Island Party Game Ideas

Staging themed activities at your tropical island party can make all of your guests feel like they've gone on a mini-vacation. You can adapt many traditional party games to suit an island party theme, and most are easy to learn in just a few minutes. The fun goes on for hours and turns your party into one for the memory books.

Desert Island Similar to musical chairs, this game uses paper islands placed on the floor. You can even turn the set-up into a game of its own by having each child decorate and cut out his own island. To play, simply place one less "island" than guests on the floor and play some calypso or tropical music. When the music stops, each child has to be standing on a desert island and the one not doing so is "out." Repeat until there is only child left and declare him the winner.

Survivor Food Challenge Blindfold each kid and feed him "survival" food. Suggest that the items are things like mud, twigs, bark or bugs. Use pretzel sticks, gummy worms or bugs, pita bread and water crackers. Have the child eat the food and then try to guess what it really is. The child with the most correct guesses wins.

Scuba Hunt If you have a pool, drop some tropical party favors that don't float into it, such as shells, plastic tiki mugs, toy gold coins and costume jewelry. Give each child 10 seconds to grab as many items from the bottom of the pool as possible. The child who gets the most items wins.

Adult Scavenger Hunt Scavenger hunts are as fun for adults as they are for kids, especially when you put a grown-up twist on the clues and items. Use adult clues like a bottle of liquor, a bikini top, a grass hula skirt and sexy underclothes.

Tropical Drink Contest Invest in a few basic drink ingredients such as mixers, fruit, grenadine, lime and sparkling water. Set up a blender (or several, if possible), table, cups, shakers, ice and any other bar equipment you have. Have three to five guests come up with their own original tropical drink within five minutes. The other guests then judge the drinks and vote on a winner.

Television Trivia Host a trivia contest asking questions about television shows like "Loveboat," "Gilligan's Island," "Fantasy Island" and "Hawaii Five-O." The nostalgia will add fun and conversation to the evening, along with the entertainment of the game itself.

For children, island theme game prizes can include chocolate gold treasure coins, plastic leis, sea shells, sand equipment, swimming goggles and hula skirts.

Captain Morgan rum and coconut massage oil make worthwhile gifts for adults.