Pin the Tail on the Donkey has been entertaining kids for more than 125 years. The earliest record of Pin the Tail on the Donkey being played is from 1899. It is still as popular as ever and a great game to include at every birthday party.
I have vivid memories of how hilarious Pin the Tail on the Donkey was to watch when I was young. The blindfolded child was turned around and around until they were dizzy before trying to pin the tail in the right place. More often than not, children were so dizzy and disoriented, they would end up falling over or walking in the wrong direction away from the donkey. These occasions made it all the more funny to watch! When it came to your turn, you’d always think it was going to be easier than it actually was.
The game is popular because it gets everyone involved in the fun. Watching and playing are equally as fun. It is a simple game to organise and a great warmup game at the beginning of a party, to get everyone in the party mood.
HOW TO PLAY
All you need is:
- A large picture of a donkey (or other character). You can buy these at a party shop or draw one on a large piece of card (A1 or A2 size is best).
- A tail (or similar) made from paper or card for each child with their name written on it.
- Blu-tack for attaching the donkey to wall and the tails to the donkey.
- Blindfold (a scarf or airline sleeping masks work well)
Steps:
- Attach the donkey picture to the wall with blu-tack
- Each child is given a ‘tail’ with their name written on it.
- Blindfolded, each child take a turn to stick their tail on the donkey. It is good to turn the child once or twice to disorient them a little before they place the tail.
- The winner is the tail closest to the correct position
There are endless variations that you can try to fit your party theme. Here are some ideas:
Pin the horn on the unicorn
Pin the fluffy tail on the bunny
Pin the wand on the fairy
Pin the Eye on the Minion
Kiss the frog (use cut out lips or put on lipstick and kiss the frog). A great idea for a princess party.
Pin the eye patch on the pirate
Pin the medal on the athlete
Pin the scar on Harry Potter
I hope you have a wonderful party. Follow us on socials or download our books for more party game ideas.