Virtual Party Planning

Emily and I love being the co-chairs of the Tidy Family party planning committee. However, the current quarantine required us to get extra creative about planning Mabel’s 5th birthday party. When we asked Mabel what she wanted to do for her birthday, she told us she wanted all of her friends to sing her “Happy Birthday” at the same time.

I’ve been teaching remotely for the past few weeks and have been forced to become fluent on how to use video chat with multiple people at the same time! I put my skills to the test, and Emily and I planned a 45-minute virtual birthday party for Mabel and her friends.

The party started by each of Mabel’s friends giving virtual introductions (name, age, where they live). Then we played 5 games with the guests. We designed each game to last about 5 minutes each, and put a movement game in the middle so that the little ones could have a stretch break. We ended the party with all of the guests singing “Happy Birthday” and then put on a song for a dance party!

I’m sharing the 5 games we played during the birthday party, and hope they inspire you to host your very own virtual party!

1. Photo Mystery

Game Set-Up

• Choose category of photos (i.e. animals, places, people, etc)
  • In honor of Mabel, we played “Where is Mabel?” and used photographs of Mabel in various locations (at the lake, on a carousel, at school, in the kitchen, meeting Santa, at a parade)
• Choose 5-10 photos and organize them into a folder on the computer

 

Zoom Features Used

• Microphone/Video
• Screen Share

 

How to Play

1. Tell guests that the object of the game is to be the first person to recognize what is shown in the photo
2. Zoom in on a corner of a photo and then share screen with guests
3. Slowly zoom the picture out until a guest calls out what is shown in the photo
4. Show the full picture
5. Repeat game until all photos in folder have been shown

 

2. Letter/Object Search

Game Set-Up

• Choose a word (ie HAPPY), and guests will find objects corresponding to the letters in the word (i.e. A – Apple, B – Block)
  • In honor of Mabel, our guests had to search for objects that started with each letter in her first name (M, A, B, E, L: she found M – marker, A – apple, B – bracelet, E – egg, L – log)

 

Zoom Features Used

• Microphone/video

 

How to Play

1. Tell guests the special word, and that they need to find objects corresponding to each letter in the word
2. Tells guests they will have 60 seconds to search for their objects
3. Bring up 60 second timer and share screen with guests
4. Start the 60 second timer and have guests search around their home for objects
5. When timer goes off, guests can share their objects with one another

 

3. Trivia

Game Set-up

• Create a multiple choice quiz on any topic in Google Forms
  • In honor of Mabel we created a quiz titled, “How well do you know Mabel?” and asked questions about Mabel’s favorites!
• Copy link to quiz

 

Zoom Features Used

• Microphone/video
• Chat

 

How to Play

1. Tell guests they are going to take a quiz about how much they know about a particular topic
2. Share link to Google form in chat
3. Tell guests to answer the multiple choice questions
4. Reveal answers

 

4. Magnet Memory

Game Set-Up

• Set aside a sheet pan (test to make sure that it is magnetic!)
• Set aside magnets from the refrigerator or a magnetic game

 

Zoom Features Used

• Microphone/video

 

How to Play

1. Tell guests they are going to play a memory game using magnets
2. Show guests the sheet pan that has magnets organized across the surface
3. Tell guests to memorize the image of each magnet on the sheet pan
4. Remove one magnet (out of view of the guests) and then show the sheet pan again
5. Guests get to tell which magnet has been removed
6. Repeat until no magnets remain

5. Name Bingo

Game Set-up

• Prior to the start of the party, tell parents of the guests to have a piece of construction paper and a marker ready. You can also give them instructions on how to set up the bingo card.
  • In honor of Mabel, we had the parents write M-A-B-E-L across the top of the paper, & then with 1-5 in each column in their own random order
• Write out the bingo answer choices, with a corresponding number 1-25
• Pull up random number generator on phone or computer

 

Zoom Features Used

• Microphone/video

 

How to Play

1. Tell guests they are going to play bingo
2. Uses random number generator to call out the bingo answers that corresponds to #1-25
3. Continue until someone wins the game with 5 in a row

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