With the school fete just around the corner, you’re looking for ideas for the end-of-year fair. Don’t panic! There are plenty of imaginative ideas for activities and games. Below are just a few of the best activities to delight young and old alike, while developing group cohesion and team spirit.
Kermesse: 9 ideas for school fête activities
Choosing to set up fun and sporting activities at a school fair is just as important as thinking about organizing games for the children. These activities combine teamwork, cooperation and surpassing oneself, all of which are important concepts in children’s development.
The sack race
The sack race is a timeless game that continues to appeal to everyone. The principle is simple: participants must reach the finish line as quickly as possible by hopping around in a large sack. When planning this type of game, make sure there’s grass or soft ground to avoid any risk of accident.
Stilt race
Simple to make, this game is also typical of school fairs. Using two large tin cans, pierce each can at two points, then tie a long string through the two holes.
Catch the ball
This game goes by many names, but the principle remains the same: a race in pairs, with both hands behind the back and a balloon stuck at stomach height, which the participants must not drop.
The egg course
The egg course is a race that requires agility and concentration. They must reach the finish line as quickly as possible, with a spoon in their mouth on which an egg rests.
Finnish bowling
Finnish bowling, also known as Mölkky is a game that’s sure to get kids thinking. Armed with a stick, they have to knock down some of the 12 skittles, each bearing a number from 1 to 12. The aim is to reach a set number (e.g. 30 points). An original game!
Lice hunt
Lice Hunt is played blindfolded and in pairs. Equipped with large T-shirts filled with clothespins (the lice), the children have to remove them from their opponent’s T-shirt as quickly as possible. Laughter guaranteed!
Turtle race
The ideal game for the little ones, Turtle Run involves getting down on all fours while carrying a laundry basket on your back. The aim is simple: whoever drops the basket loses!
The obstacle course
The obstacle course requires a bit of equipment, because the aim for the little ones is to overcome the various obstacles in their way! Create a hedge of ropes for children to climb through, tires to hop over, or tunnels to crawl through!
Three-legged race
The three-legged race requires skill and real teamwork. Children and their friends will be tied together by their ankles with a scarf.
Kermesse: 11 ideas for school fête games
After sport, comfort! We’ve got a whole range of games to keep schoolchildren entertained, and even bring home a few presents.
Chamboule-tout
An emblematic game of funfairs and fairs, chamboule-tout is accessible to all. Using a ball, you aim and shoot at cans arranged in a pyramid. The aim? Knock them all over to win a small gift if you win!
The candy tree
Hang strings from a tree and tie a box of sweets to the end. Using a chisel and blindfolded, the participant must succeed in cutting a string to win his or her prize.
Duck fishing
For PTAs with the necessary budget, or those with handyman parents, investing in a duck-fishing game is sure to delight all the kids. Not only does it amuse them, it’s also a game that allows them to work on their dexterity and patience.
Bottle fishing
Bottle fishing is similar to duck fishing. Using a fishing rod from which a ring is suspended, you have to thread it through the neck of a bottle.
Apple fishing
Aclassic children ‘s (and adults’!) game, children use their mouths to catch an apple in a basin of water. Be sure to choose small apples suited to their morphology. You can vary the ingredients by presenting a plate full of flour with a candy hidden inside, which the participant has to find with his or her nose or mouth. Laughter is the order of the day!
La bourriche
For the duration of the fair, a parent walks around with a basket full of sweets and other goodies. The aim is to guess the weight of the basket. The participant whose number is closest to the exact weight wins at the end of the party.
The board game
All you need is a tilted wooden board, a bar of soap and a stick. The aim is simply to push the soap to the finish line without it falling back. For little agility prodigies!
A make-up stand
A staple of fairs and end-of-year parties, the face-painting booth is sure to attract a large number of children. From superhero make-up, to animal make-up, to animated film make-up, schoolchildren are sure to find what they’re looking for.
Donkey tail
To play this game, a donkey must be drawn on a large wooden board (or on paper), but be careful not to paint its tail! Blindfolded, the child must replace the tail in the right place. Make sure you have plenty of tape or paste.
The Pinata
To round off a fair or end-of-school party, think Pinata! Each child, blindfolded and equipped with a stick, taps the Pinata to make the candies fall out.
The winning string
This is a game for all ages that requires a certain budget, as each string will be linked to a small gift. The aim is simply for each child to draw randomly on a string and win the gift linked to it.
There are many imaginative games and activities for children. Most of the activities listed above are classics that can be found at every fair, and can be easily set up without a large budget.
Fair games: additional ideas?
For ideas for additional activities, ask your children directly what they might like, or let them come up with their own games – you might be surprised! Have you already invented games with your children that you’d like to submit? Or do you have any original games you’d like to suggest?