Remember the games you use to play as a kid?
Use any of those standard party games and
simply change the game name to
Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra,
Gloria the Hippo, Melman Giraffe,
the Ring-Tailed Lemurs and the Penguins
and you are set for fun games
at your Madagscar Party!

Here are a few ideas:

Simon Says
now named
Wanderlusting Marty the Zebra

Here's how to play:

The leader calls out an action. Kids only perform the action if it is preceded with the words: MARTY SAYS, "Touch Your Nose"
Kids do NOT perform the action and stand still if the words are: Touch Your Nose.
Performing an action without the MARTY SAYS eliminates the player from the game. Last child left is the winner.

Action Ideas include:
Wiggle you nose
Touch your ears
Clap your paws
Rub your tummy
Shake you belly
Roar like Alex
Turn your Gloria Hippo body all the way around
Make a Melman smile
Make an Melman the Giraffe sad face
Make Marty the Zebra eyes
Laugh like the Lemurs giggle
Waddle like the Penguins
(create up your own actions)

Hot Potato Game
now named
Worrywart Melman the Giraffe's
Big Bag of Worries

Here's how to play:
This Big Bag is filled with lots of problems that Melman always worries about and they want to get out and get kids in trouble -- just like the Hot Potato Game, the object is to have the kids pass the bag as quickly as they can so the worries will not fly out and get them.



Peanut Toss Game
now called
Swarm of Lemurs

Here's how to play:
Toss clothes pins painted to look like lemurs are tossed into a pail or a sturdy paper bag.

Variation:
Provide several pails and position one pail closest to the Tosser, one pail further back, another pail set even further away. Each pail has points: low points for closest pail, highest points for the pail located the farthest away. Paint the clothes pins with white, grey or brown paint or permanent markers and add stripes to their ring tails so they look like Lemurs. Besides marking the point value on each pail or paper bag, print the words LEMUR POT on each one. After the party is over, use the pails to hold small toys in the a child's room or small items in your pantry... use the clothes pins on hangers to hold clothes in place.

Gunny Sack Race
now named
Street-Savvey Gloria the Hippo's
Hippity Hop Race

Here's how to play:
Provide a start and finish line (across the backyard or park). Provide each child with a burlap sack or fabric sack, (plastic is dangerous and breaks). Start all the kids and their sacks off at the same time. First one to cross the Finish Line is the winner.

Activity Variation
Prior to the Gloria the Hippo Game:
Provide black and white construction paper, scissors and glue and ask each child to make their own Gloria the Hippo Tails. Attach the Hippo Tail to the back of the gunny or fabric sacks and watch the fun as the kids bounce here and there with all the tails bouncing in the air. (...think about Hippo Ears, too).

Pin the Tail on the Donkey Game
now named
Pin the Nose on the
Gentle King of the Hill
Alex the Lion

Here's how to play:
Using a large piece of butcher's paper (from the meat department at your grocery store) and draw a big Alex the Lion face so his nose is big. Using brightly colored construction paper cut out noses and add double-sided tape to the back. Write a child's name on each bow. One child at a time, blindfold them, gently turn them around and when they are facing the poster, have them walk with their arms stretched out till they reach the poster on the wall and add their bow to where they think the end of Eeyore's tail is located. The child closest to the end of Eeyore's tail is the winner.

Egg & Spoon Race
now named
Quartet of Penguins Wobble

Here's how to play:
Provide a large spoon and an inflated balloon for each player. (Spoon size should be based on the ages of the kids, smaller spoons for older kids, larger spoons for younger kids.) Provide a Start/Finish area inside or outside. Kids hold out spoon away from their body and place an inflated balloon on it. When told to start, each carries their spoon and balloon to the Finish area without dropping the balloon. At the Finish Line, the child removes the balloon, places the balloon on the ground and sits on it till it pops. If the balloon drops, the child must go back to the Start Line to try again. First one to pop his/her balloon is the winner.

WARNING:
Balloon pieces from pop balloons are dangerous to babies, toddlers and pets. To avoid the pieces from being swallowed or stuck in ears and noses (and who knows where else they can find), be prepared to pick up the pieces immediately and trash.

Newspaper Ads Game
now named
Madagascar BIRTHDAY Numbers

Here's how to play:
Provide each child with a crayon and a page from the newspaper Classified Ads. Many of the ads will have numbers in them. When told to start, all the kids have a certain amount of time (say, 2 or 3 minutes) to draw a circle around each of the to match the age of the birthday child. The kid with the most numbers is the winner, and you can provide 2nd, 3rd, etc. places, if desired.

Bingo
now called
Bronx Zoo

Here's how to play:
Cut and paste or draw pictures of all the Madagscar animals in the Bronx Zoo in different actions to blank Bingo cards. ENSURE that every card is different or everyone will be a winner. Prepare a Master Set for the caller (one of every picture used) and a Master Sheet. Fold in half and place them all in a bowl. As each photo is drawn from the bowl and called, place it on the Master Sheet so winning cards can be verified. Play over and over again.

Variation of Bingo:

BRONX ZOO
now named
Alex Bingo, Gloria Bingo, Marty Bingo, Penguin Bingo, etc.

Here's how to play:
Cut and paste or draw pictures of one Madagscar characters in different actions to blank Bingo cards. Play as noted in Bingo above.

Musical Chairs
now named
Penquin Rally

Here's how to play:
Provide upbeat, lively music. Draw or cut out colored pictures of each Madagascar character. Tape one picture to each chair (this sets the mood). Place the chairs in two rows, back to back. The number of chairs is the number of players MINUS one. (There will always be one less chair than there are players). When the music starts, the children dance or march around the chairs. When the music stops, all the kids find a chair and sit down. One player will not have a chair and is out of the game. Remove one chair and repeat the game. Last player left is the winner.

HIDE & GO SEEK...

You've got the idea now...
Have fun re-creating other
standard party games!

Enjoy these fun projects with your children by letting your imagination be your guide... be an "un-grownup", it's fun!
The author has been an 'un-grown-up' for all of her adult years, way too many to brag about!