The Barnyard Animal Game

If you can believe it, we've recently hosted our very first kids birthday party (we've held family birthday parties for them before).  Sam turned nine and while he had occasionally asked about having a friends birthday party the past couple years, we weren't sure the timing was right.  This year we decided to host one and it turned out to be a blast.

The first question was who to invite.  Sam has several different circles of friends.  Instead of inviting friends from different circles who may not know each other, we decided to invite a group of kids that know each other well- Sam's Sunday school class.  This group of ten kids that span three grades are SUCH awesome kids.

Sam helped design the invitations and addressed the envelopes himself.

There was no theme and no favors.  The kids arrived and we started in on the activities.  Sam LOVES scavenger hunts.  The ones we usually make entail handing the group a clue which leads to a hiding place where they will find another clue and a puzzle piece.  We actually had two hunts going at once so that the groups were smaller.  At the end, both teams had to combine their puzzle pieces and reveal a message that told them to go eat cake.  For older kids, these Around the House Riddles are great for helping make up the clues.

After ice cream sandwich cake (Sam's request) and the opening of some of the sweetest birthday cards ever, we started in on another game.  This is the MOST fun party game I have ever seen played.  I am NOT exaggerating when I say that I was in tears laughing so hard.  We've played it with adults before and it's {possibly even more} hilarious.

I took several little videos of the game in action, but want to respect our party guests' privacy, so you'll just have to use your imagination.  Make sure to imagine VERY loud girl and boy voices... four cows, four ducks, and three pigs all making their noises, at the same time, in competition with each other, some growing quite hoarse in the process.  Imagine kids hopping up an down while they make their animal noise or sometimes putting their nose down to the floor while quacking or moo-ing.  Imagine squealing and running, rushing and laughing.  Not a clear enough picture?

Here's how the game is played:

Barnyard Animal Game (discovered here)

1) Spread peanuts (in shells) all around the house (we did this while they were eating cake).  We hid a large bag full.  Obviously, if a guest has a peanut allergy, choose another item to hide.  Make sure they are all visible.  Don't hide them under or in things.

Obviously, you could hide them outside if yours is a summer party.  I guarantee you'll have curious neighbors peeking over the fence once the noise starts:-). 

2) Divide the group into smaller groups of 3 or 4.  Each group should chose a captain.  Give each captain a bag of some sort to hold the peanuts.  Assign each group a barnyard animal that makes noise (cow, sheep, rooster, pig, hen, dog, etc.)

3) Give these instructions: 

~ Only the captain can pick up peanuts. The other group members may not.
~ The captain may not look for peanuts him/herself.
~ There is to be no talking.
~ The way the captain finds the peanuts is by listening for his group's animal sound.
~ The way the team members show the captain where the peanuts are is by splitting up and then standing near the found peanut and making their team's animal noise.  The captain follows his/her animal team's sound to find and collect the peanut.
~ Captains may not pick up a peanut unless someone from their team is at the peanut making their team's noise.  (This keeps captains from answering another animal team's call.)
~ When all the peanuts are found, the teams count up their peanuts and the team that has the most peanuts wins.  Teams can divide up and take home peanuts if they like.

4) Let all teams begin at the same time, but remind the captains that they have to stay put until they hear their animal team's noise calling them.

Warning:  Prepare to almost pee your pants and have your ear drums burst.  Also, the participants may lose their voices:-).

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