Born in 1960: fun facts, prices and a free printable 66th birthday party kit

How do you play the 66th birthday party games in the kit?

Here is what each game asks of your guests, how to play it and why it lands, so you can pick the ones that suit your crowd before you print.

1. 01

   Meet & mingle bingo

   Find a guest for every square. The perfect icebreaker.

   Players

   Everyone, on their own

   Time

   10 to 15 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 3

   You need

   • One card per guest
   • Pens

   How to play

   1. Hand everyone a card and a pen as they arrive.
   2. Mingle! When a guest fits a square, ask them to sign their name in it.
   3. Each guest can sign your card only once. The guest of honor may sign twice.
   4. First to fill a row, column or diagonal calls "Bingo!" and the host checks the names.

   Why it’s fun: Strangers become friends in minutes, and everyone ends up swapping stories about the guest of honor.

   The 1960 twist: The 1960 card has squares like “Can name a hit song from 1960” and “Has played The Game of Life”.

2. 02

   The 1960 headline quiz

   Ten questions about the year it all began.

   Players

   Teams of 2 to 6

   Time

   10 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 4

   You need

   • One sheet per team
   • Pens

   How to play

   1. Split into teams and pick a team name.
   2. Read each question aloud, or let teams work through the sheet at their own pace.
   3. Fill in one bubble per question. Changed your mind? Cross it out clearly.
   4. Swap sheets to mark them: one point per right answer. Answers are in the host guide.

   Why it’s fun: Big moments from 1960, with answers that spark "I remember that!" stories.

   Play it on this page, no sign-in
3. 03

   What did it cost in 1960?

   Everyday prices from 1960: guess what they cost.

   Players

   Teams or solo

   Time

   10 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 5

   You need

   • One sheet per team
   • Pens

   How to play

   1. Every price is a real 1960 figure; the host guide says where each one comes from.
   2. Write your best guess in dollars and cents on each tag.
   3. The host reveals the real prices one at a time, for maximum gasps.
   4. The closest guess on each tag wins a point. For extra drama, play closest without going over.

   Why it’s fun: Everyone has an opinion about prices, and the real 1960 numbers always get a reaction.

4. 04

   The 1960 birthday club

   Six of these stars were born in 1960. Can you spot them?

   Players

   Teams or solo

   Time

   5 to 10 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 6

   You need

   • One sheet per team
   • Pens

   How to play

   1. Read each famous name.
   2. Decide whether they were born before 1960, in 1960, or after 1960.
   3. Fill in one bubble for each person.
   4. One point per right answer. Watch out for the close calls!

   Why it’s fun: Quick to play and full of surprises: it is hard to believe some of these stars share the guest of honor's birth year.

5. 05

   Movies & music of 1960

   Match the films to their stars and the hits to their singers.

   Players

   Teams or solo

   Time

   10 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 7

   You need

   • One sheet per team
   • Pens

   How to play

   1. Match each film to a famous name from the box, writing the letter beside it.
   2. Do the same for each 1960 hit song and its artist.
   3. Each letter is used once per side.
   4. One point per match, plus a bonus point for naming the song that was No. 1 on Cash Box magazine's 1960 year-end singles chart.

   Why it’s fun: It turns into a sing-along. Play the songs as you reveal the answers.

6. 06

   Before or after 1960?

   Toys, games and gadgets: did each arrive before or after 1960?

   Players

   Teams or solo

   Time

   5 to 10 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 8

   You need

   • One sheet per team
   • Pens

   How to play

   1. Read each milestone.
   2. Fill in the bubble on the left for before 1960, or on the right for after 1960.
   3. None of these happened in 1960 itself.
   4. One point per right answer. Some of them are very close calls!

   Why it’s fun: Everyone has a memory of these, and the close calls start friendly arguments.

7. 07

   Timeline shuffle

   Put eight milestones in order around the 1960 card.

   Players

   Teams of 2 to 6

   Time

   10 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 9

   You need

   • One sheet per team
   • Scissors
   • A table to lay the cards on

   How to play

   1. Before the party, cut out one set of cards per team along the dashed lines.
   2. Each team lays the 1960 card in the middle of their table.
   3. Place the other eight cards in order from earliest to latest, around the 1960 card.
   4. The host reads out the right order: one point for each card in the right spot.

   Why it’s fun: Hands-on and loud: teams debate, shuffle and change their minds right up to the reveal.

8. 08

   The 1960 word search

   Fourteen words from 1960 are hidden in the grid.

   Players

   Solo or pairs

   Time

   10 to 15 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 10

   You need

   • One sheet per player
   • Pens or pencils

   How to play

   1. Find each word from the list in the grid.
   2. Words run across, down or diagonally, and some run backwards.
   3. Circle each word in the grid and tick it off the list.
   4. First to find all fourteen wins. The solution is in the host guide.

   Why it’s fun: A calm game for anyone who wants a break from the crowd, including the youngest guests.

9. 09

   Who knows them best?

   How well do you really know the guest of honor?

   Players

   Teams or solo

   Time

   10 minutes

   In the kit

   Page 11

   You need

   • One sheet per team
   • Pens
   • The guest of honor's answers

   How to play

   1. Before the party, ask the guest of honor to answer the questions privately.
   2. Teams write down what they think the guest of honor said.
   3. The guest of honor reveals each answer, with the story behind it.
   4. One point per match. The host decides on close answers.

   Why it’s fun: The reveals are the best part: every answer comes with a story.

   The 1960 twist: Add a 1960 bonus question: which hit from that year would they pick as their theme song, “Theme from A Summer Place” or “It's Now or Never”?

10. 10

    Two truths & a tall tale

    Two true stories and one invention. Spot the tall tale.

    Players

    Everyone, on their own

    Time

    10 to 15 minutes

    In the kit

    Page 12

    You need

    • One slip per guest (two per sheet)
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Write three short statements about yourself: two true, one made up.
    2. Fill in the bubble for your tall tale, then fold that corner over to hide it.
    3. Take turns reading your three statements aloud.
    4. Everyone guesses the tall tale. Fool the room and you win a point.

    Why it’s fun: Guests learn surprising things about each other, and the guest of honor's turn is always a highlight.

    The 1960 twist: Guests may swap one statement for a fact from 1960, like “To the bottom of the sea” (January 23), and the room decides whether it really happened that year.

11. 11

    Toasts & memory prompts

    Twelve prompts that turn shy guests into storytellers.

    Players

    Everyone

    Time

    Any time, 10 minutes or more

    In the kit

    Page 13

    You need

    • One sheet, cut into cards
    • A bowl or hat

    How to play

    1. Cut the cards apart along the dashed lines and put them in a bowl.
    2. When it is time for toasts, pass the bowl around.
    3. Draw a card and finish the sentence, out loud, to the guest of honor.
    4. Raise a glass after each one. No points, just good stories.

    Why it’s fun: Nobody has to prepare a speech, yet everyone ends up saying something lovely.

    The 1960 twist: One card is all 1960: “If 1960 had a headline about your arrival, it would say…”

12. 12

    Wishes for the next chapter

    A keepsake card for every guest to fill in.

    Players

    Everyone

    Time

    Any time

    In the kit

    Page 14

    You need

    • One card per guest (two per sheet)
    • Pens
    • A box or envelope to collect them

    How to play

    1. Cut each sheet in half along the dashed line.
    2. Put the cards out on a table with pens, or hand them out at the start.
    3. Guests write a wish, a memory and their name.
    4. Collect them in a box for the guest of honor to read later.

    Why it’s fun: The one thing from the party the guest of honor will keep for years.

    The 1960 twist: Set the 1960 history card beside the wish box, so guests can tie a wish to a moment like “A balloon in orbit” (August 12).

Can you beat the 1960 headline quiz?

This is game 2 from the kit, playable right here with no sign-in. Tap an answer to see whether you got it, and why. At the party, teams play it on paper and the host guide holds the answers.

How do you run the kit at a 66th birthday party?

Example: a 90-minute 66th birthday party for 16 guests, born-in-1960 style, in four teams of four. Swap games in or out to suit your crowd; the host guide has every answer.

What happened in 1960?

The biggest events of 1960, each with the source it comes from.

1. January 23

   The Trieste reaches the bottom of the ocean

   The US Navy bathyscaphe Trieste carried Lt. Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard to the bottom of Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the ocean, about 35,800 feet down.

   Source: Naval History and Heritage Command: H-041-6, Bathyscaphe Trieste's Deep Dive
2. February 1

   The Greensboro sit-ins begin

   Civil rights sit-ins began at the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. The peaceful protests led the Woolworth chain to desegregate its stores.

   Source: Miller Center (University of Virginia): Dwight D. Eisenhower, Key Events
3. February 18-28

   Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley

   The Winter Games came to Squaw Valley, California, where little more than a hotel had stood when the site was chosen. US television showed the events to Americans for the first time, and the US ice hockey team upset the Soviet Union on the way to the gold medal.

   Source: Olympedia: 1960 Winter Olympics Overview
4. April 1

   TIROS 1, the first weather satellite, launches

   NASA launched TIROS 1 from Cape Canaveral. Its two TV cameras were built to photograph cloud cover from orbit, which made it the first weather satellite.

   Source: NASA NSSDCA: TIROS 1
5. May 1

   A U-2 spy plane is shot down

   The Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 reconnaissance plane, and pilot Francis Gary Powers survived and was captured. The incident wrecked a planned summit in Paris that month.

   Source: Miller Center (University of Virginia): Dwight D. Eisenhower, Key Events
6. May 6

   The Civil Rights Act of 1960 is signed

   President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960. Like the 1957 act before it, the law mainly concerned voting rights.

   Source: Miller Center (University of Virginia): Dwight D. Eisenhower, Key Events
7. August 12

   Echo 1, a giant balloon, goes into orbit

   NASA launched Echo 1, a mylar balloon about 30 meters across. It was designed as a passive reflector for transcontinental telephone, radio and television signals.

   Source: NASA NSSDCA: Echo 1
8. August 25-September 11

   The Rome Olympics

   Rome hosted the Summer Games, with 5,348 participants from 83 countries. Wilma Rudolph won the 100 and 200 meters and anchored the winning relay, Cassius Clay took light-heavyweight boxing gold and Abebe Bikila won the marathon barefoot.

   Source: Olympedia: 1960 Summer Olympics Overview
9. September 26

   Kennedy and Nixon hold the first televised presidential debate

   John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon met at the CBS studio in Chicago in the first televised presidential debate, the first of four. About 70 million television viewers watched.

   Source: HISTORY: The Kennedy-Nixon debates
10. September 30

    The Flintstones premieres on ABC

    The Flintstones began on ABC as the first animated situation comedy made for prime time. Hanna-Barbera produced it, and each episode told one story that filled the full half hour.

    Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews: The Flintstones
11. October 13

    Mazeroski wins the World Series with a home run

    In Game 7 at Pittsburgh, Bill Mazeroski led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run over the left-field wall. The Pirates beat the Yankees 10-9 and won their first World Series since 1925.

    Source: MLB.com: 1960 World Series recap
12. November 8

    John F. Kennedy is elected president

    Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon in the presidential election. The Electoral College vote was 303 for Kennedy, 219 for Nixon and 15 for Harry F. Byrd.

    Source: National Archives: 1960 Electoral College Results

How much did things cost in 1960?

A snapshot of the cost of living in 1960, from a stamp to a pound of coffee. Every price is a US figure from a government source, shown next to what that money is worth in September 2026.

Worth today: each 1960 price scaled up by the rise in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items) from its 1960 average to September 2026, the newest month published. It shows what that money is worth now, not what the item costs today. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (series CUUR0000SA0), via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (CPIAUCNS).

What was popular in 1960?

Which famous people were born in 1960?

A few familiar faces who share the birth year, all born in 1960.

• January 12, 1960Dominique WilkinsBasketball Hall of Famer nicknamed the "Human Highlight Film" for his dunks, and the Atlanta Hawks' all-time leading scorer.Source: Basketball-Reference: Dominique Wilkins
• March 7, 1960Ivan LendlTennis champion who reached World No. 1 in 1983 and won eight Grand Slam singles titles.Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame: Ivan Lendl
• March 14, 1960Kirby PuckettMinnesota Twins center fielder, a 10-time All-Star who helped the Twins win World Series titles in 1987 and 1991.Source: National Baseball Hall of Fame: Kirby Puckett
• May 9, 1960Tony GwynnSan Diego Padres outfielder who won eight batting titles and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.Source: Baseball-Reference: Tony Gwynn
• May 10, 1960BonoBorn Paul David Hewson in Dublin, the lead singer of U2, whose album The Joshua Tree won a Grammy.Source: Biography.com: Bono
• August 17, 1960Sean PennActor and filmmaker with two Best Actor Oscars, known for Mystic River and Milk.Source: Biography.com: Sean Penn
• September 9, 1960Hugh GrantEnglish actor who won a Golden Globe for Four Weddings and a Funeral and starred in Bridget Jones's Diary.Source: Biography.com: Hugh Grant
• October 30, 1960Diego MaradonaArgentine soccer legend who led his national team to the 1986 World Cup title.Source: Biography.com: Diego Maradona
• December 3, 1960Julianne MooreActor who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe in 2015 for her lead role in Still Alice.Source: Biography.com: Julianne Moore

What are some fun facts about 1960?

1. Squaw Valley had little more than a hotel when it won the 1960 Winter Games. Walt Disney was put in charge of the pageants and ceremonies.

   Source: Olympedia: 1960 Winter Olympics Overview

2. The Squaw Valley organizers skipped bobsled. They polled the Winter Olympic nations and found that only nine would send a team.

   Source: Olympedia: 1960 Winter Olympics Overview

3. Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila won the Rome marathon running barefoot. The race finished at night on the Appian Way, lit by torchlight.

   Source: Olympedia: 1960 Summer Olympics Overview

4. In Rome, wrestling took place in the Basilica of Maxentius and gymnastics in the Baths of Caracalla, ancient buildings that were thousands of years old.

   Source: Olympedia: 1960 Summer Olympics Overview

5. The Trieste was designed and built in 1952 by the Swiss physicist Auguste Piccard. The US Navy bought it in 1958, and two years later it made the dive to Challenger Deep.

   Source: Naval Undersea Museum: Trieste

6. Echo 1 was a mylar balloon about 30 meters across and only 0.0127 millimeters thick. Telephone, radio and TV signals could bounce off it.

   Source: NASA NSSDCA: Echo 1

7. TIROS 1 was an 18-sided satellite covered in about 9,000 solar cells. It sent back useful TV pictures until June 15, 1960.

   Source: NASA NSSDCA: TIROS 1

8. Alfred Hitchcock refused to hold press screenings of Psycho. He had theaters hire security guards to keep latecomers from entering once the movie began.

   Source: Library of Congress National Film Registry: Psycho, essay by Charles Taylor

9. The Etch A Sketch began as a French toy called L'Ecran Magique, the magic screen. Ohio Art invested $25,000 in it, more than the company had ever paid for a license, and the factory worked feverishly until noon on Christmas Eve.

   Source: The Strong National Museum of Play: Etch A Sketch

10. Before the 1960s, cartoons were typically only a few minutes long, and half-hour cartoon programs strung together three or four shorts. Each Flintstones episode told a single story across the full half hour.

    Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews: The Flintstones

11. Just out of the hospital, Richard Nixon wore a light suit in the first debate that blended into the gray studio background. Kennedy, 43, looked relaxed and tanned.

    Source: Miller Center (University of Virginia): John F. Kennedy, Campaigns and Elections

Can you answer these 1960 trivia questions?

Tap a question to see the answer. The party kit has a full round of 1960 trivia ready to print.

1. 1

   Which satellite, launched on April 1, 1960, was the first weather satellite?

   Answer: TIROS 1. Source: NASA NSSDCA: TIROS 1

2. 2

   Which deep-diving vessel carried two men to the bottom of Challenger Deep on January 23, 1960?

   Answer: The bathyscaphe Trieste, with Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard aboard. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command: H-041-6, Bathyscaphe Trieste's Deep Dive

3. 3

   Who won the US presidential election on November 8, 1960?

   Answer: John F. Kennedy, with 303 electoral votes to Richard Nixon's 219. Source: National Archives: 1960 Electoral College Results

4. 4

   Which American sprinter won the 100 meters, the 200 meters and the relay at the Rome Olympics?

   Answer: Wilma Rudolph. Source: Olympedia: 1960 Summer Olympics Overview

5. 5

   Which boxer won the light-heavyweight gold medal in Rome before becoming Muhammad Ali?

   Answer: Cassius Clay. Source: Olympedia: 1960 Summer Olympics Overview

6. 6

   Which cartoon family premiered on ABC on September 30, 1960?

   Answer: The Flintstones, the first animated sitcom made for prime time. Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews: The Flintstones

7. 7

   Which team won the 1960 World Series on Bill Mazeroski's ninth-inning home run in Game 7?

   Answer: The Pittsburgh Pirates, who beat the New York Yankees 10-9 in Game 7. Source: Baseball-Reference: 1960 World Series

8. 8

   Which film won the Best Picture Oscar for 1960 releases?

   Answer: The Apartment, directed by Billy Wilder. Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: The 33rd Academy Awards (1961), honoring 1960 films

9. 9

   Which song was No. 1 on Cash Box magazine's 1960 year-end singles chart?

   Answer: "Theme from A Summer Place" by Percy Faith & His Orchestra. Source: Cash Box magazine archive: Top 50 singles of 1960 (year-end chart, December 24, 1960 issue)

10. 10

    Which drawing toy shown in Nuremberg in 1959 became a must-have Christmas gift in 1960?

    Answer: The Etch A Sketch. Source: The Strong National Museum of Play: Etch A Sketch

How do you throw a 1960-themed 66th birthday party?

• Spin the hits of 1960

  Start a playlist with the year's biggest hits: "Theme from A Summer Place," "It's Now or Never," "Save the Last Dance for Me" and "The Twist." Add "Cathy's Clown" by The Everly Brothers and Brenda Lee's "I'm Sorry" for the slow dances.

• A Twist contest

  Clear a patch of floor, play Chubby Checker and let guests twist for a round. Hand out a small trophy for the best moves, with a bonus for anyone who can still get all the way down.

• Stone Age sitcom night

  Their birth year brought The Flintstones to prime time, so decorate with Bedrock-style paper rocks and serve a "Fred-sized" sandwich. Let guests finish the show's famous lines in a quick quiz.

• Game night, 1960 style

  Put The Game of Life and an Etch A Sketch on the table, both of which arrived in 1960. Run a doodle-and-guess round: draw a clue on the Etch A Sketch while the table calls out the answer.

• A diner-style supper

  Serve burgers, milkshakes, deviled eggs and an old-fashioned layer cake, the kind of table spread you'd find in an early 1960s kitchen or a corner diner. Add a pitcher of lemonade and a coffee station for the grown-ups.

• Dress code: early 1960s

  Ask guests to come in a poodle skirt, a letterman jacket, a cardigan with pearls or a skinny tie. Prizes go to the best throwback look, whether it's Mad Men or a Flintstones costume.

• Debate night

  Stage a friendly mock debate on a silly topic, such as pineapple on pizza, with a moderator and a one-minute timer. It nods to the first televised presidential debate, and nobody needs to pick a political side.

• Guess the 1960 price

  Show guests a loaf of bread, a gallon of gas and a dozen eggs, then ask them to guess each 1960 price. Reveal the real numbers from the price table above.

Which invitations and cards fit a 66th birthday?

Born in 1960 means turning 66 in 2026. These designs follow the calendar: next year this page shows 67th birthday picks instead.

What else do people ask about 1960?