Special Occasions and Holiday Games

By Jill Emerson

Holidays are days sprinkled throughout the year when we can celebrate something special. It may be a holiday inspired by a religious celebration or a day that marks an important anniversary. Whatever the occasion, it is fun to celebrate. We sometimes do that by having a party or a dinner with family and friends. However and wherever holidays are celebrated, games can add to the fun!

Snowline

Santa's reindeer have the hiccups! His presents are scattered all over Europe. Help Santa find all of the missing presents.

Gift-Stacking Relay

This game of stacking gifts requires speed and balance. Variations of the game are also offered to make it harder.

Jingle Bell Toss

This simple game involves tossing jingle bells into plastic cups. The more bells go in, the more points you score.

Snowman Slam

In this fun game, kids create a tower of snowmen out of paper cups and then try to knock them down.

Christmas Charades

The classic game is given a Christmas twist. Players must act out Christmas scenarios well enough for their teammates to guess.

Latke Stacker Hanukah Game

This online games involves catching the falling latkes with a pan and stacking them up to the ceiling.

Chanukah Anagram Game

Create new words from the word "Chanukah" in the time allotted.

Spider Web Walking

Create a giant spider web on the floor and then try to walk on the web without bobbling.

Pumpkin Bowling

Use household objects and craft supplies to create the pins. Set up your bowling alley and then try to knock the pins down.

Halloween Punch a Bunch

Create a punchboard with bowls, tissue paper, and Halloween treats. Take turns punching the targets on the board: What you find when you punch is your prize.

Witch Pitch

Candy corn and a pitching board made from tiny cauldrons create hours of fun with the Witch Pitch game. Create the board and then try to get the candy corn into the highest point value cauldrons.

Halloween Concentration

This DIY concentration game is simple to make and fun to play. Create picture matches on cards, spread them out, and then rely on your memory to find the matches.

Monster Café

The monster is dressed and ready for some trick-or-treating. He finds a huge pile of candy so big it may squish him. Help the monster fill his candy bucket in this online game.

Easter Rush

Help the bouncing bunny get home for Easter in this fun online game.

Easter Egg Hunt

The object of the game is simple: Find the Easter eggs. But you have to look closely to find them all!

Bunny's Basket

Look at the picture and find all of the differences you can. This online game requires using a lot of concentration to find them all.

Valentine's Day Word Scramble

Unscramble the letters to come up with Valentine's Day words.

Find Your Partner Valentine's Day Game

This "break the ice" game pairs kids up and gets them talking. This is a great way to let everyone in the class or at the party get to know each other.

Sweety Mahjong

The classic Mahjong game gets a Valentine's Day twist in this fun online game.

Musical Hearts

Musical Hearts is the classic game of musical chairs but with hearts placed on the floor. Kids move about until the music ends, then land on a heart and do an activity.

My Heart Is Bursting

Create a Valentine's Day punch board with bowls and tissue paper. Each player punches a target on the board and gets to keep the Valentine's Day treat revealed.

Heart Hunt

Create and hide color-coded hearts. Players are given a set amount of time to hunt, and they get different amounts of points for different color hearts. The player with the most points wins the game.

Valentine's Day Pictionary

This is a great game that can be used at parties or in the classroom. Players must draw given prompts while their teammates try to guess the clue from the drawing.

Chinese Zodiac Game

Use pictures or drawings of animals for a few different games that let you get silly with animal sounds!

Leprechaun Relay

This game gives the typical relay race a St. Patrick's Day twist. Racers must put on an entire leprechaun outfit before they can run their leg and then take it off for the next racer.

St. Patrick's Day Bingo

Print out the provided bingo card and then play the traditional bingo game with a St. Patrick's Day flair.

Leprechaun Treasure Hunt

Hide the shamrocks and let all of the leprechauns find them to win the gold at the end of the rainbow.

Cherry Bombs and Firecrackers Game

Arrange the boxes to catch the most firecrackers in this fun online game.

Independence Day Dress Up Game

This online dress-up game lets players create fun, patriotic outfits to celebrate the U.S.A.

Feed the Turkey Counting Game

All you need is paper bags and acorns to play this Thanksgiving game.