Keep the standard white elephant flow and change four things for kids: limit steals to one or two per gift, group children by age, give every child something to keep, and use a low budget with age-fit gifts.
At PartyGameKit, we build free tools for gift exchanges and party games, and the kids rules on this page are our own design choices. Treat each number here as our recommendation for your group.
The Rule Changes That Work for Kids
Seven changes adapt the standard exchange for children. Each one is a design choice we recommend.
- Limit steals to one or two per gift. The standard game allows three steals, and a cap of one or two keeps a child from losing the same gift again and again.
- Group children by age. For example, roughly under 8 and 8 to 12. Gifts then fit the age of the child who opens them.
- Give every child a consolation item. Every child ends with a small consolation item, or can swap for a spare gift from a prepared bag.
- Use simple turn order. Number the cards and draw them from a hat, or use our free white elephant generator.
- Open gifts one at a time in front of the group, but let a shy child pass a turn.
- Shorten the game to 20 to 30 minutes for younger children.
- Have an adult run the stealing and enforce the no steal-backs rule.
The steal cap limits how often one gift changes hands, and the consolation item gives a child who loses a gift something to take home.
Our minimum age guidance is six. Children six and up can follow the steal mechanic with help. Younger children do better with a simple pick-a-gift exchange with no stealing.
A Kid-Friendly Game Script
- Set the budget band before you send invitations. Use under 10 for a classroom or group, or 10 to 20 for a family, and write the band on the invitation.
- Sort the children into two age groups, roughly under 8 and 8 to 12. Pick gifts from the matching list in the Gift Ideas by Age section.
- Prepare a backup bag of spare gifts, and set aside one small consolation item for each child.
- Number the cards and draw them from a hat to set turn order. You can also run the order with our free generator.
- On each turn, follow the standard turn mechanic from the how to play white elephant page, with the steal cap set to one or two.
- Open each gift one at a time, in front of the group. A shy child can pass the turn.
- The adult runs the stealing, counts each steal against the cap, and enforces the no steal-backs rule.
- Close the game at 20 to 30 minutes for younger children. Make sure every child leaves with a gift, using the consolation item or a swap from the backup bag.
Children under six do better with the no-steal version described in the Budget and Parent Notes section.
Gift Ideas by Age
The younger and older lists match the two age groups in step two, and a third list covers tweens. We earn a commission on Amazon links.
Younger Kids
Choose from a small stuffed animal, bubbles, play dough, a coloring set, stickers, or a squishy toy.
- Small stuffed animal
- Bubbles
- Play dough
- Coloring set
- Sticker pack
- Squishy toy
For children under three, avoid anything with small parts. Also avoid anything unsafe, and skip loud toys at a classroom event.
Older Kids
Choose from a card game, a small building set, a puzzle, a science kit, a slime kit, a mini sports ball, or a journal and gel pens.
- Card game for kids
- Small building set
- Puzzle for kids
- Science kit
- Slime kit
- Mini sports ball
- Journal and gel pens
Tweens
- Bracelet kit
- Craft kit
- Deck of trivia cards
Budget and Parent Notes
Write the budget band on the invitation. Under 10 suits a classroom or group, and 10 to 20 suits a family. Parents can set the band.
Two variations suit different settings. A family can have each player wrap a toy they already own. For little children, a blind grab bag with no stealing removes the steal step altogether.
Classroom events may fall under school rules, and this page does not list those rules. Keep the event food-free if any child has an allergy. For more party games, see Christmas games for kids. For a lower budget, see white elephant gifts under $20.
Handling Tears and Steals
Prepare the bag before the game starts. For the base steal mechanics, see the white elephant rules.