The goal of these party games is to amass as many fun points as possible.
Toss a basketball
People will have a good time playing a carnival-style basketball game. To begin, place a basket, bucket, or box a few feet away from the shooting line. Line up the youngsters behind the throwing line and have them toss “basketballs” into the Basket. This game can be played with foam basketballs, crumpled-up balls of orange paper, or orange bean-bag-style balls. Each participant gets three balls. Each time a ball lands in the Basket, you get one point; give them a point. Tally the scores and offer prizes when all players have taken three shots.
OUT
Playing this game on a court makes it more convenient, but it can also be played indoors using a portable hoop and a foam ball. Allow the first player to choose any area on the court (or in the room) from which to shoot the basketball. Next in line will try from a different place if they fail. If that person scores, the other players must shoot from the same spot. Any player who fails to make the shot receives an “O.” A fresh player hits from a different location after all players have attempted the first shot. If they score, everyone must try the same image again. Any player who misses receives an “O” once more. A “U” is given to players who already have an “O.” A player is eliminated from the game when they receive all three letters that spell “OUT.” The game continues until there is only one person left.
Steal in the middle of the court
One player should take a position on the center court line. All other players are given a ball to dribble from one end. The center court player tries to steal a basketball as the youngster’s past, but their feet must stay on the line. When a player in the center court steals a ball, the player who stole the ball must join them on the line. As the line of center court thieves increases, the game continues. When the ball is in play, whoever has it for the longest is the winner.
Dribbles of Music
Have some fun with a basketball-themed musical chairs game! Arrange the kids in a circle and give each one a basketball. Each participant must dribble the ball three times and then pass it to the next person as the music plays. When the music stops, the player with the ball is out of the game. The game continues in this manner until only one player remains.
Grassy Shoes
One player is “It” in this game, while the other participants are free to run around the court. The individual who is “It” tries to tag other players in the same way as frozen tag does. When players get organized, they must stand in one area and dribble a ball as if their basketball shoes were glued to the ground until they are freed.
Place it in the Basket.
Place many buckets in various locations throughout the party area. Give each youngster a foam basketball and a timer, and challenge them to make as many baskets as they can. Points are awarded, and rewards are given out correspondingly. You can assign point values to each Basket based on how difficult it is to place it.
Freeze Dance in Basketball
Freeze Dance is a basketball-themed variant of the popular party game. Play music, such as the theme from The Harlem Globetrotters. Every kid dribbles and shows off elegant (or stupid) footwork while it’s playing. Kids must stop dripping and freeze in position whenever the music stops. The last player to stop dribbling is ejected from the game. Blowing a referee’s whistle instead of stopping the music is another technique to include basketball in this game.
Knockout Dribble
Assemble the players in a line and have them stand side by side. Each player must dribble a basketball while remaining in their assigned place. Players must aim to knock the ball away from the players close to them without moving their feet or stopping dribbling. The line is reconstructed as players are knocked out of the game to maintain uniform spacing between players. The game goes on until just one participant is left.
Relay of Basketball Players
This game requires two basketballs, two baskets, and two sets of player uniforms (tank top, shorts, and basketball shoes that fit over the players’ clothes). Divide the players into two. When the whistle blows, the first players in line must dribble the ball to the Basket, and they must then shoot the ball into the Basket. Players retrieve the ball and spill it back to their team, passing the ball and uniform to the next player. The first team to finish the basketball relay with its players wins.