The average UK parent spends £104 on entertainment for a single child's birthday party. Professional entertainers charge £120–£250 for two hours, and photo booth hire starts at £199. If you have a living room, a laptop, and a TV, you already have most of what you need to keep 15 kids happy for two hours without any of that.
Here are 22 birthday party entertainment ideas organised by what you already own, how much energy you want to spend, and what age group you're hosting. Most cost nothing. A few need a £6.99 app. None require booking anyone.
The big-screen entertainment station (our top pick)
If you have a laptop with a webcam and a TV with an HDMI input, you can set up a magic mirror — a live camera effects station where kids see themselves on the big screen transformed in real time. Open Magic Mirror in your browser, plug the laptop into the TV, press "Show on TV," and the television becomes a fullscreen, kid-proof mirror. Kids walk up, pick an effect — thermal vision, kaleidoscope, emoji rain, neon glow — and pull faces. It needs no explaining. They get it in two seconds.
Three effects are free forever. The full 71 effects and 12 motion games (musical statues, dance-off, pass the bomb) cost £6.99 one-time — less than a single party bag. This is the single highest-impact thing you can add to a party, and it runs for the entire afternoon without supervision.
Active party games (no equipment needed)
Musical statues
A classic for a reason. Play music, kids dance, pause the music, everyone freezes. Last one standing wins. If you have a TV connected to a laptop, Magic Mirror's Statues game handles the music, the freezing, and the judging automatically — it uses the webcam to detect movement and eliminates anyone who wobbles. No arguments about who moved first.
Sleeping lions
The calm-down game. Everyone lies on the floor and pretends to sleep. The host tries to make them laugh or move without touching anyone. Anyone who moves or giggles is out. Brilliant for the post-cake energy crash.
Pass the parcel
Wrap a small gift in multiple layers. Pass the parcel around a circle while music plays. When the music stops, the child holding it unwraps one layer. The centre layer has the prize. Put a small sweet in every layer so nobody goes home empty-handed.
Musical bumps
Like musical statues but sitting down. Music plays, kids dance, music stops, everyone sits. Last to sit is out. Safer than musical chairs (no chairs to crash into) and works in small spaces.
Musical chairs
Arrange chairs in a circle, one fewer than the number of kids. Music plays, kids walk around. Music stops, everyone sits. The one without a chair is out. Remove a chair each round. Classic, competitive, and works for ages 4–8.
Party games with a screen or TV
Dance-off
Two kids at a time face the TV. Play a song. Each does their best dance moves. The rest of the party votes by cheering. Winner stays on. If you're using Magic Mirror, the Dance-Off game scores movement energy automatically and picks a winner.
Simon Says
One person gives instructions: "Simon says jump. Simon says touch your nose." Kids follow. If the instruction doesn't start with "Simon says," anyone who moves is out. Simple, free, and works for any age.
Pass the bomb
A hot-potato game. A bomb appears on screen and chases the busiest player. Pass it by moving — the one holding it when the fuse runs out is out. Magic Mirror's Pass the Bomb game does this with a 20-second fuse and a full explosion. Enormous fun, very loud.
Low-energy party activities
DIY photo booth
Set up a camera against a plain wall, add a box of props (hats, glasses, feather boas from charity shops), and let kids take turns posing. If you're using Magic Mirror, the snapshots save to your downloads folder automatically — no printer, no consumables. See our full guide to setting up a free photo booth.
Scavenger hunt
Write a list of 10–15 items to find around the house: something blue, something soft, something that makes a noise, something from the kitchen. First team back with everything wins. Takes 15 minutes, costs nothing, and works for mixed ages.
Pass the drawing
Everyone gets a piece of paper. Fold it into thirds. Each child draws a head on the top third, folds it over, passes it on. The next child draws a body, folds, passes. The last draws the legs. Unfold to reveal the monster. Guaranteed laughs.
Decoration station
Set up a table with plain cupcakes, sprinkles, icing tubes, and small toppings. Kids decorate their own. This is an activity and a party tea item in one. Costs about £8 for 15 kids.
Outdoor party games (if you have a garden)
Tug o' war
A rope, two teams, a line in the middle. The team that pulls the other across the line wins. If you're using Magic Mirror, the Tug o' War game uses the webcam to detect pulling energy on each side and drags the rope accordingly.
Floor is lava
Scatter cushions, mats, and blankets across the floor. Kids must cross the room without touching the "lava" (the floor). If they touch it, they're out. Each round, remove a cushion. Magic Mirror's Floor is Lava game adds rising lava and ember effects on the TV.
Snow catch
Stand under falling "snow" on the TV screen and catch as many flakes as you can. Don't let the snowdrift pile up at the bottom — if it reaches you, you're buried. A gentle, wintery game for younger kids.
How many games do you need?
For a two-hour party, plan 4–6 activities and have 2 backups. Kids under 7 will spend 10–15 minutes on each thing. Kids 7–10 can go 20–30 minutes if the activity is genuinely engaging.
The biggest mistake parents make is planning one big thing — a bouncy castle, an entertainer, a trip — and then the kids are done with it in 40 minutes. A station-based party (a photo booth in one corner, a game on the TV, a decorating table, a scavenger hunt) lets kids drift between activities at their own pace. Nobody gets bored, nobody gets over-excited, and you don't need to manage transitions.
What age is each idea best for?
- Ages 3–5: Musical statues, musical bumps, sleeping lions, decoration station, snow catch. Short rounds, simple rules, no elimination — just "your turn" rotation.
- Ages 6–8: All of the above plus pass the parcel, scavenger hunt, dance-off, pass the bomb, tug o' war, floor is lava.
- Ages 9–10: Dance-off, tug o' war, pass the bomb, Simon Says (make it harder), scavenger hunt with riddles instead of a list. The magic mirror effects station is still enormously popular at this age — thermal vision and neon glow never get old.
Want more? See our guides to running a party without an entertainer, indoor party games for kids, and how to make a DIY photo booth.