Pin the Tail on the Donkey: Rules and Party Tips
Pin the tail on the donkey is a classic birthday party game. A picture of a donkey without a tail hangs on the wall, and each player is blindfolded, turned around a few times and then tries to stick a paper tail in the right place. The player whose tail ends up closest wins. It needs very little and works for small children and adults alike. Here are the rules, a fair way to decide the turn order, blindfold and spinning safety, easy setup ideas without a printer, a little history and some variations.
How to play pin the tail on the donkey
- Hang a large picture of a donkey without a tail on a wall or door at the children’s shoulder height.
- Give every player a paper tail with their name on it and a piece of sticky tack or tape on the back.
- The first player is blindfolded, turned around gently two or three times and pointed towards the donkey.
- The player walks forward and sticks the tail where they think it belongs, without feeling the edges of the picture.
- The blindfold comes off, and the next player has a turn. When everyone has played, the tail closest to the right spot wins.
A fair way to decide the turn order
The turn order matters more than it seems. Early players have no tails on the picture to confuse them, and later players may feel the sticky tails of others and guess where the donkey is. Remove each tail after it has been marked with a small pencil dot, or draw the order at random so nobody can say the birthday child was given the best spot. Put the names into the Random Name Picker and remove each name after it is picked, which gives a full random order in a few clicks.
The table shows how likely a given child is to be near the front of a random order. Kids is the number of players, First the chance that a given child goes first, and Three the chance that a given child is among the first three.
| Kids | First | Three |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 17% | 50% |
| 8 | 13% | 38% |
| 10 | 10% | 30% |
| 12 | 8% | 25% |
| 15 | 7% | 20% |
With ten children, each child has a 10% chance of going first and a 30% chance of being among the first three. Every position is equally likely for everyone, so nobody can complain about the draw.
Blindfold and spinning safety
- Gentle turns: two or three slow turns are enough. Fast spinning makes small children dizzy and they may fall.
- Clear space: move chairs, toys and tables out of the way between the starting point and the wall.
- Walk, do not run: an adult or older child walks next to younger players.
- Soft blindfold: use a scarf or sleep mask. Children who do not like having their eyes covered can simply close them.
- No pins: despite the name, use sticky tack, tape or stickers, not drawing pins.
Easy setup ideas without a printer
- Draw it: a donkey outline on a big sheet of paper or a flattened cardboard box takes five minutes. It does not have to be a good drawing.
- Tails from paper: cut strips of coloured paper or wool and fringe the ends.
- Name each tail: write names or initials on the tails before you start, so nobody argues about whose tail is whose.
- Mark the spot: draw a small dot or circle where the tail belongs, so judging is quick and fair.
A little history
Pin the tail on the donkey is often said to have been a party game for more than a hundred years, and ready-made versions have been sold for a long time. It belongs to a family of blindfold games, together with blind man’s bluff, that have been played at parties in many countries. Its exact origin is not known.
Variations
- Themed pictures: pin the nose on the reindeer, the horn on the unicorn or the hat on the witch, to suit the party.
- Team version: teammates call out directions such as “left”, “up” or “stop” to their blindfolded player.
- Silly version: everyone else may shout misleading directions, and the player has to guess whom to trust.
- More party games: for other games that need little preparation, see pass the parcel and our list of kids party games.
FAQ
How do you play pin the tail on the donkey?
Players take turns to be blindfolded, turned around gently and pointed towards a picture of a donkey without a tail. Each player sticks a paper tail where they think it belongs, and the closest tail wins.
How many times should you spin a player?
Two or three slow turns are enough. More spinning makes young children dizzy and can lead to falls.
How do you decide who goes first?
Draw the order at random, for example with a name picker that removes each name once it has been chosen. Every child then has the same chance of every position.
What can you use instead of pins?
Sticky tack, tape or stickers work best and are safe for children. Avoid drawing pins.
What age is pin the tail on the donkey for?
It works from about three years old with help from an adult, and older children and adults enjoy the team and silly versions.