Are you planning to host an event for foster & adoptive families? The following list of games and other fun activities can get your event rolling and make it a good time for all! From relay races, to contests, to great activities for indoors or outdoors, we’ve got you covered!

Jump to Topic: Ice Breakers | Contests | Relays & Races | Free Play | Fun Indoors & Outdoors | More for Indoors | Holiday Fun | More Family Fun

Break-the-Ice Bingo

Give each family a Bingo page and see who can get the most squares filled in before time is up! (we recommend 8 or 10 minutes). Download the PDF to try our Break-the-Ice Bingo sheet (with regular and non-reader-friendly options) or make it your own by editing our Canva template.

Family Trivia

This is a great icebreaker that gets everyone laughing and learning about each other! We recommend 5–6 quick rounds, each with a different theme and a rotating player from each family.

How it works:

• Each round has a theme (e.g., facts about your state, kids’ TV shows, Bible trivia, the saints, music, food, animals, etc.).
  
• Before each round, announce who should come up to play—like “an adult,” “someone under 10,” or “a pair of siblings.” 
  
• Feel free to be flexible—not all families will have a player who meets the criteria, and little ones may need a buddy!
  
• Ask 5 questions per round. First team to shout out the correct answer (or raise their hand) gets a point.
  
• Keep the mood light and fun—cheer for everyone!
  
• At the end, the family with the most points wins a prize… or just bragging rights!
  

Tip: If you want to simplify, keep score on a whiteboard or assign a volunteer to track points.

Toilet Paper Mummy Race

See who can make the best mummy the quickest!  Give each family crepe paper or toilet paper, and let them wrap up one family member like a mummy.  Award prizes (or just winning titles) for the fastest mummy, best-looking mummy, silliest mummy, cutest mummy, and so on.

Hula Hoop Contest

Invite up to as many players as you have hula hoops to step up and show off their skills! Once the music starts, the goal is simple: keep your hula hoop spinning as long as you can—no hands allowed!

As players drop out, cheer them on and keep the energy high. The last player still hula-hooping wins the contest (and bragging rights—or a prize)!

Limbo Contest

How low can you go? Line up contestants and have two volunteers hold the limbo stick—a broomstick, pool noodle, or jump rope works great.

• Players take turns going under the stick, which gets lowered slightly each round.
  
• Traditionally, limbo is done leaning backwards, but for younger kids, you can let them get creative—as long as only their feet touch the ground, it counts!
  
• If a player touches the ground with their hands, knocks the stick, or falls, they’re out for that round.

Keep going until one flexible champion is left standing (or bending)!

Blindfolded Dribbling Contest

Put your basketball skills to the test—without your sight! Invite as many contestants as you have basketballs to step forward and give it a try. Each player is blindfolded and must dribble the ball one-handed for as long as they can.

• If the ball gets away from them or they use their other hand, they’re out.
  
• The last dribbler still going wins!
  

Want to turn up the challenge? Add fun twists like:

• Dribbling under one leg
  
• Spinning around between dribbles
  
• Speeding up the pace
  

Keep it playful and cheer everyone on!

Races are always a hit with kids and families! Before starting, decide how you’ll organize your players and structure your races:

Race Formats

• Straight Races – Individuals or pairs compete to complete a course from start to finish in a single round. Simple and high-energy!

• Relay Races – Teams (by family or a set number of players) take turns completing parts of the race. You can:
  • Keep the same challenge for each runner (e.g., everyone crab walks down and back).
  • Use different challenges for each leg (e.g., Player 1 crab walks, Player 2 does cartwheels, Player 3 skips, etc.).
  • Have paired teammates complete each challenge together (like 3-legged races or partner sack races).

Tips:

• Choose race types that match your space, age group, and energy level.
  
• Break down the rules clearly before starting each race.
  
• Consider having a volunteer demonstrate each challenge to avoid confusion.

Here are some fun race challenges to try:

For individuals:

• Crab walk: Racers position themselves on hands and feet – belly side up! They then “crab walk” (easiest with hands leading) to the finish line.
  
• Sack race: Racers stand in a sack and hop from start to finish (pillowcases or fabric sacks work!)
  
• Balance Spoon:  an egg, water balloon, or small object on a spoon
• Cup on head: Players balance a cup on their head from start to finish – no hands! The cup can be empty, or filled with water for a fun outdoor variation!
• Balloon kicking: No hands!
  
• Hula hoop dash: Players run to a hula hoop, stop and spin it around their waist at least 3 full rotations, then dash back to tag the next teammate.
• Backwards run
  
• Jump rope challenge: Jump rope from start to finish
  
• Dizzy bat race: Players run to a wiffle bat or other bat, put their forehead on the bat’s handle end while keeping the other end of the bat on the ground, and spin around the bat 5 times before running back to their team.
  
• Balloon waddle: Hold balloon between knees from start to finish!
• Popcorn Dash: Need Popcorn, 2 bowls per team, and one paper cup per team. Set a bowl of popcorn at the far end of the field for each team and an empty bowl at their starting point. Each team gets a paper cup. Players run to the popcorn bowl, fill their cup with popcorn, and then race back to the starting point and empty their cup into the empty bowl. Their teammate can take off once the popcorn is in the bowl. The team with the most popcorn at the end of the relay wins.
• Spaghetti Dash: A messy, silly twist on the popcorn dash! Instead of cups, players scoop up a handful of cold, cooked spaghetti from a central bowl and race to drop it into their team’s bowl at the other end. One handful per turn! Keep the spaghetti slippery so it doesn’t clump—and get ready for lots of laughs (and maybe a little mess)!
• Waiter Relay: Need pingpong balls and plastic plates/frisbees. Each team gets a frisbee loaded with pingpong balls. Players must carry the frisbee or plate over their head, as if they are a waiter, to the finish line and then pass it to the next participant.

For partners:

• 3-legged race: Tie ankles loosely with fabric strips or have each player put one leg in a sack or pillowcase
• Wheelbarrow race: One person walks on hands while partner holds legs
• Piggy-back race
• Beach ball or balloon race: Partners hold a ball or balloon between them – no hands or arms! – and walk together from start to finish.
• Back-to-back elbow lock race: Partners hook elbows standing back-to-back. One partner faces forward while the other walks backward.

Don’t forget to cheer for everyone and hand out small prizes or treats to make it extra fun!

Set up some items around your space and leave time for free play! Some great activities for all ages:

• Sidewalk chalk
• Large lawn games: Our favorites are giant Connect Four, Jenga, or Yahtzee
• Bubbles: Get a bubble machine, individual bubbles, or giant bubble wands with buckets of homemade bubble mixture
• Balloons and beach balls: Lots of balls or balloons for kids to play with in a designated space
• Wiffle balls and bats, and maybe even bases if kids want to get a game going!
• Hula hoops
• Frisbees

Tip: Many libraries lend outdoor games and activities, so make sure to check and reserve in advance!

Hot Potato

A timeless favorite that’s simple and fun for all ages!

• How to Play: Players sit in a circle—on chairs or the ground—and pass around a small object (like a ball or stuffed toy) that serves as the “hot potato” while music plays.
  
• When the music stops, the player holding the hot potato is out and leaves the circle.
  
• The circle tightens up, and the game continues until only one player is left.
  
• Winner: The last player remaining in the circle.

Tip: Keep the music-stopping intervals unpredictable to keep everyone on their toes!

Musical Chairs (or Dots)

Another classic, full of movement and friendly competition.

• Set-up: Arrange chairs in a circle (facing outward) or in two rows (back-to-back). You can also use sturdy floor markers like hula hoops, rubber spots, or something similar instead of chairs—just make sure there’s one fewer spot than there are players.
  
• How to Play: While the music plays, players walk around the chairs or spots. When the music stops, they must quickly find an open seat or spot to claim—one player per seat/spot.
  
• The player who doesn’t find a seat or spot is out.
  
• Important Rule: No pushing or moving chairs! Anyone who does so is automatically out.
  
• Remove one chair or spot after each round to keep the challenge going.
  
• Winner: The last player with a seat or spot when the music stops.
  

Variation: For a cooperative twist with younger kids, don’t remove chairs—just keep playing for fun!

Freeze Dance

A high-energy favorite that gets kids (and adults!) moving and laughing!

How to Play:

• Choose one person to be the DJ (or assign a volunteer to manage the music).
  
• All players spread out in an open area where they can move freely.
  
• When the music starts, everyone dances however they like—wild, silly, smooth, or even in character!
  
• When the music stops suddenly, players must freeze in place like statues.
  
• Anyone who moves, laughs, or wobbles after the music stops is out and steps aside.
  
• The DJ starts the music again and the game continues.
  
• Keep going until only one dancer is left standing—the Freeze Dance Champion!
  

Tips:

• Make the freezing extra fun by encouraging funny or creative dance moves right before the music stops.
  
• To make the game more inclusive, you can skip eliminations and just play for fun or set a time limit instead.

Pool Noodle Balloon Ball

Get a few swimming noodles and cut them in half; you will want enough for each player to have their own half-noodle. Scatter 20 or so blown-up balloons on the ground along with a couple of laundry baskets or large cardboard boxes. Players work to get the balls into the baskets using only their pool noodles (no hands or feet!). There are no winners or losers in this game. Players can work together to try to get all the balloons in a basket, or they can play independently.

Activity Tables

Set up various tables with different activities for free play. Different tables could include: a puzzle with extra-large pieces; games like Connect Four or Uno that have easy-to-learn rules and are fun for all ages; a craft activity; dry-erase tic-tac-toe boards (make your own by printing out a page with one big tic-tac-toe grid and laminating it)

Whether you’re hosting a gathering during Advent, celebrating St. Nicholas Day, or throwing an all-out Christmas party, these festive ideas will keep the mood joyful, meaningful, and family-friendly.

Cookie Decorating

Bake (or buy) sugar, gingerbread, or other simple flat cookies in a variety of holiday shapes — stars, snowmen, gingerbread people, Christmas trees, and more. Keep ingredients nut-free for allergy safety.

Set out bowls of colored icing, sprinkles, and small candies (like mini M&Ms or red hots) for decorating. Guests can enjoy their creations on the spot or take them home to share later!

 Edible Nativity Plate

This hands-on craft turns into a healthy(ish), holiday-themed snack!

Use:

• Pretzel sticks for the stable
• Grapes and halved mozzarella cheese sticks for the people
• A baby carrot swaddled in a cheese slice for Baby Jesus
• An orange slice for the manger
• Apple slices for angel wings
• Foil-wrapped candies for the gifts of the Magi
• Popcorn for sheep
• A star-shaped cookie or candy on top to finish the scene
• Paper plates make the backdrop for your holiday art

Don’t forget to take pictures before this delicious Nativity gets eaten!

Pass the Present

A joyful twist on Hot Potato! Wrap a small prize or shared goodie (stickers, candies, or toys) in a small box, then wrap it several times with different wrapping papers.

Have kids sit in a circle and play holiday music while they pass the present around. When the music stops, the child holding the gift removes one layer of wrapping. The child who unwraps the final layer gets to open the box and keep (or share) what’s inside.

Variations:

• Instead of a prize, wrap a special ornament to be hung on a parish Christmas tree or placed in a Nativity scene.

• Add a slip of paper with a fun challenge under each layer (“Sing Jingle Bells,” “Do 10 jumping jacks,” “Hop around the circle”).

Mistletoe Bingo

Download our Bingo set — or customize your own using our Canva template!

Bingo is a fun activity for your whole group, or can be set up at a family table for quieter play.

Provide small tokens (buttons, pennies, or plastic discs) for players to mark their cards. Offer small prizes for winners, or simply celebrate the joy of playing together!

More Holiday Fun

• Ornament Making: Set up a crafting table with supplies for ornament making that appeal to all ages — think clear plastic ornaments to fill, wooden shapes to paint, or felt and ribbon for homemade creations. Guests can take their ornaments home or hang them on a parish tree!
• Manger Hunt: Hide the Nativity scene characters around your event space and invite children to search for them. Once they find a figure, they can bring it to the manger to help complete the scene. (If you have many children participating, consider limiting each child to one character so everyone gets a turn.)
• Ornament Hunt: Hide ornaments throughout the space and let children hunt for them! Afterward, they can hang their found ornaments on a Christmas tree for everyone to enjoy.
• Holiday Charades: A perfect icebreaker for any group! Create a list of holiday-themed prompts — Christmas songs, movies, characters, or foods — for teams to act out. Tip: Use multi-word clues like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or “Frosty the Snowman” to make the game extra fun and challenging!
• Holiday Pictionary: If you have a large whiteboard or easel, play Holiday Pictionary! Players take turns drawing holiday items, songs, or movie titles while their teammates guess the answers.
• “Twelve Days of Christmas” Singalong: If you have a large group, divide everyone into 12 smaller groups and assign each group one of the “days” from the song. Sing The Twelve Days of Christmas together — each group gets a “solo” when it’s their turn! It’s a guaranteed laugh and a lively group activity.
• Photos with Santa: Invite a volunteer to dress up as Santa and set up a cheerful photo station. Families can visit, take pictures, and leave with a fun Christmas keepsake.

Photo Station Fun

Create a playful photo station to help families make lasting memories!

How to Set It Up: Pick a fun, family-friendly theme—like a pool party, pumpkin patch, cowboy ranch, or pirate ship. Use a store-bought or homemade backdrop to set the scene. Add props and accessories to match the theme—for a pirate setup, think: a treasure chest, pirate hats, eye patches, a stuffed parrot, and even a hook or two!

Invite families to dress up and snap photos for a fun keepsake. You can either:

• Let families use their own phones or cameras, or
• Have a volunteer take photos with the family’s phone to keep things simple and private.

Important Note: Many foster or adoptive families are cautious about photos being taken or shared. To respect their privacy:

• Avoid using a shared/digital camera unless you have their consent.
  
• Don’t post or take photos of other families unless they give permission.
  

If you have a Polaroid or instant-print camera, offer printed photos with no digital copy—families love this!