Kids of all ages love to play this simple guessing game and winning a jar of favorite treats or treasures when your guess is the closest, makes this game even more fun to play. To include this party game in just about any party, you’ll just need to fill the jar with goodies related to your theme.

Game Materials:

• Clear empty container of any size
• Candy, nuts, coins, crackers, small toys, shells etc.
• Small slips of paper
• Pencils
• One baby food jar for each guest (optional – see below)

Before the Party:

1. Decorate the jar or container with a ribbon if you’d like.
2. It’s fun to decorate the outside of the jar with stickers or permanent markers to coordinate with your theme, but be sure the contents are clearly visible.
3. Fill the jar with the small items of your choice – suggestions are listed below.
4. When you know how much you’ll need, pour the contents back out and then count while you return them to the jar.
5. If you intend on giving all of the players a prize, fill clean baby food jars or treat bags with goodies as well.

Party Time:

1. Show the party guests the jar of goodies by placing it in the center of a table, or on the floor if the players have formed a circle.
2. Hand out pencil and paper to each player.
3. Explain to the kids that they will be making their best guess at how many items are in the jar and the closest guess wins the entire jar.
4. The kids will write their guess down on the paper with their name on the top.
5. Announce the winning guess and award the prize!
6. Pass out concession prizes(optional).

Need help deciding what to put in your jar?

Here are some favorite edible and non-edible favorites…

• For any party theme: M&M candies, Skittles, jelly beans, chocolate Kisses, Cheese Puff balls, goldfish crackers, pretzels
• Mermaid or Ocean party : goldfish crackers, shells, seashells, gummy fish or sharks
• Pirate Party: gold coin bubble gum or chocolate coins, gold wrapped caramel candies
• Halloween Party: candy corn or orange and black jelly beans
• Circus or Animal Jungle: peanuts with shells or animal crackers
• Western or Cowboy Party: Gold coin candies, old fashioned candies, gummy coke bottles, red and black candy
• Arts and Crafts party: crayons, large beads or chenille stems (pipe cleaners), or pom-poms
• Princess Party: pink candies, plastic beaded necklaces
• Quinceanero: shades of pink candies
• Valentine’s Party: red, pink and white candy or cookies, artificial roses, pink soap salt balls
• Christmas Party: red and green candies, plastic ornament balls
• St. Patrick’s Day: rainbow colored candy or green, orange and white
• Hanukkah: gold wrapped chocolate coins, blue, white and silver wrapped chocolates.

It’s easy to match candy with any theme when think in terms of colors. It’s amazing that candy comes in virtually every color!

One Response to “Guess How Many”

1. Space Alien Birthday Party | Kids Parties 1-2-3 says:

   July 19, 2011 at 4:38 am

   [...] Fill a jar with purple and green M&M’s for a tasty guessing game. [...]