Children and adults alike enjoy bowling, especially at parties. Playing by the traditional rules, however, can sometimes make it difficult for younger people to stay engaged. They may love the act of bowling itself, but they have more fun with a stripped-down version of the game or alternative rules for it. If you’re planning on incorporating bowling into your child’s next birthday party, here are a few fun twists on the game they might really like.

3 Great Bowling Games for Children’s Birthday Parties

1. Pair Bowling

Instead of one player at a time trying to knock down the pins, kids can work as pairs. That is, two children can share a turn, alternating who picks up the spare. Pair bowling is a good way to ensure everyone gets plenty of chances to roll the ball, which is helpful if it turns out to be a large birthday party. Pairs can either compete against each other, or within teams.

2. Categories

For this game, every person who takes a turn needs to choose a category—for example, TV shows, vegetables, or animals. As soon as they roll the ball, they should immediately start listing as many items in that category as they can, while someone else keeps track of the number. That number should be added to the team’s score, and the category can no longer be used for the rest of the game. The winning team is the one with the highest score.

3. Bingo

This game can help kids learn different bowling terms, such as strike, spare, or split. For this, you’ll need special bingo cards, with one of these terms in each square instead of numbers. Each time a child accomplishes what’s written on a square, they get to mark it. And, just like in regular bingo, the person who marks four squares in a row (or five, depending on your cards) is the winner!

Planning an upcoming birthday celebration? Let Coulee Golf Bowl host a bowling-themed birthday party for you or your child. The Onalaska, WI-based recreation facility hosts numerous activities and will also serve delicious food to your guests at their built-in restaurant. For questions, call (608) 781-1111. Details about their menu and range of activities are available on their website.