• Classic party games, with their appeal to all ages, never go out of style.party cup ctreamers and party banners image by Warren Millar from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  Classic birthday party games are those that have stood the test of time. With no special tools, skills or knowledge needed, practically anyone can play them, no matter their age. It is typically luck, not skill, that dictates who will win. Incorporating these activities into your party will surely add laughter and gaiety to your event.
  
  

Pin the Tail on the Donkey

• Although no one is entirely certain where it originated, the game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey is one of the oldest and most well known of the classic birthday party games. According to The Game Catalog, the game was invented in 1887 by Charles Zimmerling, with the name Donkey Party. The basics of the game consist of a picture of a donkey without a tail, a paper tail for each guest and a blindfold. You hang the donkey on a wall and give each guest a tail with a piece of tape or other means of attaching it to the donkey. Each guest is then blindfolded and spun around, one by one, until they are disoriented. The object of the game is to pin the tail on the donkey. Whoever gets the closest wins. You can find similar games to fit other party themes, like pin the crown on the princess and pin the patch on the pirate, at many party stores.
  
  

Piñata

• According to Mexconnect and Spanishtown, although today pinatas are associated with Spanish-speaking countries, they can be traced to China, and the time of Marco Polo. The Chinese would construct figures of animals which, when hit with a stick, would drop seeds. These early piñatas were part of the Chinese New Year's celebration. Nowadays, piñatas can be found in practically any shape to suit most any party. Constructed of papier-mâché and covered in bright tissue paper, a piñata is hollow on the inside. A small trap door allows the piñata to be filled with candy, money or other goodies. Once filled, the piñata is hung from a tree or other nearby structure. Guests may be blindfolded and spun around, but this step is optional. Each guest is then given a stick or bat to hit the piñata with. Once someone hits it hard enough to break it open, all of the partygoers jump in to gather the goodies that spill forth.
  
  

Musical Chairs

• Another oldie but goodie is musical chairs. To play this game, chairs are arranged into two lines, with the backs of the chairs facing one another and enough chairs for all but one of the people playing. Everyone circles the chairs as music is played. Once the music is switched off, everyone makes a mad dash for the chairs. The person left standing is out of play for the rest of the game. One chair is removed each round, until only one chair is left. The person who successfully grabs the last chair wins the game. Some less competitive versions of this game have also arisen over the years. One such version has all of the people scramble to find a way to sit on fewer and fewer chairs each round. No guest gets eliminated, but they must all find a way to fit on the chairs, with both feet off of the ground. When they can no longer do this, the game ends.