling like a penguin.

Setup: Mark a start and finish line. Use small balls or balloons that children must hold between their knees.

How to Play: Divide the children into teams. The first child in each team places the ball or balloon between their knees and waddles to the finish line and back. They then pass the ball to the next teammate, who repeats the process. The first team to have all members complete the relay wins.

9. Animal Coloring Calm

Objective: Color an animal picture to completion.

Setup: Print out animal coloring pages, and provide crayons and markers.

How to Play: Children choose an animal page to color. Play soft, calming music in the background to enhance the peaceful environment.

10. Animal Story Circle

Objective: Create and tell a collaborative animal-themed story.

Setup: Gather the children in a circle. Have a large picture book with animal illustrations or a set of animal picture cards ready.

How to Play: Start with one child who chooses an animal from the book or cards and begins the story with a sentence like, “Once upon a time, there was a wise old owl who lived in a tall tree.” The next child continues the story by adding another sentence, incorporating their chosen animal. This process continues around the circle until each child has had a turn and the story is complete. This activity encourages creativity and helps children wind down by focusing on storytelling.

Final Thoughts about Animal Party Games

We have shared an exciting lineup of unique animal party games that will bring the wild to life.

From lively icebreakers to exhilarating active games and soothing calming activities, these creative and engaging games are perfect for preschoolers and children up to six.