Play exciting western party games with your cowgirls and cowboys!
Conjure up a Wild West atmosphere with your little ones by playing fun themed western party games.
Here you'll find a cowboy relay and a beancan shootout.
Or play a version of pass the rattlesnake - oh, and don't forget the bandana for the blindfold game!
Add some campfire songs for a great western party atmosphere...
So grab your Stetsons - and Wagons Ho!
Western party games for little kids
Cowboy relay Gather together two baskets containing the same cowboy clothes and accessories - big boots, baggy trousers, a waistcoat, Stetson or bandana, and a sheriff's badge.
Divide your guests into two teams. The first child in each team runs up to their basket, puts the clothes on, and runs back to their group - then back to the basket, takes off the clothes and runs back again. Then it's the next child's turn. Have a "practice" round first of all so that everybody understands what to do. The first team to finish are the winners!
Bean can shootout Make some "Beans" labels and stick them on some empty tin cans. (Make sure the tops aren't sharp - cover the tops carefully with tape if necessary.) Arrange them on a stand or a covered table.
In this western party game, the kids use bean bags to try and knock over the cans. Each child has a turn. You could use four cans with four bean bags. The winners are those who hit the most cans over! Your guests will probably want a couple of turns at this.
Campfire songs Cut out a large circle of construction paper or cardboard. Scrumple up pieces of newspaper, stick them together into a pile on top of the paper, and then paint them roughly with red, orange and brown. Add a few twigs around the edges and you have camp fire!
Choose a selection of your kids' favorite songs and have a sing-a-long. Even if the songs don't have a western theme, you can add a few yeehas to the words!
Then get the kids playing musical statues as they dance around the "fire" - play some country dance music or Indian campfire songs!
To add to the atmosphere, you can darken the room and shine a flashlight on the fire - or let the kids use flashlights themselves.
Rattlesnake round Similar to the popular Hot Potato game. Add some imaginary danger to your western party games! The kids sit in a circle and pass a plastic snake around as the music plays. The child holding the snake when the music stops is out. The winner is the last child left!
Pin the badge on the sheriff Your kid will love helping you prepare for this western party game. Make a "kid-sized" version of a sheriff by drawing round your child's shape on a large piece of construction paper or cardboard. Pop a hat on top - or do a cut-out version, and decorate your sheriff together in advance of the party. Prepare a stick-on sheriff's badge, too.
X marks the spot where the badge has to go. Blindfold each child, twirl them around and gently push them in the right direction. The child who gets the badge nearest to the X is the winner!
