Eid Children’s Activities: How to Keep the Kids Entertained All Day!
Eid with kids is one of the most joyful, chaotic, exhausting and beautiful things you will ever experience.
The excitement when they wake up.
The outfits.
The Eidi money.
The sugar rush from the dessert table hitting at approximately 2pm. And then twenty children running absolutely feral around someone’s garden while the adults try to have a conversation and pretend everything is fine.
I’m Shaz, Muslim mum of four from East London, Bengali and someone who has been doing big family Eids for nearly four decades now. We’re talking five sisters, one brother, 16 nieces and nephews, and enough collective Eid chaos to fill an entire book.
Today I’m sharing everything we do to keep the kids entertained, the games that always go down a treat, the Eidi money system that actually works and the legendary hide and seek incident of approximately 2005 that we still talk about to this day.
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The Eid Morning Routine: Setting the Tone for the Day
Eid morning in our house is an event in itself.
The kids are up before anyone else…obviously.
The excitement is at maximum levels before breakfast. We get everyone dressed first, hair, outfits, the works and then family photos happen immediately.
Non-negotiable.
I learned this lesson the hard way after an Eid where I kept saying “photos later” and by 6pm everyone had biryani on their clothes and the kids looked like they’d survived a natural disaster.
We got one photo and it was terrible.
Photos first.
Always.
Then it’s Eidi time, which in our house happens on Eid morning before we head to the family gathering. More on that shortly.
Eidi Money: Our Family System That Actually Works
So Eid money…after years of buying gifts for 16 nieces and nephews across two Eids, our family made a decision that changed everything.
We switched to money only.
Here’s why.
When you have 16 nieces and nephews across five families, buying gifts gets expensive, complicated and frankly nobody needs more stuff.
The kids already have everything.
So we made a family decision, money only and the kids can put it toward experiences.
A theme park trip. A holiday contribution. Something they’ll actually remember rather than a toy that gets played with for three days and forgotten.
We also used to send links on the family WhatsApp group to what each child wanted, so everyone got exactly what they asked for and there were no duplicates.
Honestly one of the most organised things our family has ever done. We’re chaotic in many ways but Eid admin?
We have that sorted.
Our cut off age is 18. Once you’re an adult you don’t receive Eid money which is fair given we have 16 children across the family and two Eids per year. It adds up quickly.
For your own kids at home, receiving their Eidi on Eid morning sets such a lovely tone for the day. It feels special and intentional rather than just being handed an envelope at some point during the chaos.
Let The Games Begin: Because Eid is a Full Day Event
The games.
This is where Eid really comes alive.
In our family nobody sits on the sidelines. Adults included.
Full participation is not optional. If you’re at our Eid you are playing pass the parcel whether you like it or not.
Here are the games that always go down brilliantly:
Pass the Parcel
The classic.
Wrap a prize in multiple layers, play music, pass it around, the child holding it when the music stops unwraps a layer. Put a small treat or coin in each layer so nobody goes home disappointed.
Tip…have an adult control the music and make sure every child gets a turn to unwrap. Trust me on this one.
Musical Statues
Play music, everyone dances, music stops, everyone freezes. Last one moving is out. Simple, free, absolutely hilarious especially when the adults join in and get competitive.
Musical Bumps with Cushions
Like musical chairs but with cushions on the floor,
easier to set up and less risk of anyone falling off a chair in the chaos.
Put cushions in a circle, one fewer than the number of players, music plays, everyone walks around, music stops, everyone scrambles to sit on a cushion.
The one left standing is out.
Remove a cushion each round.
Kids love this one. Adults get surprisingly competitive too.
Piñata
Fill it with sweets, small toys and coins.
Blindfold each child, spin them around and let them take a swing.
The moment it breaks and everything falls out is pure Eid chaos in the best possible way.
Get one that’s colourful and festive, crescent moon or star shapes work beautifully for Eid.
Limbo
How low can you go?
A limbo stick, some music and a lot of laughing.
Kids are naturally brilliant at this. Adults are not.
Both equally entertaining to watch.
I, on the other hand am short and really good at this!
Karaoke
If you want to find out which child has absolutely no fear, set up a karaoke machine.
Some kids will grab that microphone and perform like they’re at Wembley.
Others will need gentle encouragement. Either way it’s brilliant entertainment for everyone.
Works especially well for mixed age groups…teenagers love this one.
Bouncy Castle
If you have the garden space, a bouncy castle is one of the best investments for an Eid with kids.
They will be on it for hours.
Genuinely.
You’ll get to eat your biryani while it’s warm, have an actual conversation with another adult and not worry about what the kids are doing.
They’re on the bouncy castle.
They’re fine.
My sister has a big garden so she always hires one. My East London garden is slightly more modest shall we say. But if you have the space, do it.
Sparklers and Fireworks: The Evening Grand Finale
As the day winds down and the sun sets, sparklers!
There is something magical about ending Eid day with sparklers in the garden.
Even the teenagers who have been too cool for games all day suddenly want a sparkler. Adults too.
If you want to go bigger, and we do, a small fireworks display in the garden.
Always a memorable moment and the kids absolutely love it.
Safety first obviously, keep a bucket of water nearby, make sure adults are supervising and keep small children at a safe distance from the fireworks.
The Legendary Hide and Seek Incident: A Cautionary Tale
I cannot write a post about Eid children’s activities without telling you this story.
This was back when we were young, early teens, my mum’s old house, a big family Eid gathering with all the kids.
Someone suggested hide and seek.
Fine.
Normal.
Classic game.
Except one of my sisters hid so well that nobody could find her. We searched the house. We searched the garden. We called her name.
Nothing.
We threw an actual search party.
And then someone checked the small park just off the house, secure, just around the corner and there she was.
Hiding.
Absolutely committed to winning. Completely unbothered by the fact that the entire family was in a state of panic.
The relief. Followed immediately by absolute fury. Followed by everyone crying laughing.
She won the hide and seek. She lost the ability to be trusted for approximately three Eids afterwards.
We still talk about it. We will always talk about it. It has become part of our family Eid mythology.
The lesson: If you’re playing hide and seek with kids at a family gathering, establish boundaries first. Very clear, very firm boundaries.
Inside only.
Or designated outdoor area only. Learn from us. 😄
Tips for Keeping Kids Entertained All Day at Eid
After years of big family Eids here’s what actually works:
Have a loose game schedule.
Don’t leave it all to chance, have a rough plan of when you’ll do pass the parcel, when the piñata happens, when sparklers come out.
Kids do better when there’s some structure even if it’s flexible.
Set up a dedicated kids area. Cushions on the floor, their own snacks table, games in one corner.
Gives them their own space and keeps the chaos slightly contained.
Mix ages intentionally.
Put older kids in charge of younger ones for certain games.
Teenagers who feel responsible and included are far less likely to disappear upstairs and stare at their phones all day.
Have quiet options too. Not every child wants to run around all day. Have some colouring sheets, small activity books or simple crafts available for kids who need a quieter moment.
Accept the chaos.
By 4pm something will have gone wrong, someone will be crying about the piñata and there will be biryani on at least one outfit.
This is Eid.
It’s perfect.
FAQ: Eid Activities for Kids
What do you do with kids on Eid day?
Games like pass the parcel, musical statues, limbo and piñata work brilliantly for mixed ages. A bouncy castle if you have outdoor space, karaoke for older kids and sparklers in the evening make for a full and memorable Eid day.
What is Eidi and how much do you give?
Eidi is a gift or money given to children on Eid day. The amount varies by family — there’s no set amount. Many UK families now give money rather than gifts so children can save toward experiences or spend on what they actually want.
At what age do children stop receiving Eidi?
This completely depends on family tradition. In our family the cut off is 18, once you’re an adult you’re officially out of the Eidi pool. With 16 nieces and nephews across two Eids a year it keeps things manageable.
How do you keep kids entertained at a long Eid gathering?
A mix of structured games, free play, outdoor activities and quieter options for kids who need a break. Having a dedicated kids area helps contain the chaos slightly. A bouncy castle is genuinely one of the best investments if you have the garden space.
Is it safe to do fireworks and sparklers with kids at Eid?
Yes with proper supervision. Keep children away from fireworks, have adults light and manage them, keep a bucket of water nearby and make sure sparklers are held at arm’s length pointing away from the body.
Make Eid Magical for the Kids
Eid is one of the few times a year where kids get to feel truly celebrated.
The outfits, the Eidi, the games, the food, the sparklers, it all adds up to a day they’ll remember for years.
And one day they’ll be the adults telling their own kids about the time their auntie hid in the park and nobody could find her.
Make it special.
Make it loud.
Make it chaotic and joyful and full of love.
That’s what Eid is for. 🌙✨
Loved this post? Save it for Eid planning and share it with whoever is hosting this year. Check out my Eid food ideas guide and Eid decoration post for everything else you need:
Drop a comment below …what are your favourite Eid activities for kids? And has anyone else had a hide and seek incident they need to confess?
Shaz x
