Dance party games are accessible to everyone! There are all kinds of music, for all ages and thanks to some music, it is the atmosphere guaranteed! Let us guide you through our selection of the best musical games.
To set the mood for your birthday party, musical games are perfect. They allow you to draw the attention of all your guests to beautiful songs, summer hits and dance hits.
These musical games are suitable for all parties and birthdays, and will make your party an unforgettable moment!
Dance Investigation: the most essential of all party games
For dance fans, discover a great investigation game that takes place at the dance school. Gathered for a big audition to participate in the national championship, all the ballerinas are ready! Except one… Indeed, her pair of pointe shoes has disappeared!
This game is a clever mix of investigation and treasure hunt. The children will have to find the culprit, but also the pair of ballet shoes. This “turnkey” kit exists in versions for kids aged 4-5, 6-7 and 8+.
The spotlights
To play this game, you’ll need a man or woman to direct the spotlight and another to turn the music on and off. Have this person stand in the middle of the dance floor and shine a flashlight on the dancers.
The spotlight person should continually move the flashlight to shine on the different dancers in turn. Each time the song stops, the person holding the flashlight must freeze, fixing the flashlight on the dancer he or she was pointing to at the time. This dancer is eliminated from the game. The game continues until there is only one dancer left.
Newspaper Dance
Distribute a sheet of newspaper to each player. The children stand on their sheet. When the music starts, they must dance, being careful to stay on the sheet.
Each time the leader turn off the music, the players must fold their sheet of newspaper in half.
The winner will be the one who lasts the longest without putting a foot out of the newspaper!
Variation for the little ones:
To make them dance on the newspaper simply take the sheets and put them on the floor in a row to make a closed circuit. Then tell the children that they must follow the circuit (without stepping outside) while dancing and not move when the music stops.
Memory Dance Game: the most thoughtful of all the party games
Children form a large circle to free up a center space in the middle. You can start the music. The children will take turns standing in the center of the circle and invent a dance move. But be careful, each child will not only have to invent a movement but will have to reproduce all the movements previously made by his or her friends. When a child makes a mistake, he or she is eliminated and remains seated. The choreography gets longer and longer and the game gets harder and harder. The last child who manages to do the whole choreography without making a mistake wins the game.
Partner Swap
Have one player stand in the middle of the dance floor and hold a flag. Have the other dancers form pairs and begin dancing around the flag holder. At random, the flag holder will throw the flag into the air. When the flag rises, everyone changes partners. The flag holder must also try to find a partner. The person who is left standing alone becomes the new flag holder.
Dance Hats
This game is very fun and easy to set up. Indeed, prepare 2 or 3 hats depending on the number of children. When the music is on, the children dance and pass the hats between them, put it on their head and leave it to another child. When the music stops, the child who has the hat on his head wins and gets a prize. He or she will then have to sit on the side to give each child a chance to win a small prize.
Limbo: the sportiest of all party dance games
The rule of the game is simple and it is suitable for all: young and old (well…except those with back pain)! Ideal to put the atmosphere on the dance floor. Limbo is a kind of dance where all the competitors have to pass, each in turn, by bending backwards, under a horizontal stick held by two people.
You must not touch the ground with your hands, nor touch the stick. In both cases, the person is eliminated. For the others, the stick is lowered a little more.
And so on until there is only one winner.
Who is the monkey? The most observant of all dance party games
The goal of the game: to discover who is leading the dance. Come on, today, let’s be monkeys and have fun with friends!
One player, who will be the monkey spotter, leaves the room (or if the children are outside, moves away), while the others decide on a “little monkey” to lead the game.
The children stand in a circle and the spotter stands in the middle.
The little monkey improvises simple gestures: jumping, crouching, making a statue… with each gesture, everyone imitates him as quickly as possible. The spotter has to find out who is the leader of the game. As soon as he is discovered, the little monkey becomes the spotter and leaves the room…
Musical Balloon
Prepare for this game by inflating a series of balloons, each with a single dance challenge written on a small piece of paper inserted before inflation. Challenges can include actions, such as performing a specific dance move or questions about the music. To play, turn on music and have children tap the balloon to keep it in the air until the music stops. The last person to touch the balloon pops it and then completes the challenge included in it.
Sound phone
Make it quiet and place the children in a single line. Tap 5 times on the back of a child following a rhythm. The child must then repeat the sound on the back of the child in front of him/her and so on. Check with the last child to see if he or she has managed to keep the rhythm.
Fast Pass
A fun activity for learning cooperative play, this simple game requires only a ball and music. Have children sit in a circle, either on the floor or in chairs. Pass a ball (or stuffed animal) around the circle until the music stops. At this point, you can choose one of two options:
– Whoever has the ball is out.
– You start the music again and the ball is passed in the opposite direction.
Dance Corners
Assign 4 corners a different color. You can mark the space with plots, a mark on the floor or hoops. You can emphasize color by choosing just 4 different colored hoops or plots or by hanging a colored scarf on the wall. Prepare papers with the names of the 4 colors. When the music starts, the children dance. When the music stops, the children must run to the corner of their choice. At this point, you draw one of the 4 papers and say the color out loud. The children who are in the corner with the indicated color are eliminated. You replace the paper among the 3 others and continue the game until only one child is left and he/she is the winner.
Musical hoops
Draw squares on the floor or place hoops in different areas. In each area, place a musical instrument. Children should spread out in the space and start dancing. When the music stops, they must stop and go to an area to play an instrument. Only one child per zone. Those who have not been able to reach a zone must dance while the others play their instruments.
Pass the parcel
Wrap a package/gift with many layers of wrapping paper, alternating the patterns of the paper and attaching a candy or small prize to each layer. The more layers, the more likely it is that as many children as possible will have the opportunity to unwrap a layer.
When the melody begins, the package is distributed in a circle. When the melody stops, the character with the package gets a diaper to unwrap. Continue until the last layer is unwrapped to display the prize.
Musical chairs: the most traditional of all party dance games
Set up the chairs in a circle, back to back. There needs to be space around them for the children to run around and get in easily. Always place one less chair than the number of participants. Children should stand around the chairs in silence at first. Start playing music. When you stop the music, the children should sit down as quickly as possible in a chair. The child who stands last loses. Continue in the same way, removing a new chair each time, until only one child is left and he or she is your winner.
Musical statues
The children spread out in an area defined by you. Start the music of your choice. All the children must then start dancing. When the music stops, the children must not move and make the statue for 5 seconds. The first child to move is eliminated. The game continues until there is only one child left.
Variations: ask the children to dance in pairs or on one foot for example.
Silly Dance: the craziest of all party dance games
Start by designating a play area large enough for children to dance. Remove all obstacles and make sure the children have enough room to swing their arms. You’ll need a selection of props – ribbons and scarves, hats, stuffed toys, plastic flowers, etc. Set up a music player and spread out your props on a table.
Explain to the children that you are going to start playing music and when you do, they are to select a prop from the table and start dancing to the music while using the prop as a prop. Each time the music stops, they must put the prop back on the table. When the music starts again, they must choose another prop to dance with. You can continue this game as long as the children show interest.
Poisoned Apple
Have the children form a circle and pass an apple from one person to another while the music plays. When the music stops, the person holding the “poison apple” pretends to take a bite, then falls to the ground, pretending to fall into a deep sleep. The winner of the game is the person who collapses on the floor in the most spectacular way!
Disguised Relay
This is a fun relay game. Divide the children into 2 groups. They stand in single file behind the starting line. About 10 meters away, place different costumes and accessories, in larger sizes, easy to put on. At the starting line, the first two children in each team run to the costumes and put them on as quickly as possible. Then they go back to the next child, take off all the costumes and the next child has to put on the costumes in turn, run back and forth and so on until all the children of the team have passed. The first team where all the children have completed the course wins the game.
Musical Dress-Up
Purchase small, clean, used adult clothing and accessories at a thrift store or ask parents to donate them. Arrange chairs in a circle or have students sit in a circle on the floor. Start lively music and pass a large bag of clothing and accessories around the circle. When the music stops, the child with the bag chooses an item and puts it on. When the bag is empty, the child with the most unusual outfit wins this game.
Name that singer!
From 2 children, but much more fun in group. You will need music.
A very easy game to set up that will require listening, cooperation and speed. To play, form your teams or duel and place the children face to face. Start playing a song that is well known to the children. The first team to guess the title or artist (or both for the strongest), wins a point. The first team to reach 10 points wins the game.
Variation: ask the children to agree and to pick up a scarf while running in a specific area and to hold it out before giving their answer. If the answer is wrong, the other team can take as long as they want to give their answer.
Dance contest: the most competitive of all dance party games
For this game, you need to prepare pairs of papers of 2 different colors. Write identical numbers on each pair.
Example: Pink and green papers: write the number 1 on a pink and a green, then the number 2 on a pink and a green…
Give a number to each guest. The pink papers will be for the women, the green for the men.
Then, at some point during the evening, call out some numbers: 3, 5, 8, 9 for example. Couples will have to be formed because there will be two numbers 1. The adult will be the judge to determine the winning couple.
With all these ideas, you will be able to easily organize a dance themed party. Moreover, take a look at our website which lists all the ideas of games for children’s parties. Get a lot of great ideas!
Also check out our other birthday game themes!
