Whether it’s a birthday party, sleepover or some other occasion, games involving blindfolds can be a fun, engaging way to help children interact in a positive manner. In addition, games in which a blindfolded child are guided by others can be also be a great way to teach children how to listen carefully and follow instructions.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
After drawing a donkey on a large piece of paper, attach the drawing to a cork bulletin board hung on a wall at an appropriate height so that children can reach it. Each child takes a turn being blindfolded and given a tail made from pieces of yarn attached to a push-pin. Turn the child around three times, and instruct the child pin the tail to where he thinks it should go. Circle the area where the tail was pinned and write in the child’s name. Then repeat the process with another child. When all children have had a turn, measure to see which child pinned the tail closest to the correct spot.
Using a piñata stuffed with candy (either store-bought or homemade), this game is ideally played outdoors. After hanging the piñata from a piece of rope at about the shoulder height of children, each child gets a turn to be blindfolded. After spinning the child around three times, the child is given a stick or baseball bat, which he must swing until hitting the piñata. Give each child the opportunity to hit the piñata at least twice. The game ends when a player smashes the piñata, freeing the candy.
Best played in a wide-open outdoor space, this game begins by scattering several different-sized balls throughout the area, with three equidistant bases. After dividing players into two teams, choose one player from each team to be blindfolded. The other players of each team remain at their home base. Using a stopwatch or timer, each team is given five minutes to direct the blindfolded players to the balls using only auditory commands. When a player finds a ball, his teammates must then direct him back to home base, drop the ball, and then find the next one. The team that has collected the most balls at the end of the five minutes wins.
In this game, each child is blindfolded, given a pad of paper and a pencil, and instructed to draw the item you suggest. As the drawing progresses, you and the other players can suggest items to add to the picture, such as adding clouds to a picture of the sun. When complete, the blindfolded child can see how the picture turned out. Each child draws the same basic image, although the extras can be changed for variation. After all the children have had a turn, spread out the drawings next to each other so children can see the differences.