Games for a Carnival Birthday Party, Built at Home
Date and timeHelpersNumber of childrenPrize for every child
Every booth gives three tries and one point for each hit, so 3 is a perfect turn everywhere. The helper writes the points on the child's punch card and punches that booth's box.
The prize is for a full card, not for points, and it is the same for every child. Points are for beating your own score on a second visit.
No money, ticket sales, raffles, bets or play money at any booth. A turn is free, and the line decides who is next.
Mark three throw lines at each tossing booth: about 2, 4 and 6 adult steps for ages 3 to 5, 6 to 9, and 10 and up. Move a line if nobody of that age can score.
One helper stays at each booth. Nobody fetches a ball, bag or ring until the third throw has landed, and the line waits behind the thrower.
An adult stays at every water tub the whole time, and every tub and bucket is emptied as soon as the carnival ends.
Tilted Basket Ball Toss, With a Towel Inside1. Build: prop a laundry basket on a chair so its mouth tilts toward the thrower, and fold a bath towel into the bottom. 2. Play: three underarm throws from the throw line. 3. Score: one point for each ball that stays in. A ball that lands in the basket is left there until the turn ends. 4. Fair test: a bare tilted basket bounces nearly every ball back out, which is how the fairground version is made hard. The towel, and any ball already inside, soaks up the bounce. Ages: 3 to 5 throw rolled socks from 2 steps; 6 to 9 throw a tennis ball from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the helper tips the basket empty between turns, which takes five seconds. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a laundry basket, a chair, a bath towel, three rolled socks, three tennis balls.
One-Bounce Shot Into the Muffin Tin1. Build: put a muffin tin at the far end of a table with a book under its far edge, so it tilts toward the thrower. 2. Play: three ping-pong balls from one step behind the near end. Every ball has to bounce once on the table before it lands. 3. Score: one point for each ball that stays in a cup of the tin. Ages: for ages 10 and up. A younger child can drop the bounce rule. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a muffin tin, a book, a table, a bowl of ping-pong balls.
Paper Airplane Hangar Hoops1. Build: hang three plastic hoops at different heights from a clothesline, a doorway or a branch. Fold six paper airplanes ahead of time, fold the noses back so they are blunt, and let every child throw the same planes. 2. Play: three throws from the line, at any hoop. 3. Score: one point for each plane that flies through a hoop. Ages: 6 to 9 throw from 3 steps; 10 and up throw from 5 steps and call the hoop first. The line waits behind the thrower. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three plastic hoops, string, six folded paper airplanes.
Tin Can Knock-Down, Six Cans1. Build: wash six empty food cans of the same size, press tape over the cut rims, and stack them three, two, one on a box in front of a wall or a hung sheet. 2. Play: three throws with rolled socks or bean bags. If the box is cleared early, restack for the throws that are left. 3. Score: one point for each throw that knocks at least one can off the box. 4. Fair test: the fairground stack is sometimes rigged with one heavy bottle at the bottom. Keep all six cans empty. Ages: 3 to 5 throw from 2 steps and a can that topples counts; 6 to 9 from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: six empty food cans, tape, a sturdy box, a sheet, three rolled socks or bean bags.
Fan the Boat Across the Tub1. Build: make three boats from foam trays with a paper sail on a straw mast. Fill a long storage tub with a hand's depth of water and tape a finish line two thirds of the way along. 2. Play: the child fans one boat at a time with a paper plate. No blowing and no touching. 3. Score: one point for each boat past the line within a slow count of ten. Ages: 3 to 5 get a count of 20; 6 to 9 a count of ten; 10 and up a count of five. Water: an adult stays at the tub the whole time, and the tub is emptied when the carnival ends. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: a long storage tub, three foam trays, paper, straws, tape, a paper plate.
Table Slide to the Taped Zone1. Build: tape a band one hand wide across the far end of a long smooth table, a hand in from the edge, and lay a folded towel on the floor beyond it. The pucks are three jar lids, smooth side down. Tape a release line an arm's length from the near edge. 2. Play: three slides. The hand lets go before the release line. 3. Score: one point for each lid that stops with any part inside the band. Lids stay where they stop, so a later lid may knock an earlier one in or out. Ages: 6 to 9 play to the one-hand band; 10 and up play to a band two fingers wide. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: three lids slide back down the table in one push. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a long smooth table, tape, a towel, three jar lids.
Games for a Carnival Birthday Party, Built at Home: how it works
Games for a carnival birthday party run side by side, so each of these 56 booths is self-serve: a build list, three tries, one point a hit. Points go on a punch card, and every child gets the same prize.
Deal six booths, then test each one
Ages sits beside New booths: Ages 3 to 5 keeps 33 booths, Ages 10 and up 47. Fairground games are often rigged: a ring that barely fits, one heavy bottle in the stack, a bare basket that bounces balls out. Build yours the other way: move the throw line until an adult scores about once in three.
Ideas for a carnival party, by space and crowd
More options holds Space and Crowd. Hall or living room keeps 38 booths, none with a water tub. School or large crowd keeps the 34 with a turn under a minute and a quick reset, which carnival ideas for schools need most. Tick each booth once it is built. Print adds date, helper and prize lines and six rules above the booths.
Tips
No booth uses a balloon or a dart: the CPSC warns that children under eight can choke on broken balloons.
A punch card is an index card with a box for each booth. Tie a hole punch to every table.
Children of ten and up can run carnival birthday party games, not only play them: give each a dry booth.
Questions and answers
Which carnival games for teens are hard enough?
Eleven booths are for ages 10 and up, such as Pendulum Pin Swing, Bottle Stand-Up With a Ring Pole and Bank Shot Into the Trash Can. Another 36 carry a harder rule for that age: a longer line, a smaller target or the other hand.
How do prizes work without tickets?
A helper writes the points and punches the booth's box on each child's card. The prize is for a full card, and it is the same for every child. No booth sells tickets, takes bets or pays out by luck.
How many helpers does a school carnival need?
One for each booth, and two at Swinging Hoop Football Throw and Flying Disc Off the Cans. Every booth has its own Helpers line. At the six water booths that helper is an adult who never leaves the tub.
How far ahead should I build for a carnival games party?
Build the day before. Bean Bag Toss Through a Painted Box needs paint to dry, and Wire Loop Wave, Three Sections needs an adult with pliers. Follow the Cup, Ruler Drop Catch and Guess Your Steps to the Cone take minutes.
Charades Ideas by Theme and AgeCharades decks by crowd, format and occasion: funny scenes for adults, kids, teens, whole-team and telephone charades, animals, Bible stories and holidays.
Bean Bag Toss Through a Painted Box1. Build: paint a lion, a clown or the birthday child's favorite animal on the front of a large cardboard box. An adult cuts a mouth two hands wide and two eye holes one hand wide, then puts a heavy book inside so the box cannot tip. 2. Play: three bean bags from the throw line. 3. Score: one point for each bag that goes in through any hole. Ages: 3 to 5 throw from 2 steps at the mouth; 6 to 9 from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps, and only the eye holes count. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the box resets itself, so one helper keeps a line of 30 moving. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a large cardboard box, paint, a craft knife for the adult, a heavy book, three bean bags or knotted socks of rice.
Hanging Lid Bean Bag Toss1. Build: hang an old saucepan lid from a branch, a swing-set bar or a broom laid across two stepladders, and pin a bedsheet behind it to stop the bags. 2. Play: three bean bags thrown at the lid. 3. Score: one point each time the lid rings. Ages: 3 to 5 throw from 2 steps with the lid at their own head height; 6 to 9 from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps at a smaller lid. Nobody stands behind the sheet. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the ring of the lid is the score, so there is nothing to check or reset. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a saucepan lid or two, string, a bedsheet, clothespins, three bean bags.
Paper Airplane Hangar Hoops1. Build: hang three plastic hoops at different heights from a clothesline, a doorway or a branch. Fold six paper airplanes ahead of time, fold the noses back so they are blunt, and let every child throw the same planes. 2. Play: three throws from the line, at any hoop. 3. Score: one point for each plane that flies through a hoop. Ages: 6 to 9 throw from 3 steps; 10 and up throw from 5 steps and call the hoop first. The line waits behind the thrower. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three plastic hoops, string, six folded paper airplanes.
Paper Plate Saucer Toss1. Build: stand a big box on its side on a table, open side toward the thrower, as the hangar. Tape paper plates together in pairs, rim to rim, to make three saucers with a little weight. 2. Play: three flat flicks from the throw line, the way a flying disc is thrown. 3. Score: one point for each saucer that ends up inside the box. Ages: 6 to 9 flick from 3 steps; 10 and up from 5 steps. Run it indoors or out of the wind. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: three saucers come back in one handful, so the line moves fast. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a big cardboard box, a table, six paper plates, tape.
Ping-Pong Ball Into Cups1. Build: tape 12 plastic cups rim to rim in a block on a table and pour a finger of water into each, so the cups stay put and fewer balls bounce out. Roll a towel around the block to stop runaways. 2. Play: the child lobs three ping-pong balls from the throw line. No bounce is needed. 3. Score: one point for each ball that stays in a cup. 4. Fair test: if no adult scores in ten practice lobs, swap the cups for cereal bowls. Ages: 6 to 9 stand one step back from the table; 10 and up stand three steps back. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: 12 plastic cups, tape, a towel, a bowl of 12 ping-pong balls.
Ring Toss Over Bottles1. Build: stand nine plastic bottles in a three-by-three block inside a shallow box, a hand apart, with a little water in each so they stay up. Cut the centers out of three paper plates for big rings and tape three rope rings about as wide as a saucer. 2. Play: the child tosses three rings from the throw line, one at a time. 3. Score: three tries, one point for each ring that drops over a bottle neck and stays. 4. Fair test: fairground ring toss is known for rings barely wider than the peg. Check yours the other way: an adult should ring a bottle about once in three throws from the far line. Ages: 3 to 5 throw paper-plate rings from 2 steps; 6 to 9 throw rope rings from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: two boxes side by side make two lanes for one helper. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: nine plastic bottles, a shallow box, three paper plates, rope and tape for three rings.
Tilted Basket Ball Toss, With a Towel Inside1. Build: prop a laundry basket on a chair so its mouth tilts toward the thrower, and fold a bath towel into the bottom. 2. Play: three underarm throws from the throw line. 3. Score: one point for each ball that stays in. A ball that lands in the basket is left there until the turn ends. 4. Fair test: a bare tilted basket bounces nearly every ball back out, which is how the fairground version is made hard. The towel, and any ball already inside, soaks up the bounce. Ages: 3 to 5 throw rolled socks from 2 steps; 6 to 9 throw a tennis ball from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the helper tips the basket empty between turns, which takes five seconds. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a laundry basket, a chair, a bath towel, three rolled socks, three tennis balls.
Upside-Down Umbrella Toss1. Build: open a large umbrella and stand it upside down, handle up, wedged between two chairs so it cannot roll. Tape over any bare rib tips. 2. Play: the child lobs three rolled socks so they land in the bowl of the umbrella. 3. Score: one point for each sock that stays in. One that slides out over the edge does not count. Ages: 3 to 5 lob from 2 steps; 6 to 9 from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps with ping-pong balls, which hop out unless the lob is soft. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: nothing to restack, so turns take well under a minute. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a large umbrella, two chairs, tape, three rolled socks, three ping-pong balls.
Upturned Chair Leg Ring Toss1. Build: turn a kitchen chair upside down on a blanket so its four legs point up, and tape a number card from 1 to 4 to each leg. Cut the centers out of six paper plates for rings. 2. Play: the helper calls a leg number and the child tosses at that leg. Three calls. 3. Score: one point for each ring that lands over the leg that was called. Ages: 3 to 5 stand 2 steps away and any leg counts; 6 to 9 stand 4 steps away and need the called leg. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: a second chair is a second lane. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a kitchen chair, a blanket, four number cards, six paper plates.
Knock-down and rolling booths 10
Air Puff Cup Knock-Off1. Build: line five paper cups upside down along the far edge of a table, a hand apart. The blaster is an empty, dry squeeze bottle, washed out, with the cap off. 2. Play: the child aims the bottle and squeezes hard, so the puff of air pushes a cup over the edge. Three puffs. 3. Score: one point for each puff that sends at least one cup off the table. Ages: 3 to 5 stand half a step away and a cup that falls over counts; 6 to 9 stand one step away; 10 and up stand two steps away and aim at ping-pong balls resting on bottle tops. Nobody blows, so nothing touches a mouth. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: five paper cups, a table, two empty squeeze bottles, three plastic bottles and ping-pong balls for the oldest.
Bottle Bowling, Three Rolls1. Build: pour a cup of water or sand into six plastic bottles, screw the caps on tight and set them in a triangle at the end of a lane marked with two ropes. 2. Play: three rolls with a playground ball. The helper stands all six bottles up again after every roll. 3. Score: one point for each roll that knocks down three bottles or more. Ages: 3 to 5 roll from 3 steps with pool noodles as bumpers, and one bottle down counts; 6 to 9 roll from 6 steps; 10 and up roll from 9 steps and need five bottles down. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: six plastic bottles with caps, water or sand, two ropes or pool noodles, a playground ball.
Doormat Putting Green, Three Putts1. Build: lay a doormat or a strip of carpet on a hard floor and tape a plastic cup on its side at the far end. The putter is a toy golf club, or a broom held with the bristles up. 2. Play: three putts from the near end of the mat. 3. Score: one point for each ball that rolls into the cup and stays. Ages: 3 to 5 push a tennis ball with the broom into a shoe box on its side from 2 steps; 6 to 9 putt a golf ball from 3 steps; 10 and up putt from 5 steps through a gate of two bottles. Club heads stay below the knee, and the line waits 3 steps back. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: a second mat and cup make a second lane for the same helper. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a doormat or carpet strip, a plastic cup, a shoe box, tape, a toy club or a broom, a golf ball, a tennis ball, two bottles.
Knock the Ball Off the Post1. Build: stand three traffic cones in a row, or push three garden canes into the lawn and tape a paper cup to the top of each. Rest a light play-pit ball on every cone or cup. 2. Play: three throws with a tennis ball or a rolled sock. 3. Score: one point for each ball knocked off its post. 4. Where it comes from: this is the shape of the coconut shy, the British fairground game of wooden balls thrown at coconuts on posts, made soft. Ages: 3 to 5 throw from 2 steps at cones on the ground; 6 to 9 from 4 steps; 10 and up from 7 steps. Keep open space behind the posts. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three traffic cones or three canes and paper cups, three play-pit balls, three tennis balls or rolled socks.
Narrowing Gates Ball Roll1. Build: make three gates side by side on a driveway or a hall floor, each from two plastic bottles. The first gap is three ball-widths, the second is two, the third is one and a half. 2. Play: three rolls, one at each gate, widest first. 3. Score: one point for each ball that passes through without knocking a bottle over. Ages: 3 to 5 roll a playground ball from 2 steps; 6 to 9 roll a tennis ball from 4 steps; 10 and up roll a golf ball from 6 steps. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: a knocked bottle is the only reset. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: six plastic bottles, a playground ball, a tennis ball, a golf ball.
Ramp Roll Into the Boxes1. Build: prop the far end of a flattened cardboard box on a stack of books so it slopes up like a ski jump, and set three open shoe boxes in a row just past the top edge. 2. Play: three tennis balls, rolled up the slope from a line 2 steps before the ramp. 3. Score: one point for each ball that lands in a box and stays. 4. Fair test: move the boxes until about half of an adult's rolls stay in, then tape them to the floor. Ages: 3 to 5 roll into one laundry basket in place of the boxes; 6 to 9 score in any box; 10 and up roll from 4 steps and only the far box counts. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: balls stay in the boxes, so the reset is one scoop. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a flattened cardboard box, books, three shoe boxes, a laundry basket, tape, three tennis balls.
Soft Toy Shelf Knock-Off1. Build: rest a plank across two chairs in front of a wall or a hung sheet and sit five soft toys along it. 2. Play: three throws with rolled socks. 3. Score: one point for each throw that knocks a toy off the back of the shelf. A toy that only falls over is sat up again. Ages: 3 to 5 throw from 2 steps and a toy that falls over counts; 6 to 9 throw from 4 steps. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a plank, two chairs, a sheet, five soft toys, three rolled socks.
Table Slide to the Taped Zone1. Build: tape a band one hand wide across the far end of a long smooth table, a hand in from the edge, and lay a folded towel on the floor beyond it. The pucks are three jar lids, smooth side down. Tape a release line an arm's length from the near edge. 2. Play: three slides. The hand lets go before the release line. 3. Score: one point for each lid that stops with any part inside the band. Lids stay where they stop, so a later lid may knock an earlier one in or out. Ages: 6 to 9 play to the one-hand band; 10 and up play to a band two fingers wide. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: three lids slide back down the table in one push. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a long smooth table, tape, a towel, three jar lids.
Tin Can Knock-Down, Six Cans1. Build: wash six empty food cans of the same size, press tape over the cut rims, and stack them three, two, one on a box in front of a wall or a hung sheet. 2. Play: three throws with rolled socks or bean bags. If the box is cleared early, restack for the throws that are left. 3. Score: one point for each throw that knocks at least one can off the box. 4. Fair test: the fairground stack is sometimes rigged with one heavy bottle at the bottom. Keep all six cans empty. Ages: 3 to 5 throw from 2 steps and a can that topples counts; 6 to 9 from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: six empty food cans, tape, a sturdy box, a sheet, three rolled socks or bean bags.
Toy Car Ramp Into the Parking Bays1. Build: prop one end of a plank on a chair seat. On the floor beyond the bottom, tape three parking bays a little bigger than the cars: one step from the ramp, two steps and three steps. Use palm-size cars with no loose parts. 2. Play: three cars, let go from anywhere on the ramp and never pushed. A higher start rolls farther. 3. Score: one point for each car that stops in a bay. Ages: 3 to 5 score when any wheel is inside a bay; 6 to 9 need the whole car inside the tape. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the helper rolls the cars back with one sweep of the arm. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a plank, a chair, tape, three palm-size toy cars.
Pond, fishing and water booths 8
Duck Pond With Numbered Ducks1. Build: float ten rubber ducks in a paddling pool or a wide tub with a hand's depth of water. Fix a standing loop of pipe cleaner to each duck with waterproof tape and write a number from 1 to 10 on its back. The pole is a garden cane with a string and a blunt cup hook. 2. Play: the helper calls a number, and the child hooks that duck and lifts it into a bucket. Three calls. 3. Score: one point for each duck landed within a slow count of ten. 4. Where it comes from: at the fair this is hook-a-duck, also called duck pond, where the marks are hidden under the ducks. Ages: 3 to 5 hook any three ducks with no count and read each number aloud with the helper, so every duck scores; 6 to 9 hook the called number against the count. Water: an adult stays at the tub the whole time, and the tub is emptied when the carnival ends. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: two poles on opposite sides let two children fish at once. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a paddling pool or tub, ten rubber ducks, pipe cleaners, waterproof tape, a marker, two canes, string, two cup hooks, a bucket.
Fan the Boat Across the Tub1. Build: make three boats from foam trays with a paper sail on a straw mast. Fill a long storage tub with a hand's depth of water and tape a finish line two thirds of the way along. 2. Play: the child fans one boat at a time with a paper plate. No blowing and no touching. 3. Score: one point for each boat past the line within a slow count of ten. Ages: 3 to 5 get a count of 20; 6 to 9 a count of ten; 10 and up a count of five. Water: an adult stays at the tub the whole time, and the tub is emptied when the carnival ends. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: a long storage tub, three foam trays, paper, straws, tape, a paper plate.
Foil River Duck Run1. Build: fold a strip of kitchen foil as long as a picnic table into a gutter with raised sides. Lay it down a gentle slope, such as a plank propped on a step, so it ends in a dish tub. Put a bucket of water and a plastic cup at the top. 2. Play: set a small rubber duck at the top and pour one cup of water in behind it. Three ducks, one cup each. 3. Score: one point for each duck that reaches the tub. A stuck duck is lifted out before the next one goes. Ages: 3 to 5 may pour two cups for each duck; 6 to 9 pour one cup; give older children a river with two bends. Water: an adult stays at the tub the whole time, and the tub is emptied when the carnival ends. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: kitchen foil, a plank, a dish tub, a bucket, a plastic cup, three small rubber ducks.
Load the Raft, Three Blocks1. Build: float a plastic food-tub lid in a tub of water as the raft and set out three wooden blocks: small, medium and large. 2. Play: the child places the blocks on the raft one at a time, smallest first, and lets go. 3. Score: one point for each block that is still aboard, with the raft afloat, after a slow count of three. If the raft tips, the turn ends and the points so far stand. Ages: 3 to 5 load a raft the size of a dinner plate; 6 to 9 load one the size of a saucer; 10 and up load it with kitchen tongs. Water: an adult stays at the tub the whole time, and the tub is emptied when the carnival ends. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a tub, two plastic lids of different sizes, three wooden blocks, kitchen tongs.
Magnet Fishing in a Dry Pond1. Build: cut 12 fish from craft foam in three colors and tape a jumbo steel paper clip flat to each. Scatter them in a dry paddling pool or on a blue sheet. The rod is a cane, a string and one large magnet, such as a whole fridge magnet or a magnetic wand, tied on and wrapped in tape by an adult. 2. Play: three casts. A cast ends when a fish is lifted into the bucket or a slow count of ten runs out. 3. Score: one point for each fish landed. Ages: 3 to 5 land any fish with no count; 6 to 9 score only the color the helper calls. Safety: use one large magnet that an adult has fixed on, never small loose magnets, which are dangerous if swallowed. Check the tape before the first turn. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: two rods at one pond double the pace. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: craft foam in three colors, 12 jumbo paper clips, tape, a dry paddling pool or blue sheet, a cane, string, one large magnet, a bucket.
Show all 56 booths (32 more)
Pond, fishing and water booths, continued
Over-the-Sofa Hook Fishing1. Build: tie a ribbon loop to each of eight soft toys and scatter them on the floor behind a sofa, or behind a table turned on its side and draped with a blue sheet. The pole is a cane with a string and a blunt cup hook. 2. Play: the child kneels on the sofa and fishes over the back. The turn is three catches or a slow count of 30, whichever comes first. 3. Score: one point for each toy lifted over the top. Ages: 3 to 5 fish for toys with stiff pipe-cleaner loops that stand up; 6 to 9 fish for flat ribbon loops. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: a sofa or a table and a blue sheet, eight soft toys, ribbon, pipe cleaners, a cane, string, a cup hook.
Sieve the Goldfish by Color1. Build: float 12 play-pit balls in three colors in a tub with a hand's depth of water. The net is a kitchen sieve, and the catch goes in a bowl beside the tub. 2. Play: the helper calls a color, and the child scoops one ball of that color into the bowl with the sieve, other hand behind the back. Three calls. 3. Score: one point for each right ball landed within a slow count of ten. Ages: 3 to 5 scoop any ball with no count; 6 to 9 scoop the called color; 10 and up use a slotted spoon in the hand they do not write with. Water: an adult stays at the tub the whole time, and the tub is emptied when the carnival ends. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a tub, 12 play-pit balls in three colors, a kitchen sieve, a slotted spoon, a bowl.
Sponge Toss Through the Porthole1. Build: paint a ship's side on a big sheet of cardboard. An adult cuts two portholes as wide as a dinner plate and one as wide as a side plate. Tie the board to a fence or between two chairs and put a bucket of water and three car sponges at the line. 2. Play: dunk a sponge, squeeze it once and throw. Three sponges. 3. Score: one point for each sponge through a porthole. Ages: 3 to 5 throw from 2 steps; 6 to 9 from 4 steps; 10 and up from 6 steps at the small porthole only. The portholes are targets: nobody stands behind the board and no face goes in a hole. Water: an adult stays at the tub the whole time, and the tub is emptied when the carnival ends. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: a second bucket and three more sponges keep the line moving while the first set is fetched. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a big sheet of cardboard, paint, a craft knife for the adult, string, a bucket, three car sponges.
Steady hand and balance booths 9
Broom Balance, Count of Five1. Build: clear a circle three steps wide on grass or a driveway, away from windows and lights, and bring a light broom. 2. Play: the child stands the broom upright on an open palm, bristles up, lets go with the other hand and keeps it balanced. Three tries. 3. Score: one point for each try that lasts a slow count of five. Ages: 6 to 9 balance it on the palm; 10 and up balance it on two fingers for a count of ten. Everyone else stays outside the circle. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: there is no kit to reset, and two brooms in two circles run side by side. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a light broom and an open space.
Clothespin Drop Into the Jar1. Build: stand a wide plastic jar on the floor behind a dining chair and put three wooden clothespins on the seat. 2. Play: the child kneels on the chair facing backward, holds a clothespin level with the top of the chair back and lets go. Three drops. 3. Score: one point for each clothespin in the jar. Ages: 6 to 9 drop into a dish tub; 10 and up stand up straight and drop from nose height into the jar. Clothespins pinch and are small, so this booth is not for under-sixes. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the helper tips the jar out onto the seat and the next child climbs up. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a dining chair, a wide plastic jar, a dish tub, three wooden clothespins.
Cup-and-Ball Catch1. Build: tape a yogurt tub to the handle of a wooden spoon. An adult knots a string as long as the child's forearm under the tub and tapes the other end firmly to a ping-pong ball. Make a second one with a small paper cup. 2. Play: the child swings the ball up and catches it in the cup. Three swings. 3. Score: one point for each catch. 4. Where it comes from: cup-and-ball is a traditional children's toy, recorded in France as early as the 1500s. Ages: 6 to 9 catch in the yogurt tub; 10 and up catch in the small cup. The line waits two steps back from the swinging ball. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: there is nothing to reset. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: two wooden spoons, a yogurt tub, a small paper cup, string, tape, two ping-pong balls.
Plank Walk Bucket Drop1. Build: lay a plank flat on the ground and set three buckets alongside it, a step apart. 2. Play: the child carries three bean bags along the plank and drops one into each bucket on the way, without stepping off. 3. Score: one point for each bag in a bucket. A step off means back to the start of the plank, keeping the points so far. Ages: 3 to 5 have the buckets touching the plank; 6 to 9 have them an arm's length away; 10 and up walk heel to toe with the buckets two arm's lengths away. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the next child steps on as the last one steps off. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a plank, three buckets, three bean bags.
Ruler Drop Catch1. Build: wrap a band of tape around the middle of a 12-inch ruler. That is the whole build. 2. Play: the child rests a forearm on the table edge with finger and thumb open around the bottom of the ruler, which the helper holds from the top. The helper lets go without warning inside a count of five, and the child pinches. 3. Score: three drops, one point for each catch before the ruler falls through. Ages: 6 to 9 score for any catch; 10 and up score only when they catch below the tape. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the turn takes 30 seconds and the booth fits on a corner of any table. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a 12-inch ruler, tape, a table.
Stomp Board Catch1. Build: balance a plank as long as an arm across a short length of pool noodle taped to the ground, so one end is up. Put a bean bag on the low end. 2. Play: the child stomps on the high end and catches the bean bag as it flies up. Three stomps. 3. Score: one point for each catch. Two hands are fine. Ages: 3 to 5 score when the bag lands in a hoop laid one step ahead; 6 to 9 catch with two hands; 10 and up clap once before the catch. Only a bean bag or a soft toy goes on the board, never a ball or anything hard. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the child puts the bag back on the board, so the helper only counts. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a short plank, a length of pool noodle, tape, a plastic hoop, two bean bags.
Tilt the Tray Maze1. Build: tape paper straws inside a baking tray or a large box lid to make a winding path with three gates, and number the gates 1 to 3. The ball is a golf ball. 2. Play: the child holds the tray in both hands and tilts it to steer the ball from the start corner through gates 1, 2 and 3. 3. Score: one point for each gate passed, in order, within a slow count of 30. Ages: 6 to 9 get the count of 30; 10 and up get a count of 15. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a baking tray or large box lid, paper straws, tape, a marker, a golf ball.
Wire Loop Wave, Three Sections1. Build: an adult bends a length of stiff garden wire into three gentle waves, fixes both ends upright in two plant pots of sand and tapes over every cut end. Mark the three waves with colored tape. The wand is a metal key ring taped to a wooden spoon and threaded onto the wire. 2. Play: the child guides the ring from one end to the other without letting it touch the wire. 3. Score: one point for each section crossed without a touch. After a touch, carry on from the next tape mark. 4. Where it comes from: the fairground wire loop game is wired to a buzzer. Here metal on metal makes a scrape, and the helper's ears are the buzzer. Ages: 6 to 9 use a ring as wide as a jar lid; 10 and up use one as wide as a bottle cap. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: stiff garden wire, pliers for the adult, two plant pots of sand, colored tape, two key rings, a wooden spoon.
Wooden Spoon Catapult Into the Bowls1. Build: lay a wooden spoon across a rolled washcloth on a table so the bowl of the spoon rests on the table. Set three mixing bowls one, two and three hand spans away. The shot is a pom-pom as big as a golf ball. 2. Play: load the spoon and tap the handle down. Three launches. 3. Score: one point for each pom-pom that lands in a bowl. Ages: 3 to 5 aim for one laundry basket close by; 6 to 9 score in any bowl; 10 and up call the bowl first. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a wooden spoon, a washcloth, three mixing bowls, a laundry basket, three large pom-poms.
Guessing and listening booths 9
Flower Garden Color Match1. Build: fill a shallow box with sand and plant 15 paper flowers on craft sticks. Paint a red, blue or yellow dot on the buried end of every stick, and set out three cups painted in the same colors. 2. Play: the child pulls up a flower, names the color of its dot and plants it in the matching cup. Three flowers. 3. Score: one point for each flower in the right cup. Nearly every small child scores three, which is the job of this booth: put it first on the youngest children's route. Ages: this booth is for ages 3 to 5 only. Older brothers and sisters can be the helper who replants the flowers. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: replanting three flowers takes ten seconds. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a shallow box, sand, 15 craft sticks, colored paper, glue, paint in three colors, three cups.
Follow the Cup1. Build: put three identical opaque cups upside down on a table, with one ping-pong ball. 2. Play: the helper shows the ball under one cup, then slides the cups around slowly in plain view. The child points to a cup. Three rounds. 3. Score: one point for each right pick. 4. Fair rule: the ball stays under its cup from start to finish, and the helper lifts all three cups after every pick to prove it. The street version of this game is a known swindle that moves the ball by sleight of hand. Here nothing is staked and nothing is hidden. Ages: 3 to 5 watch three slow swaps; 6 to 9 watch five; 10 and up watch eight quick swaps or a fourth cup. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the helper never leaves the table and a round takes 15 seconds. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three identical opaque cups, a fourth for the oldest, a ping-pong ball, a table.
Guess How Many, Three Jars1. Build: fill three clear jars with three different things, such as large pom-poms, building bricks and crayons. Count as you fill, write each count on a card for the helper's pocket and tape the lids shut. 2. Play: one guess for each jar, whispered to the helper. No picking the jars up. 3. Score: one point for each guess within ten of the true count. The helper scores on the spot, so nobody waits for a closest guess at the end and no jar is won. Ages: 3 to 5 get a jar of up to ten big blocks to count through the glass, and score within two; 6 to 9 score within ten; 10 and up score within five. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: there is nothing to reset, so a helper can take two children at a time. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three clear jars with lids, tape, three kinds of filling, a small jar of big blocks, an answer card.
Guess Your Steps to the Cone1. Build: mark a start line and stand three cones at different distances: near, middle and far. 2. Play: the child looks at the near cone, says how many heel-to-toe steps it will take to reach it, then walks it, counting aloud with the helper. The same again for the other two cones. 3. Score: one point for each guess within one step of the real count. Every child measures with their own feet, so shoe size never matters. Ages: 3 to 5 take ordinary steps to the near cone three times and score within two steps; 6 to 9 play as written; 10 and up score only an exact count. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: nothing to build and nothing to reset, and two children can walk side by side. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three cones or buckets and a rope for the start line.
Heavier, Longer, Fuller1. Build: wrap two boxes of the same size, one holding a book and one a magazine. Coil two ribbons in two clear jars, one a forearm longer than the other. Tape two opaque bottles shut, one half full of water and one a third full. Write the answers underneath. 2. Play: the child lifts the parcels and says which is heavier, looks at the ribbons and says which is longer, then shakes the bottles and says which is fuller. 3. Score: one point for each right answer. Swap left and right between children so nobody copies the child in front. Ages: 3 to 5 get big differences, such as a book against an empty box; 6 to 9 play as written; 10 and up get close pairs, such as two books a few pages apart. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: three answers take 30 seconds. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: two boxes, wrapping paper, a book, a magazine, two ribbons, two clear jars, two opaque bottles, tape.
Pour Exactly One Cup1. Build: set out a jug of water, a wide bowl and a clear measuring cup. Indoors, use dry sand in place of water. 2. Play: the child pours from the jug into the bowl and stops when they think one cup has gone in. The helper tips the bowl into the measuring cup to check. Three pours. 3. Score: one point for each pour that lands between the three-quarter mark and the one-and-a-quarter mark. Ages: 6 to 9 score between those two marks; 10 and up score only within two tablespoons of one cup. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: a jug, water or dry sand, a wide bowl, a clear measuring cup, a tablespoon.
Sound Shaker Pairs1. Build: fill eight identical opaque tubs in pairs: two with rice, two with sand, two with one wooden block and two with a jingle bell. An adult tapes every lid shut all the way around and puts matching stickers under each pair. 2. Play: the child picks a tub, shakes it, then shakes the others to find its partner. Three picks. 3. Score: one point for each true pair, checked by the stickers underneath. Ages: 3 to 5 play with three very different pairs; 6 to 9 with all four; 10 and up with six pairs, adding two near-alike fillings such as dried beans and gravel. The tubs stay sealed, so nothing loose is ever in reach. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: 12 identical opaque tubs with lids, tape, stickers, rice, sand, dried beans, gravel, wooden blocks, jingle bells.
Ten-Second Stopwatch Stop1. Build: open the stopwatch on a phone and cover the digits with a sticky note, so only the button shows. 2. Play: the child presses start, counts ten seconds in their head and presses stop. Lift the note together. Three goes. 3. Score: one point for each stop between 9 and 11 seconds. Ages: 6 to 9 score between 8 and 12 seconds; 10 and up score between 9.5 and 10.5. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: a second phone is a second lane. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a phone with a stopwatch and a sticky note.
Which Box Has the Bell1. Build: take three identical boxes with lids. Put a jingle bell in one and a rolled sock in another, leave the third empty, and tape all three shut. Prop up a big book as a screen. 2. Play: the helper shuffles the boxes behind the screen, then shakes each one once. The child points to the box with the bell. Three rounds, with a shuffle before each. 3. Score: one point for each right pick. Ages: 3 to 5 play with three boxes; 6 to 9 play with five, two of them decoys holding sand and a wooden block. Set this booth away from the noisy ones. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the boxes are sealed, so the only reset is the shuffle. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: five identical boxes with lids, tape, a jingle bell, a rolled sock, sand, a wooden block, a big book.
Harder booths for ages 10 and up 11
Bank Shot Into the Trash Can1. Build: stand a clean trash can or a laundry hamper against a garage door or an outside wall, and tape an X on the wall above it at head height. 2. Play: three throws of a tennis ball from 5 steps. The ball has to hit the wall before it drops in. 3. Score: one point for each ball that banks in and stays. Ages: for ages 10 and up; 6 to 9 can play from 3 steps with a playground ball. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: misses bounce back toward the thrower. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a clean trash can or laundry hamper, tape, three tennis balls, a playground ball.
Bedsheet Goal Target Kick1. Build: an adult cuts three holes twice as wide as the ball in an old bedsheet, two low in the corners and one high in the middle. Tie the sheet across a small goal or between two trees and peg the bottom edge down. 2. Play: three kicks of a foam soccer ball. 3. Score: one point for each ball through a hole. Ages: 10 and up kick from 6 steps; 6 to 9 kick from 3 steps. A foam ball only, and nobody stands behind the sheet. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the sheet stops every miss at the player's feet. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: an old bedsheet, scissors for the adult, rope, tent pegs, a foam soccer ball.
Bottle Flip Landing Pad1. Build: fill three small plastic bottles one third full of water and tape the caps on. Tape a sheet of paper to a sturdy table as the landing pad. 2. Play: one practice flip, then three that count. Each bottle turns once in the air. 3. Score: one point for each bottle that lands upright on the pad and stays up. Ages: 10 and up need the pad; 6 to 9 score for any upright landing on the table. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: the player stands the bottles back in a row on the way out. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three small plastic bottles with caps, water, tape, a sheet of paper, a sturdy table.
Bottle Stand-Up With a Ring Pole1. Build: tie a string as long as the pole to the end of a garden cane, and a curtain ring just wider than a bottle neck to the end of the string. Pour a cup of water into a plastic bottle, cap it tight and lay it on its side on a doormat. 2. Play: the player slips the ring over the neck and raises the bottle until it stands by itself. Three tries, a slow count of 30 each. 3. Score: one point each time the bottle stands alone for a count of three. 4. Fair test: on a slick tabletop the bottle skids away, so give it a mat for grip. Adjust until an adult manages about one try in three. Ages: for ages 10 and up. A younger child can try with a ruler for a pole. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 30 in an hour. Time: 2 min a turn. Props: a garden cane, string, a curtain ring, a plastic bottle with a cap, a doormat.
Flying Disc Off the Cans1. Build: tape over the rims of three empty food cans and stand them a forearm apart on a plank across two chairs, with a fence or open ground behind. 2. Play: three throws of a flying disc from 8 steps. 3. Score: one point for each throw that knocks at least one can off the plank. Cans are stood up again after every throw. Ages: for ages 10 and up. Nobody stands past the throw line until the third throw has landed. Helpers: 2. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: three empty food cans, tape, a plank, two chairs, a flying disc.
One-Bounce Shot Into the Muffin Tin1. Build: put a muffin tin at the far end of a table with a book under its far edge, so it tilts toward the thrower. 2. Play: three ping-pong balls from one step behind the near end. Every ball has to bounce once on the table before it lands. 3. Score: one point for each ball that stays in a cup of the tin. Ages: for ages 10 and up. A younger child can drop the bounce rule. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a muffin tin, a book, a table, a bowl of ping-pong balls.
Pendulum Pin Swing1. Build: knot a tennis ball into the toe of a long sock and hang it from a branch or a swing-set bar so it clears the ground by a hand. Stand a plastic bottle with a finger of water in it a hand's width to one side of the spot under the knot. 2. Play: from the line, the player pushes the ball so it passes the bottle on the way out and knocks it over on the way back. Three swings. 3. Score: one point for each bottle knocked over on the return swing. A hit on the way out scores nothing. 4. Fair test: if an adult cannot do it one time in three, move the bottle farther off center. Ages: for ages 10 and up. Only a soft ball in a sock, and the line waits outside the swing. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: standing one bottle back up is the whole reset. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a tennis ball, a long sock, rope, a branch or swing-set bar, a plastic bottle.
Playing Card Toss Into the Hat1. Build: put a hat or a mixing bowl on the floor against a wall, and a chair 3 steps away with an old deck of cards on it. 2. Play: seated, the player flicks cards at the hat in three rounds of five cards. 3. Score: one point for each round that puts at least one card in the hat. Ages: for ages 10 and up. Run it indoors, because any breeze carries the cards. Helpers: 1. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a hat or mixing bowl, a chair, an old deck of cards.
Slanted Board Bag Toss, Long Line1. Build: prop one end of a board on a stack of books so it slopes toward the thrower. An adult cuts a hole one hand span wide near the top. If you own a cornhole board, use it. 2. Play: three bean bags from 8 steps. 3. Score: one point only for a bag that drops through the hole. A bag that rests on the board scores nothing at this booth, though it would in a full game of cornhole. Ages: for ages 10 and up. After the carnival the same board plays a full game. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: bags that miss lie beside the board, so the pickup is quick. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a board with a hole or a cornhole board, books, three bean bags.
Swinging Hoop Football Throw1. Build: hang a plastic hoop from a branch or a swing-set bar on a single rope, center at chest height, so it can swing. Use a foam football. 2. Play: the helper sets the hoop swinging gently, and the player throws three times from 6 steps. 3. Score: one point for each ball through the hoop. Ages: 10 and up throw at the swinging hoop; 6 to 9 throw at a still hoop from 4 steps. Keep clear ground behind the hoop and one thrower at a time. Helpers: 2. Players: 2 to 50 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: a plastic hoop, rope, a branch or swing-set bar, a foam football.
Two-Ball Sock Toss Onto the Rail1. Build: push a tennis ball into the toe of each of two knee socks and knot the open ends together, leaving a forearm of sock between the balls. Make three. The rail is a broom handle tied across two chair backs at waist height. 2. Play: three underarm throws from 5 steps, so that the pair wraps around the rail. 3. Score: one point for each pair left hanging on the rail. Ages: for ages 10 and up. Underarm only, clear ground behind the rail, and the line waits behind the thrower. Helpers: 1. Large crowd: pairs that hang are lifted off in one go. Players: 2 to 100 in an hour. Time: 1 min a turn. Props: six tennis balls, six knee socks, a broom handle, two chairs, string.
How this list was compiled: Written by the Game Night Generator editors in September 2026 for a parent, a teacher or a room parent building a home-made carnival. Every booth is a traditional fairground or parlor game that nobody owns, described in our own words with a build list from household things; no list is copied from another site, no boxed game or amusement brand is named, and no testing is claimed. Every booth is scored the same way, three tries and one point for each hit, so a punch card adds up the same at every table. The age bands (3 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 and up), the throw distances, the spaces, the helper counts and the mark for a school or large crowd are the editors' judgment. A booth carries the large-crowd mark only when a turn takes under a minute and the reset takes seconds. Players is the number of children one booth can serve in about an hour at the turn length given; these are planning estimates, not measurements. Left out on purpose: betting, raffles, wheels of chance, play money, coin pitching, darts, balloon popping, eating contests, a dunk tank and any booth where a person is the target. Checked on 2026-09-19 against these Wikipedia articles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_game (skill games and how they are rigged: ring toss made so the ring barely fits, a bottle stack with one heavier bottle, and a basket toss where a ball left in the basket absorbs the energy of the next throw; also the pole-and-ring game that stands a bottle upright, and the duck pond as a game for young children that may offer a winner every time), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-a-duck (a traditional fairground stall game, also known as duck pond, with hidden marks or numbers on the ducks' bases), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_shy (wooden balls thrown at coconuts balanced on posts, a traditional British game at funfairs and fetes), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_toss (the carnival version uses a very small ring and peg, and one variant replaces the pegs with bottles), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_loop_game (a metal loop guided along a bent wire, where a touch closes a circuit and sounds a buzzer), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_game (almost always run as a confidence trick that uses sleight of hand to move the ball) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup-and-ball (a traditional children's toy, a ball tied to a handle with a cup, noted in France as early as the sixteenth century). Safety notes were read on 2026-09-19. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's balloon warning (https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/5087.pdf) says children under eight can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons, which is why no booth here uses a balloon. The CPSC magnets page (https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Magnets) says to keep small magnets away from children, so the fishing booth uses one large magnet fixed on by an adult. The CPSC small parts guidance (https://www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/Business-Guidance/Small-Parts-for-Toys-and-Childrens-Products) covers products for children under three; every booth here is for ages three and up, and booths with clothespins or other small pieces start at six. The American Academy of Pediatrics page on water safety (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Water-Safety-And-Young-Children.aspx) says young children can drown in an inch or two of water and that water containers should be emptied straight after use, which is why every water booth keeps an adult at the tub and is emptied when the carnival ends. Follow your own school's or venue's rules on supervision, water, allergies and first aid; they come before anything on this page. Licence: own work