School Carnival Game Ideas: Fun for All Ages

School carnival game ideas are all about fun, color, and excitement that bring students, families, and staff together in a festive atmosphere. These games are designed to be simple, engaging, and suitable for a wide range of ages. Classic booths like ring toss, duck pond, bean bag toss, and balloon darts create a nostalgic fairground feel, while games like spin-the-wheel, fishing for prizes, and guess-the-number add a touch of mystery and reward.

Many school carnivals also feature interactive challenges like pie-in-the-face, sack races, or obstacle courses that encourage laughter and participation. With bright decorations, playful prizes, and upbeat music, carnival games transform school grounds into a joyful celebration, making memories that last long after the day ends.

School Carnival Game Ideas

Here’s a list of 100+ School Carnival Game Ideas, organized into categories to help you choose based on space, age group, and supplies.

🎯 Classic Carnival Games

1. Ring Toss

2. Bean Bag Toss

3. Duck Pond

4. Milk Bottle Knockdown

5. Ping Pong Ball Toss

6. Balloon Darts (with safety precautions)

7. Tic-Tac-Toe Toss

8. Lollipop Pull

9. Wheel of Fortune

10. Fishing for Prizes

11. Ball in the Bucket

12. Spin the Prize Wheel

13. Coin Toss into Glasses

14. Lucky Duck Draw

15. Dice Roll Challenge

16. Marble Race

17. Bozo’s Bucket Game

18. Plinko

19. Penny Drop

20. Clothespin Drop

🏃‍♂️ Active & Physical Games

21. Sack Race

22. Three-Legged Race

23. Hula Hoop Contest

24. Obstacle Course

25. Tug of War

26. Giant Jenga

27. Jump Rope Contest

28. Wheelbarrow Race

29. Limbo

30. Relay Races

31. Cornhole

32. Water Balloon Toss

33. Frisbee Throw

34. Ladder Toss

35. Bottle Flip Contest

36. Cup Stacking

37. Paper Airplane Toss

38. Sponge Relay

39. Bowling with Plastic Bottles

40. Giant Ring Toss (with hula hoops)

🎨 Creative & DIY Games

41. Face Painting Station

42. Temporary Tattoo Station

43. Button Making Booth

44. Sand Art Station

45. Make Your Own Mask

46. Coloring Contest

47. Sidewalk Chalk Art Area

48. DIY Slime Station

49. Bead Bracelet Making

50. Origami Folding Challenge

🧠 Brain & Skill Games

51. Memory Match

52. Trivia Wheel

53. Guess How Many (candy jar)

54. Word Scramble Race

55. Spelling Bee Mini Challenge

56. Riddle Booth

57. Puzzle Challenge Station

58. Sudoku Contest

59. Flash Card Race

60. Estimation Station

🎯 Carnival Booth-Style Games

61. Can Smash

62. Duck Shoot with Nerf Guns

63. Mini Golf Putting

64. Dartless Balloon Pop (with beanbags)

65. Pop-a-Shot Basketball

66. Hockey Shootout

67. Ring-a-Drink Bottle Game

68. Spin and Win

69. Frog Jump Game (launch toy frogs)

70. Pin the Tail on the Donkey

🐾 Animal & Nature-Themed Games

71. Animal Ring Toss (around animal shapes)

72. Feed the Zoo (toss food beanbags into animal mouths)

73. Bug Hunt Sandbox

74. Butterfly Catch with Nets

75. Penguin Waddle Relay (ball between knees)

76. Safari Photo Booth

77. Whale Tail Ring Toss

78. Fish Net Toss

79. Animal Footprint Match

80. Bee Beanbag Toss

💦 Water-Themed Carnival Games (perfect for hot days!)

81. Sponge Toss

82. Dunk Tank

83. Fill the Bucket Relay

84. Water Gun Race

85. Ice Cube Scooping

86. Sprinkler Limbo

87. Duck Pond Fishing

88. Pass the Water Balloon

89. Slip ‘n Slide Target

90. Cup Overhead Relay

🎁 Prize-Based & Mystery Games

91. Mystery Box Pick

92. Spin for a Surprise

93. Prize Balloon Pop

94. Envelope Grab

95. Punch-a-Prize Wall

96. Hidden Treasure Hunt

97. Claw Toy Machine (if available)

98. Mini Vending Machine

99. Sticker Surprise Station

100. Candy Ring Toss

🎉 Just for Fun / Free Play Zones

101. Free Play LEGO Table

102. Puppet Theater

103. Storytelling Corner

104. Karaoke Station

105. Dance Freeze Game

106. Bubble Zone

107. Inflatable Bounce House

108. Costume Photo Booth

109. Mini Petting Zoo

110. Giant Connect Four

How to Play

1. Ring Toss

Objective: Toss rings onto pegs or bottles.

Setup:

• Arrange bottles or pegs in rows.

• Provide players with plastic rings (3–5 per turn).

How to Play:

• Player stands behind a line.

• Toss rings one at a time aiming to land them over a peg/bottle.

• Score based on how many rings land.

Win Tip: Offer prizes based on number of successful tosses.

2. Bean Bag Toss (Cornhole style)

Objective: Toss bean bags into holes or containers.
Setup:

• Use a slanted board with holes or buckets at varying distances.

• 3–5 bean bags per turn.

How to Play:

• Stand behind the line.

• Toss each bag aiming for holes or containers.

• Points may vary by target difficulty.

Win Tip: Set a score to beat for a prize.

3. Duck Pond

Objective: Pick floating ducks to win a prize.
Setup:

• Fill a tub with water and plastic ducks.

• Write numbers or symbols on duck bottoms.

How to Play:

• Player selects a duck.

• Check the symbol underneath.

• Match the symbol with a prize.

Win Tip: Some ducks win bigger prizes!

4. Milk Bottle Knockdown

Objective: Knock over stacked milk bottles.
Setup:

• Stack 3–6 lightweight bottles in a pyramid.

• Provide soft balls.

How to Play:

1. Stand behind the line.

2. Toss 1–3 balls to knock all bottles down.

3. Knock down all for a prize.

Safety: Use soft, foam balls to avoid injury.

5. Ping Pong Ball Toss

Objective: Land ping pong balls into cups or jars.
Setup:

• Arrange cups/bowls at different distances.

• Fill some cups with colored water or prizes.

How to Play:

1. Toss balls one at a time.

2. Land in winning cups to earn prizes.

Win Tip: Color-coded cups for prize levels.

6. Balloon Darts (Safety Emphasis)

Objective: Pop balloons using safe darts.
Setup:

• Inflate balloons, tape to a corkboard.

• Use blunt-tip darts or Velcro balls (for safety).

How to Play:

1. Player throws darts at balloons.

2. Pop a balloon to win.

3. Color/prize inside can determine prize.

Safety: Adult supervision and safety glasses encouraged.

7. Tic-Tac-Toe Toss

Objective: Toss bean bags to land in a tic-tac-toe grid.
Setup:

• Grid with 9 boxes (on the ground or board).

• Use different colored bean bags.

How to Play:

1. Take turns tossing bags aiming to make 3 in a row.

2. If solo, just try to make a row with your own color.

Win Tip: Make a row = prize!

8. Lollipop Pull

Objective: Pick a lollipop and check for a prize.
Setup:

• Lollipops in a stand with colored tips (hidden).

How to Play:

1. Player pulls one lollipop.

2. If it has a color mark on the end, they win.

3. Different colors = different prize tiers.

9. Wheel of Fortune

Objective: Spin the wheel and win the prize it lands on.
Setup:

• Prize wheel labeled with categories or numbers.

How to Play:

1. Spin the wheel.

2. Wait for it to stop.

3. Match the segment to a prize category.

10. Fishing for Prizes

Objective: “Fish” for mystery prizes.
Setup:

• Barrier hiding the “pond”.

• Prizes tied to clips/hooks on a line.

How to Play:

1. Player casts a fishing pole over the barrier.

2. Helper clips on a prize.

3. Player pulls back and keeps what they catch!

11. Ball in the Bucket

Objective: Toss a ball into a bucket.
Setup:

• Buckets angled toward player.

• Lightweight balls (like ping pong or plastic).

How to Play:

1. Toss ball gently into bucket.

2. It must stay in to count.

3. 1–3 tries per turn.

12. Spin the Prize Wheel

Objective: Let fate decide your prize.
Setup:

• Colorful prize wheel divided into sections.

How to Play:

1. Spin the wheel.

2. Read prize where pointer lands.

3. Claim the prize shown.

13. Coin Toss into Glasses

Objective: Land coins into small cups or glasses.
Setup:

• Fill tray with shot glasses or cups, some marked.

How to Play:

1. Toss coins from a distance.

2. If coin lands in a marked cup, you win!

Variation: Colored water for visual fun.

14. Lucky Duck Draw

Objective: Pick a lucky duck and match to win.
Setup:

• Ducks with hidden numbers underneath.

How to Play:

1. Player selects 1–2 ducks.

2. Match number with prize list.

3. Some numbers = grand prize.

15. Dice Roll Challenge

Objective: Roll dice and match a winning number.
Setup:

• Large foam dice.

• Poster board listing winning numbers.

How to Play:

1. Roll 1 or 2 dice.

2. If you roll a listed number, you win.

3. Certain totals = certain prize levels.

16. Marble Race

Objective: Roll marbles into numbered tracks or holes.
Setup:

• Board with numbered tracks or tubes.

• Marbles and scoring zones.

How to Play:

1. Roll marbles from top.

2. Track determines your score.

3. Total points decide prize tier.

17. Bozo’s Bucket Game

Objective: Land balls into a line of buckets.
Setup:

• Line of 6–8 buckets in increasing distance.

How to Play:

1. Start at bucket 1.

2. Toss ball into each in order.

3. Miss = stop. Each successful toss = prize level.

18. Plinko

Objective: Drop a puck down a pegboard to win.
Setup:

• Vertical board with pegs and prize slots.

How to Play:

1. Drop puck from top.

2. Let it bounce down randomly.

3. Prize awarded based on where it lands.

19. Penny Drop

Objective: Drop a penny into a water-filled jar.
Setup:

• Clear jar in water basin.

• Pennies for each player.

How to Play:

1. Stand above the water.

2. Try to drop the penny so it lands inside the jar.

3. Harder than it sounds! Win if it lands inside.

20. Clothespin Drop

Objective: Drop clothespins into a jar or bottle.
Setup:

• Glass jar below a chair or stand.

• Clothespins.

How to Play:

1. Stand or sit above jar.

2. Drop 3–5 pins trying to land them inside.

3. Most inside = winner!