Buzz
While classic games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey and piñatas might come to mind when thinking of party entertainment, there’s a vast array of creative options available. Similar to road trip games, these party activities can be customized to suit your guests, ensuring a fun-filled experience for everyone involved.
If your party-planning checklist is too packed to include games, that’s perfectly okay. (After all, meaningful conversations and reconnecting with friends can make any gathering special.) However, if you’re aiming to infuse your holiday party with energy and laughter or need to keep children entertained, these crowd-pleasing games are the perfect solution.
Getty ImagesThese games are incredibly versatile, requiring minimal supplies and adaptable rules, making them perfect for any event—be it a birthday , holiday festivity, or a cozy get-together around a small dining table.
Whether you’re entertaining adults or children, these games can be tailored to suit any group. They’re ideal for family gatherings, offering a fun alternative to lounging around the TV after your gift exchange ideas and games or Thanksgiving dinner.
Choose a few party games that fit your needs and have them ready for any occasion. Their simplicity and ease of play make them a lifesaver when the party’s energy dips, ensuring your event stays lively and avoids a tired fade-out.
Party Games for Any Occasion and All Ages
Saran Wrap Game
A bit of preparation is needed for this game: Gather a roll of plastic wrap and a collection of small, sturdy items like candy, gum, dollar bills, or lottery tickets. Start by placing one item at the core of your plastic wrap ball. Wrap it tightly, adding more items as the ball grows, embedding them in layers of wrap. (For added difficulty, use smaller pieces of wrap as you go.) Once you’ve used an entire roll (or more, if preferred), the game is ready to begin.
Form a circle or gather around a table. Hand the wrapped ball to one person and a pair of dice to the person beside them. The individual with the plastic wrap ball must unwrap as much as they can before the dice roller gets doubles. (Any prizes that fall out during your turn are yours to keep.) When doubles are rolled, the dice move to the next person, and the bundle is passed along. Continue until the ball is fully unwrapped.
For variations, have the person unwrapping the ball wear oven mitts, or use a timer for each turn instead of dice.
Post It Note Game
Gather sticky notes and a pen. Write the name of a famous person or character on each note, then distribute them randomly. Without peeking, each player sticks their note on their forehead or back. Players mingle or sit in a circle, asking yes-or-no questions to figure out their assigned identity. (Start with questions like, "Am I alive?") Continue until everyone guesses correctly, or award prizes to those who solve their identity first.
How's Yours?
Choose one person to be "It" and have them leave the room. With the remaining group, decide on a shared trait, such as hair, clothing, or body parts. When the person returns, they’ll ask someone, "How's yours?" The responder answers with a single descriptive word. (For example, "itchy," "thick," or "stretchy" could describe a shirt.) Continue until the questioner guesses the chosen attribute.
Never Have I Ever
Gather in a circle. One person starts by saying, "Never have I ever…" followed by something they’ve never done. (Examples include visiting Africa or trying escargot.) Anyone who has done it raises a finger; if no one has, the speaker raises a finger. The game continues until someone accumulates three fingers and is out. This game can become risqué, so establish boundaries beforehand if children, grandparents, or conservative guests are present.
Would You Rather?
Form a circle and take turns asking the person next to you, "Would you rather…" followed by two difficult scenarios. (For instance, "Would you rather go without showering for a year or avoid brushing your teeth for a year?") After they answer, it’s their turn to pose a question to the next person. Keep going until you run out of ideas.
Heads Up!
This game requires downloading the Heads Up! app from the App Store or Google Play. After a small purchase, you’ll have endless entertainment at your fingertips. (Additional in-app purchases are optional.) One player holds a phone to their forehead, screen facing out, while others act out or describe what’s displayed. The guesser has one minute to identify as many items as possible before passing the phone to the next player. Categories range from animals and movies to celebrities and more.
I'm Hosting a Party…
For a mentally stimulating activity, try this puzzle. Announce that you’re hosting a party, and only those who bring the correct item will receive an invitation. Choose a secret rule, such as bringing something that starts with the same letter as their name, or get creative with your criteria. Keep the rule to yourself and let others figure it out.
Have each person in the room announce what they plan to bring. Respond with either "Yes, you're invited," or "No, that’s not allowed." Keep going until everyone deciphers the hidden rule.
Two Truths and a Lie
Share three statements about yourself, such as "I have two siblings, I’ve visited three continents, and I adore cats." Two should be true, and one should be false. The group guesses which is the lie, then the next person takes their turn. This is an excellent icebreaker; with close friends or family, use obscure facts to make it more challenging and entertaining.
Sticker Stalker
Buy a pack of stickers (seasonal ones work well for Christmas or Halloween parties). Hand out sheets of five to 10 stickers to each guest. This game is perfect for mingling events like happy hours or neighborhood gatherings. Players must secretly place all their stickers on others; the first to do so wins. If caught in the act, they must accept a sticker. By the end of the night, everyone can laugh about the sneaky tactics and wonder how stickers ended up on their backs unnoticed.
Mail Call
Arrange chairs in a circle, ensuring there’s one fewer than the number of players. Everyone sits except one person, who stands in the center. This person announces, "Mail Call for everyone…" and adds a descriptor like "wearing glasses" or "owns a dog." (Creativity is key here.) Anyone matching the description must stand and find a new seat, avoiding their original spot or adjacent chairs. The center player also competes for a seat; the person left standing takes the center for the next round, and the game continues.
Spoons
Gather a deck of cards and a set of spoons (or candies). Use one fewer spoon than players. Deal four cards to each participant. The dealer draws cards one by one, swapping them with their hand or passing them to the next player. The objective is to collect four matching cards. When someone succeeds, they grab a spoon. Others can then take spoons too; the player left without one is out. Remove a spoon and repeat.
Alternatively, stick out your tongue when you have four of a kind. If others notice, they can do the same; the last to react loses.
Camera Hot Potato
Choose a phone to circulate among the group. Set it to a 10-second self-timer in regular photo mode (not selfie mode). Pass the phone around, with each person quickly posing before passing it on. The photo is taken when the timer ends, and the process repeats. At the end, enjoy the often hilarious and unflattering results.
Crossed, Uncrossed
This is a more challenging version of I'm Hosting a Party. Sit in a circle and appoint yourself as the host (but don’t reveal the game’s name). Announce you’re hosting a party and will only invite those bringing the correct items. As guests suggest contributions, decide who’s invited based on their posture—for example, those with crossed legs are in, while others are out. Continue until everyone deciphers the rule.
In a Perfect World
Like I'm Hosting a Party and Crossed, Uncrossed, gather everyone in a circle. Announce you’re describing your ideal world: "In my perfect world, there are doors but no windows." The next person suggests what might exist in your world. The secret? Only items with double letters are allowed, like schools but not colleges, or apples but not oranges. If someone guesses correctly, confirm it; if not, let them know. Continue until everyone cracks the code.
Thumper
Form a circle, sitting or standing. Each person chooses a unique hand or leg gesture. Go around the circle to demonstrate and memorize each motion. Start a steady rhythm of clapping or stomping. One person begins by performing their gesture, then someone else’s. That person does their own gesture, then another’s, and so on. No hesitations or repeating the previous player. The first to make a mistake is out; the game continues until only one remains.
Straight Face
Gather paper and pens. Each person writes a ridiculous phrase, and all slips are placed in a hat. (Set boundaries for appropriateness if needed.) Sit in a circle. One person draws a slip and reads the phrase aloud without laughing or smiling. Anyone who cracks loses. Pass the hat until all phrases are read.
Medusa
Gather everyone around a table. All players lower their heads, then on the count of three, look up and stare at someone in the circle. If two people lock eyes, they’re out. If the person you’re looking at is focused on someone else, you’re safe. Continue until only one person remains.
Mr. Freeze
Choose one person to act as Mr. Freeze. As everyone mingles at the party, Mr. Freeze will suddenly freeze in place, signaling everyone else to do the same. The last person to freeze is eliminated. Repeat this throughout the event.
Keep Count
Gather your group in a circle and select one person to begin by saying "one." The group then tries to count upwards, ensuring no two people speak the same number simultaneously. If only one person says "two," continue to "three." If multiple people say the same number at once, restart from "one." See how high your group can count without overlapping.
Name That Song
One person hums a melody without using lyrics. The first to correctly guess the song wins and takes a turn to hum the next tune.
Oldies but Goodies
Musical Chairs
While often seen as a kids' game, musical chairs can be a blast for adults too. Arrange chairs (or cushions) in a circle, facing outward, with one fewer seat than players. Choose someone to control the music while the rest stand around the chairs. When the music plays, everyone walks around; when it stops, they scramble for a seat. The person left standing is out. Remove one chair and repeat until only two remain vying for the last seat. Spice it up by allowing players to share seats (as long as feet are off the ground) or adding custom rules.
Charades
This classic game can be tailored to any group. Have players write down ideas like movies, celebrities, or concepts to act out. Split into teams, with one person acting out the prompt while their team guesses. Rotate teams and add twists like time limits, scoring, or silence rules for extra fun.
Telephone
Sit in a circle and choose a phrase to whisper to the person next to you—no repeats allowed. Each person whispers what they heard to the next, and the final result is often hilariously different from the original. For added challenge, play background music to make hearing harder.
20 Questions
Choose one person to start. They’ll think of an object, animal, movie, celebrity, or similar. The rest of the group asks yes-or-no questions to figure out what or who it is, with only 20 questions allowed. If someone guesses correctly, they can win a prize or take the next turn.
Drinking Games
Flip Cup
Divide into two teams and line up on opposite sides of a table, each with an empty plastic cup in front of one player. The starting players place their cups upside down on the table’s edge and attempt to flip them upright. Once successful, they pass the cup to the next teammate. The first team to have all members flip their cup wins, while the losing team finishes their drinks.
Medusa
Gather everyone in a circle and have them look down. One person counts down from three, and on "one," everyone looks up at someone in the group. If two people lock eyes, they shout "Medusa" and take a drink. Continue until everyone finishes their drink.
Most Likely
Similar to Never Have I Ever, players take turns completing the phrase 'who is most likely to…'. The asker counts down from three, and on "one," everyone points to the person they think fits the description. The person with the most fingers pointed at them takes a drink.
Make Any Party Game a Drinking Game
To spice things up for adults, incorporate alcohol into your games. Instead of eliminating players, have them take a sip (or a shot for extra fun). In rule-based games like Kings or Cheers to the Governor, turn rules into drinking prompts, such as "women drink" or "people wearing black drink." Always drink responsibly and provide non-alcoholic mocktails for those who prefer to stay sober or are designated drivers.
Party Games for Adults
Telephone Pictionary
Prepare sheets of paper or notepads for each player, along with pens or pencils. Each person needs as many sheets as there are players—for example, 10 sheets for a group of 10.
Secretly write a word or phrase on the first sheet and pass the stack clockwise. The next player looks at the word, moves it to the bottom, and draws their interpretation. Pass again, and the next player writes a word or phrase based on the drawing. Alternate between words and drawings until the stack completes the circle. Review the results for guaranteed laughs.
Mafia
Also called Assassin, Werewolf, or Village, this game is perfect for large groups with time and focus. Using a deck of cards, players are assigned roles like mafia, villagers, or police officers, with one person as the moderator. The police aim to identify the mafia before they eliminate all villagers. Check the full rules for Mafia for detailed instructions.
Kings
Shuffle a deck of cards and place them facedown around a can of beer or soda in the center of the table. Assign rules to each card or use traditional Kings rules. After drawing a card, slide it under the can’s tab and follow the rule. When the can pops, the last person to place a card drinks its contents.
Party Games for Kids (And Kids at Heart)
I Spy
Choose one person to start. They’ll select an object in the room and give a clue, such as, "I spy, with my little eye, something green." Others guess what it is using only yes-or-no questions. The first to guess correctly wins a cool prize or becomes the next Spyer.
Connection!
Gather a ball of string or yarn and have everyone stand in a circle. One child starts by holding the yarn and sharing something about themselves, like "I love dogs." If another child relates, they shout "Connection!" and receive the yarn, continuing the story. Repeat until everyone has shared, creating a web of connections.
Minute to Win It Games
Inspired by the classic TV game show, these quick challenges are perfect for party fun. Guests must complete quirky tasks in under a minute, like picking up Cheerios with a toothpick (using only their mouths), reciting the alphabet backward flawlessly, sorting M&Ms or Skittles by color, or bouncing ping-pong balls into an egg carton. Expect plenty of laughs!
Limbo
This timeless game challenges kids to see how low they can bend. All you need is a broomstick and some lively calypso music to get the limbo party started.
