15 Music Party Games for Kids: Bop Til You Drop With These Game Ideas

Turn up the music! This collection of 15 music party games for kids might just be our favourite collection of kids party games ever!

These are great games for karaoke, disco or dance parties, with suggestions to suit children from 5 through to 15 years – though to be honest, even adults would have a laugh with the games in this collection!

They also make fun youth group games, and can be easily adapted as indoor games for class groups.

Music Party Games for Kids: Great Games for Discos and Dance Parties

15 Music Party Games for Kids

1. Musical Statues
Start the music and everyone dances until the music stops playing (out of view of the children, hit the pause button), then they freeze in position. Anyone still moving when the music stops playing or who moves while the music is off is out for that round. The final person dancing is the winner.

2. Musical Bobs
Proceed like Musical Statues (see instructions above) except this time the children must bob down when the music stops. Last person to hit the floor is out. Last person dancing is the winner!

3. Musical Buddies
Proceed like Musical Statues (see instructions above) but this time call out a number when the music stops. Children must form groups with that number of people in them. Anyone not in a group, or the last group to form, is out.

4. Poison Apple
This is also a great game for a princess or witch/wizard themed party. Have the children stand in a circle and pass an apple from person to person around the circle as the music plays. When the music stops, the person holding the ‘posion’ apple pretends to take a bite and then falls to the ground, pretending to fall into a deep sleep, bewitched by the poison. The winner of the game is the person who performs the most dramatic collapse to the floor!

5. You’ve Got Moves!
This is a fun dancing memory game. Children start out standing in a circle. A person is chosen to go first and they perform one cool dance move. The next person along performs the first dance move and then adds a move of their own. The game continues around the circle, with the sequence of dance moves becoming longer and harder to remember as play progresses. Any player who forgets the sequence is out of the game and sits down. The winner is the last dancer standing!

6. Pass the Parcel
Pass the Parcel is a classic kids party game that is hugely popular with younger party goers. You can find full instructions for how to play in our Classic Kids Party Games collection.

7. Lip Syncing competition
You’ll need access to a music streaming platform, like Spotify, and two pretend microphones for this game. Divide party guests into pairs. Each team chooses a popular song to perform. Give teams a few minutes to prepare their routine, encouraging them to think about dance moves and facial expressions. Teams take turns performing their songs for the other party guests. The winning team can be decided by an adult nominated as judge or you could monitor audience reaction and applause to choose the most popular performance.

Music Party Games for Kids: Fun Games for Dance Parties and Discos

8. Air Guitar competition
Put on your favourite rock or heavy metal song and invite guests to showcase their best air guitar skills! The winner is the performer who does the best job pretending to play their imaginary rock guitar.

9. Disco Dress Up Relay
Divide party guests into equal teams of four or five players. Each team will require a set of 4-5 large sized disco themed dress ups that are easy to put on and take off – for example, a sequined headband, glitter hat or curly wig, a pair of sunglasses, large costume jewelry, a paisley shirt, a  stretchy miniskirt, etc.

Divide each team into two lines, facing each other across a short running distance. Place the pile of dress ups in front of the first team member for each team. On ‘Go’ the first team member must put on all of the dress up clothes (over their regular clothes) and then race to their next team member, taking off the dress up clothes once there for the next player to put on. The race continues until all team members have had a turn to dress up and run. First team with their final team member across the finish line is the winner.

10. Musical Costumes
Have children sit or stand in a circle. As the music plays, the children pass around a bag of random costume pieces – glasses, hats, gloves, wigs, boas, etc. When the music stops the person holding the bag, takes out an item from the bag and puts it on. The person wearing the wackiest costume at the end of the game is the winner.

11. Limbo
One classic music party games has to be Limbo! You will need a broomstick (or similar) to act as the limbo pole. Two people (one either end) need to hold the pole horizontally to the floor at about chest height. Pop on your favourite tunes, line players up and have them take turns to dance under the limbo pole without knocking or touching it – if you touch it, you’re out. Players must lean backwards, not forwards, as they pass under the pole. Once all the players are through, the pole is dropped about an inch and the players again must pass under the pole without touching it. The last player dancing is the winner.

RELATED: Check out our collection of Classic Party Games for Tweens and Teens.

12. Musical Balloon Up
Prepare for this game by blowing up a series of balloons, each with a single dance challenge written onto a small piece of paper inserted before inflating.  Challenges might include actions, like performing a specific dance move, and trivia questions related to music. To play, put on some music and have the children bop the balloon to keep it up in the air until the music stops. The last person to touch the balloon pops it and then performs the challenge included inside.

13. Name that Singer!
Divide guests into teams. Each team will need enough sheets of paper to complete the number of rounds you decide to include in the competition and a marker pen. Either read out the title of a well known song, or play the first few bars of the song. Teams talk quietly to agree the singer and write their choice on a piece of paper. When prompted, teams reveal their answers. Each correct answer scores a point for that team. The team with the most points at the end of the competition is the winner.

Alternatively, this game can be played as Name that Song! (teams write down the name of the song) or Finish the Lyrics (teams write down the next line of the song).

14. Dance Battle
We couldn’t have a list of music party games without a dance battle! Have everyone stand around the designated ‘dance floor.’ Two guests dance into the middle of the dance floor, competing against each other by simultaneously performing their own freestyle solo dance. A winner is chosen and then the next pair competes. Continue until all pairs have competed and then have the winners dance off against each other until there are only two dancers competing for the ultimate title of Dance Battle Winner!

15. Music Trivia
Divide guests into teams to compete in your very own Music Trivia Quiz Competition. Each team will need a pad of paper and a pencil to record their answers to the quiz questions. Determine the number of rounds, and questions in each round, before the party. Teams work together to answer a series of music trivia questions, recording their answers as they go. The team that answers the most questions correctly are the winners. You can find a series of kid friendly music trivia questions here.

Musical Party Games for Kids

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