Games to play at a western party

Another way to give rodeo rides is to secure a saddle to a red wagon, bicycle, or another suitable ride on toy. Have an adult pull the rider around a rodeo ring or obstacle course. This game is fun for any cowboy-themed party, but it might also be especially enjoyable for a Toy Story party. Divide players into two teams. Give each team a cowboy boot. At the other end of the play space, place two buckets filled with rubber snakes. On the signal, the first players for each team race to retrieve a snake, bring it back and place it in the boot.

Those players then tag the next players in line, who also race to place a snake in their boots. The relay race continues until one team has had each of its members collect a snake and drop it into the boot. Have kids stand a couple of feet from the tin cans. Give each player a squirt gun and a bucket of water for refilling. When you signal the start of the game, kids squirt water at the cans, attempting to knock them down.

When a player knocks over his can, he gets to claim a reward from a collection of trinket prizes. Before the party, have your kids paint a collection of rocks. Mix the painted rocks with plain rocks and put them all into a baby pool filled with water. Give kids sieves and have them mine for the gems. You can also play this game in a sandbox. Bury gold-painted rocks or gold nuggets in the sand and have them panhandle for the gold. Pin the Tail on the Donkey is a classic party game that is often changed to suit the theme of a party.

In this cowboy version, instead of pinning a tail on a donkey, kids stamp a brand on a cow. Hang up a poster of a cow. Cut a large sponge into the shape of a horseshoe and attach it to a stick. Dip the horseshoe-shaped sponge into some craft paint. Blindfold players and see who can come closest to branding the cow in a pre-determined spot. Other variations of the pin the tail game to play:. Gather players into groups of three. On each team, one player sits in a wagon or cardboard box that is decorated like a horse coach.

The other two players are the horses who must pull their cowboy, in the wagon, across the finish line. In this game one player is the rancher, trying to corral the cattle. The remaining players are the cattle. Tape off a square on the lawn to serve as the corral. Play begins with the kids running around freely while trying to avoid being tagged by the rancher.

When a player is tagged, he must go and stand in the corral. Another of the cattle players can go into the corral and tag him to set him free, but if that player is caught by the rancher while doing so, he also becomes a cowboy and must help corral the remaining players.

Play continues until all the cattle players are in the corral and only ranchers remain outside of the box. Place a hula hoop on the ground. Country-western, farm, and Toy Story parties are super popular right now — but what to do to entertain all those little cowboys and cowgirls? Make your own stick horse — Create heads out of butcher paper, add yarn for a mane, and stuff the heads with filler. Hot-glue in a dowel rod and tie a rope on for reins.

Give kids a variety of eyes and mouths to add to their horses, along with markers, glitter, etc. Idea from a country-western party on my own blog.

Image from Flickr. Another way to make lassos is to wrap hula hoops with rope but keep in mind a hula hoop may be too heavy for the smallest children. Begin with one person asking, "Who's most likely to trip over their own feet?

Count down from three performing a drumroll with your hands is encouraged and then have everyone point at who they think would be most likely to do said act. Whoever has the most fingers pointed at them is out. Go around the circle asking "Who's most likely to…" until all but one person is out. You can skip the eliminations to make the game last longer.

Sit in a circle. Begin with one person saying, "Never have I ever…" and finishing with something they have never done. Traveled to Africa, eaten escargot, and the like all work. If someone has done it, they must hold up one finger; if no one in the group has done it, the person saying "Never have I ever…" must hold up a finger. Continue around the circle until one person has three fingers up: They're out. This party game can get as racy as you make it, so play carefully and set ground rules ahead of time if grandparents or other conservative guests are involved.

Ask the person next to you, "Would you rather…" and include two challenging situations. After their response, it's their turn to ask the person next to them. Continue until you can't think of any more scenarios. Okay, it's a popular party game for kids, but adults can get in on the fun, too.

Set chairs or seat cushions in a circle, facing outward, with enough seating for everyone playing, minus one.

Designate one person the music player and have everyone else stand in a circle around the circle of seats. When the music starts, walk around the seats; when the music ends, everyone must find a seat. Whoever doesn't is out. Remove one more chair and begin again, until two people are fighting for one seat.

To make musical chairs more interesting, add your own rules. Allow people to sit on top of each other as long as their feet are off the floor , for example, or make your own alterations. This game requires an app: The Heads Up! After the 99 cent purchase and download, though, you have hours of entertainment on-hand at all times. In-app purchases are also available.

One person will hold a phone to their forehead, facing out. Everyone else will act out or describe whatever appears on the screen while the person with the phone guesses. They have one minute to make as many correct guesses as possible, and then the phone goes on to the next person.

Categories include animals, movies, public figures and celebrities, and more. For a more cognitive game, play this brain-teaser. Say you're hosting a party, and only people who bring the right contributions are given an invitation. Pick a secret rule: Typically, everyone must bring something that begins with the same letter as their name, but you can also get more creative with it. Don't tell anyone else your rule.

Go around the room and have each person say what they're bringing; you respond to each suggestions with a "Yes, you're invited," or "No, you can't bring that. An oldie but a goodie: Gather in a circle.

Pick one phrase to whisper in the ear of the person next to you—no repeats. That person will whisper what they heard to the person next to them, and so on until the phrase gets back to you. Prepare to laugh at how distorted it gets. To make it more difficult, play music in the background. Pick three statements to make about yourself: "I have two siblings, I've been to three continents, and I love cats," for example. Two should be true; one should be a lie.

Everyone else must guess which is the lie, and then the next person goes. This is a great getting-to-know-you game; if you're playing with family or friends, pick obscure details to try to trick each other to make it even more fun. Purchase a pack of stickers. This one is a great Christmas party game or Halloween party game, so try to find stickers that suit the occasion.

Give everyone one sheet of five to ten stickers or less, depending on the size of the party. This game works best in a party where everyone is mingling, so you can incorporate it easily into your happy hour or neighborhood function. Each person must discretely place all their stickers on other party guests; the first to use all their stickers wins. If they get caught stickering someone, they must accept a sticker. At the end of the evening, you can laugh about how sneaky some people are—and wonder at how you ended up with stickers all over your back without even noticing.

Place chairs in a circle, using one less than needed. Have everyone take a seat; the one person without a seat must stand in the center of the circle. They'll say, "Mail Call for everyone…" and pick a descriptor, such as "wearing red" or "has a cat.

Everyone that descriptor applies to must get up and find a new seat, without retaking their initial seat or moving to the seats next to them. The person in the middle will also be racing for a chair; whoever is left standing at the end stands in the circle next, and the game continues. Find a deck of cards and a set of spoons. Pieces of candy also work. Have enough for each player, minus one. Deal four cards to each person playing. One person, the dealer, will keep the remaining deck next to them and draw one card at a time.

They will look at the card and trade it out for a card in their hand or pass it along to the person next to them, who will do the same thing. The goal is to collect four of the same card; when that happens, reach for a spoon.