What better way to inject some fun into the day than with some carnival games? Whether it’s for a school event or just for a bit of fun during the school day, they’re a fun way to bring out everyone’s competitive spirit. From skeeball to spin the wheel to ring toss, these classic games are the perfect way to dial up the excitement! Creating your own collection of carnival games is easier than you might think. Have a look at our list of 30 amazing ideas for you to pick from!
1. Bean Bag Toss
The only game where throwing a bag of “beans” is not only socially acceptable but also considered a competitive sport! This game is a classic and is really easy to set up. All you’ll need are some bean bags and some wood or cardboard to make your targets! Once ready, have your kiddos aim to toss the bean bags into the holes on the boards.
Learn More: YouTube
2. Spin The Wheel
Build anticipation with this next game! Have your kiddies gather around the spinning wheel, eagerly awaiting their chance to see what type of prize they’ll get! Let them spin the wheel and see where it lands. You could create different tiers of prizes that correspond to different colors on the wheel. They’ll be coming back for more all day!
Learn More: YouTube
3. Water Coin Drop
Penny for your thoughts? Grab a handful of spare change for this exciting game of chance! Set up a clear plastic container full of water, with a clear glass in the middle. Then, have your kids toss coins into the water, trying to get the coins to land in the glass. They can use any type of coin to play, like pennies, nickels, dimes, or quarters.
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4. Plinko
Plinko is the ultimate game of fate and physics! Let your class have a go at this classic carnival game by dropping a small disc or “Plinko” from the top of the pivot board, trying to get it to land in one of the numbers at the bottom. They’ll be bursting with excitement as they try to magically will their disk to go where they want!
Learn More: Instructables
5. Balloon Dart
This game is sure to go off with a BANG! This game of chance involves throwing darts at balloons for prizes. Encourage your kiddos to aim with precision and incentivize them by telling them that whoever pops the most balloons wins. Make sure you set up a no-go zone and go over safety rules first with your kiddos if you’re using darts!
Learn More: Carnival Savers
6. Can Smash
Line ‘em up and knock ‘em down! Your kiddies will love this simple carnival game and will be there all day! Have them stack some cans then take turns throwing bean bags or balls at them to try and demolish the stack. Not only is this a super fun and addictive game, but it’s also a lesson in hand-eye coordination!
Learn More: Carnival Savers
7. High Striker
Your kids will love the challenge of this classic carnival addition! Encourage them to use a mallet to hit the striker hard enough that it flies up to ring the bell at the top of a tall pole. If they manage to hit it, but not hard enough to ring the bell, there are still markers on the side to measure how far up they reached. The higher the level, the bigger the prize they can win!
Learn More: YouTube
8. Skeeball
Who doesn’t love skeeball? Let your kiddos have a go at possibly one of the most popular carnival games! Within a set time, or using a set number of balls, they can roll balls up an incline and try to get them into high-scoring holes. At the end of their turn, they’ll love counting up their scores and comparing them with friends!
Learn More: YouTube
9. Duck Matching
Why not have a duck pond at your carnival? In this game, your kiddos will take turns catching rubber ducks and then turn them over to reveal a number. If the numbers match they win a prize! This simple game of chance is easy to create and will provide hours of fun!
Learn More: Carnival Planning 101
10. Magnetic Fishing
Take your kiddies on a fishing trip next! Have them cast off their magnetic rods over a board where magnetic fish lie in wait! They’ll then need to reel in their catch. You could have different colored fish meaning different prizes, or set a timer and allocate prizes based on the number of fish they catch. There are so many possibilities with this fun carnival game!
Learn More: YouTube
11. Target Shoot
Bullseye! You can create this amazing target shooting game for your class with just a few simple materials. Back a circular board with different colored felt to create the points zones, then stick some velcro to ping pong balls. All that’s left is to let your kiddos have a go! Have them toss the balls at the board, trying to get as high a score as possible. Can anyone hit the middle?
Learn More: Instructables
12. Bungee Ball
This game will test your kiddos’ coordination skills! Your players will receive a set number of balls—golf balls, ping pong balls, or tennis balls—and must try to land them in the target to win a prize. This will require skill and practice, as the targets are often quite small, and the balls will bounce and roll unpredictably!
Learn More: YouTube
13. Donut Eating Race
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a member of your class who won’t want to play this game. It may not sound too difficult to your kiddos, but when they hear that they’ll have to eat a donut hanging from a string, and the first one to finish wins, things become a whole lot more complicated! This game is sure to be a hilarious addition to your day!
Learn More: YouTube
14. Whack-a-Mole
It’s the ultimate test of hand-eye coordination! In this classic game, your kiddies will need to have lightning-fast reflexes to wack the moles with a mallet as they pop up from the holes. Thankfully, the moles are plastic, so no animals will be harmed! Who will be able to whack the most moles in the time given?
Learn More: YouTube
15. Frog Leap
Your students won’t be the only ones jumping around playing this game! Using a mallet, they’ll catapult toy frogs, aiming to get them to land on lily pads or other targets. The more frogs that they successfully get onto a target, the higher they’ll score! This fun game tests both their aim and strength!
Learn More: YouTube
16. Candy Wheel
It’s spin the wheel but with a sugary twist! Your kiddos can take turns spinning a wheel to win various candies. It’s a creative and exciting way to treat them, rather than just having a bowl of candy for them to help themselves to. Waiting to see what they’ll win brings a sense of excitement and anticipation to your kiddos!
Learn More: Between Carpools
17. Goblet Toss
Why not include a game of goblet toss? Your kids will take turns to throw balls, as they try to aim for them to land them in colored goblets to win prizes. Each color represents a different prize, adding an exciting element of chance to this game that’ll sharpen their hand-eye coordination skills. They’ll spend hours at this game, trying to win the best prizes!
Learn More: Redbone Games
18. Ring Toss
The ring toss is a staple at any carnival! This game challenges your kiddos to throw rings at a set of pegs or bottles, aiming to land a ring around one of them. It’s a game of precision and eye-hand coordination, always fun for all ages.
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19. Horseshoes
Similar to the ring toss, the age-old game of horseshoes adds an extra challenge to this fun game! Your kiddies will take turns to throw horseshoes at a stake in the ground, with the closest horseshoe winning! It’s simple, engaging, and involves a good measure of skill and luck!
Learn More: Rookie Road
20. Ladder Golf
Introduce your kids to the wacky game of ladder golf! In this intriguing game, they’ll throw bolas (two balls connected by a string) onto a ladder structure, trying to hook them onto one of the three horizontal rungs, each with different point values. They’ll soon be obsessed with this unique game!
Learn More: Get Trampoline
21. Pitch Burst
Make a splash! Your kiddies will love this wet and wild game that requires a keen eye and accurate aim! They’ll take turns throwing balls at a target that, when hit, bursts a water balloon over a volunteer sitting below. It’s a cool way to bring some splashy fun to the day!
Learn More: Water Wars
22. Football Toss
It’s a touchdown! Let your kids test their football throwing skills in a game of football toss. It’s a fun take on football where they’ll be aiming to get the ball through tires or hole targets. It’s a great way to integrate some sports action and team spirit into the carnival fun.
Learn More: Hallmark Channel
23. Lucky Duck
This idea is a variation of the earlier duck-matching game that’s perfect for younger learners. In this gentle game, they can pick a duck from a pond and flip it over to reveal if it has a number or shape on the bottom that corresponds to a prize. It’s a super way to add in some fun shape or number recognition for your littlest learners.
Learn More: YouTube
24. Cake Walk
Let your kiddos have their cake, and eat it! This is a musical chairs-inspired game where they’ll walk on numbered squares while music plays. When the music stops, a number is called, and the player standing on that number wins a delicious cake. Games and cake – what’s not to love?!
Learn More: PTO Today
25. Tug of War
A classic test of strength and teamwork- it’s Tug of War! Spark the competitive spirit of your kiddos by sorting them into teams. Then pit two teams against each other at a time in a battle to pull the marker on the rope past a certain point. Encourage them to think strategically and they may find that this challenge isn’t all about how strong your team members are!
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26. Egg and Spoon Race
The humble egg and spoon race doesn’t just need to be for sports day! This hilarious and challenging race will make a super addition to your carnival games repertoire! Challenge your kiddos to balance an egg on a spoon while racing to the finish line. It’s a test of steadiness and speed that always ends in laughter!
Learn More: YouTube
27. Giant Jenga
Take this classic tabletop game outdoors with this larger-than-life version! Giant Jenga challenges your students to remove and stack blocks without toppling the tower. As the tower gets taller, the sense of excitement and anticipation builds! What a fabulous and hands-on test of patience and strategy for them!
Learn More: Family Handman
28. Mini Golf Challenge
Mini golf at a carnival is always a hit! Why not create your very own mini-golf course for your kiddos? Challenge them to navigate a golf ball through a series of whimsical and challenging obstacles to the hole. You could even get them involved in making some of the obstacles and decorations for your course! This game is sure to be a firm favorite for sure!
Learn More: eHow
29. Hook and Ring
The hook and ring game is a frustratingly addictive game! Let your kiddies have a go at swinging a small ring on a string to hook it onto a stationary hook. They’ll need great hand-eye coordination to master this carnival game and they’ll be over the moon when they eventually succeed!
Learn More: Caliber Games
30. Guessing Booth
A guessing booth is a classic crowd-pleaser. Challenge your kiddos to take a shot at estimating the exact number of candies crammed into a glass jar. With only their wits and a keen eye as tools, the person with the most accurate guess wins the lot, turning a simple game into a sweet victory!
Learn More: East Coast Mommy
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