Carnival Party Games
To Transform Your Yard into a
Circus Midway!

Adults and children alike enjoy the festive atmosphere of a circus, so try these great carnival party games to transform your yard into a circus midway!

Whether they're walking the high wire or wallowing in the bubble pool, party guests will want to run away to join YOUR circus when the day is done!

Your circus midway should provide lots of opportunities for guests to win inexpensive prizes such as lollipops, wrapped candy, and trinkets.

Small toys saved from fast food kids meals make ideal carnival party game prizes!

~ Carnival Party Games ~

PIN THE NOSE ON THE CLOWN - This variation of "Pin the tail on the Donkey" requires a poster-sized picture of a clown. Have the local copy shop enlarge a picture from a child's book. Make the round red noses from posterboard and number them for each guest. Each guest is spun around 3 times and pointed at the poster to try to pin the nose on the clown.
Variations: Pin the Tail on the Tiger, Pin the Trunk on the Elephant

WALK THE HIGH WIRE - Prop a 2 x 4 a few inches above the ground on bricks or cement blocks (be sure it's secure) and let guests "walk the highwire". Give them a pole or parasol for effect!
Variation: Suggest they try it blindfolded!

FEED THE TIGER - Draw and color a large tiger on a piece of heavy cardboard. Cut out the mouth area to form a large hole. Prop the tiger against a chair or other support. Have guests stand behind a toe line and "feed" the tiger by throwing bean bags, rolled socks, or even dog chew toys (which resemble food) into the open mouth.

HUNGRY ELEPHANT -Cut elephant ears out of heavy cardboard or foamcore (one piece for both ears.) Fashion a cone from grey construction paper and staple or glue below the ears to form the elephant's trunk. Draw the elephants eyes above the trunk. Give guests a handful of peanuts to throw one by one into the elephant's trunk. The one who gets the most peanuts in gets the prize!

~ Carnival Party Games ~

BUCKET TOSS - Line up a row of buckets or sand pails with point values displayed on the front. Each guest gets a turn to throw tennis balls into the buckets. The one with the highest point value is the winner.
Variation: Play without points and give a small candy prize to reward whomever gets a ball or two in.

LOLLIPOP TREE - Cut a wedge off the bottom of a large styrofoam ball so it sits flat on a table. Mark the sticks of a few wrapped lollipops. Stick them and several others into the ball. If guests choose a marked lollipop, they win a prize. Or, mark the lollipop stick with different colors and they win the corresponding colored prize. Example: blue stick gets blue ball, red stick gets red water gun, green stick gets green toy truck, etc. Either way, they get to keep the lollipop.

~ Carnival Party Games ~

BOTTLE RING TOSS - Place about 12 soda bottles in a square pattern on a flat piece of wood on a couple of cinderblocks. Make a toe line from which guests can toss rings onto the bottlenecks.

DART BOARD - Partially inflate small balloons and pin them to a large board or heavy cardboard. Each guest gets 3 darts to pop balloons. This is a popular game, so prepare 6 balloons per guest in case they want to take a couple of turns. Store them in a large trash bag until partytime.

PICK-A-DUCK - Number a quantity of small plastic or rubber duckies on their bottoms in indelible marker - one for each party guest. Float them in a large tub of water. Allow partygoers to pick a duck and they get the prize with the corresponding number.
Variation: Number the duck 1, 2, or 3. Have three corresponding tubs of toys for kids to choose from.

~ Carnival Party Games ~

BOWLING ALLEY - Purchase an inexpensive bowling set. Set up plastic pins on a hard flat surface. Guests take turn knocking down the pins for a candy prize. Strikes merit an extra nice prize.

WATER BALLOON THROW - Prepare a couple of buckets of filled water balloons prior to the party. Mark a toe line about 6 feet from 3 empty pails. Divide guests into 3 groups and let them try to get the balloons in the pails. Or, if it's a hot day and you don't mind everyone getting soaked, let them have a free-for-all!

BUBBLE POOL - Fill a kiddie pool with bubble liquid and a variety of wands and let them have at it! Or, try creating a super bubble with a hula hoop. Have a child stand in the bubble pool while an adult lowers a hula hoop over them, into the bubble liquid, and back up again. A super bubble will be created, with the party guest inside it!