Party Game: Give the Dog a Bath

[eileenlu]

This is a fun game for all ages. I'm a Children's Librarian and used it yesterday at a party for kids ages 5 & 6. Last month I had older kids play it and they enjoyed it as much as a group of us adults did at an earlier workshop!

This is a relay race so you need at least 4 players. With 12 kids (6 per team) the game may take about 10-15 minutes. If you put more kids on a team, allow more time. I'd recommend adding more teams if you have more kids.

For each team you need:
A rain poncho or a large garbage bag with cutouts for head and armholes
rubber gloves (could be one per team for younger children)
towel
shampoo bottle (may be empty)
scrub brush with flat back

Divide the children into equal teams. If you have an odd number decide who will run twice. Designate the lines to stand behind. If indoors, you may lay a sheet of paper on the floor or put down tape about 15 feet apart, depending on your space. Have half of each team line up behind one end and the other half the their teams line up at the other side across from their teammates.

Explain that they are going to "Give the dog a bath" so they need to help dress the first person in line in the rain poncho to keep him/her dry and help put on the rubber glove/s, then wrap the towel around his/her neck, hand them the shampoo and set the brush on top of his/her head. The child must walk to the other line balancing the brush without touching it. If it fell, I let the kids pick it up, put it back on their head and continue from that spot (instead of making them start over) to the line where the other half of the team is waiting. The other teammates help remove the dog-washing items and put them onto the first person in line on their team who walks to the side where we began. The game continues with teammates helping undress & dress each teammate until everyone has had a chance to walk & balance the scrub brush. If one team finishes first, the game continues until everyone has done it. All the kids loved this game.

I give prizes to everyone. If the prizes aren't identical, then I let the winning team choose their prize first and then the next team choose. Everyone who plays wins.

eileenlu

[el_gary]

looks like a cool game. I'll have to try it for the next birthday party. thanks for the idea!