There’s nothing like throwing a party for the ultimate entertainment, right? But as any host can tell you, a bit of planning ahead is absolutely essential. Whether it’s a family-friendly get-together or a grown-ups-only soiree, gatherings need entertainment. We recommend these board and card games for parties.
Whether it’s a family-friendly get-together or a grown-ups-only soiree, a few games should be on your list to keep things fun and interactive. The following picks should prove perfect for breaking the ice, creating lots of laughs and ensuring that everyone wants to come back soon. Read on for some ideas, and then get creative — it’s party time.
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Family events
Birthdays, holidays, outdoor cookouts and other events are great times for getting everyone together, kids and pets included. A few crowd-pleasing games will keep the gathering upbeat and energetic — and, let’s face it, keep the kids from running amok.
Apples to Apples
A friendly round of Apples to Apples makes pretty much any party complete. With an ideal amount of critical thinking as well as limitless laughs and good-natured competition, this is the perfect comparison game for kids and adults.
ALSO TRY: Easy skillet apple pie
Uno
Card games don’t always suit both young and old — unless that card game is Uno. With simple rules that anyone can follow and the joy of shouting “Uno!” loudly enough for neighbors to hear, this one just never gets old. We recommend two decks so the fun lasts even longer.
Disney Song Challenge
We put this game under family events, but the truth is, it makes a great choice for adults-only gatherings, too! After all, who doesn’t love to sing their heart out to beloved songs from Disney television and movie classics? This one is guaranteed to please participants of any age — as long as you’re a kid at heart.
Clue
So did Colonel Mustard do it with the knife in the dining room? Clue is another classic critical-thinking game that guests of all ages will love to play. Step up your party-hosting skills by incorporating your own elements — such as the names of your guests and rooms of your house — to give the game an extra edge.
Adult dinner party
Ah, the adult dinner party, filled with your dream guests, plenty of great wine and a sophisticated game or three. Introduce these favorites for grown-up fun and watch your guests get to know each other better than you (or they) imagined.
Catch Phrase
Dinner parties are made for games like Catch Phrase; it’s perfect for playing around the table. Guests divide into teams and try to determine the phrase without using certain clues — until time is up and the crowd goes wild.
Trivial Pursuit
If your posse is made up of intellectual types, don’t hesitate to bust out a set of Trivial Pursuit at the table. We love the themed versions! Try the decade sets for the “heyday” of your guests.
ALSO TRY: Gifts from the kitchen: Mulled wine mix
What Do You Meme?
Everyone loves memes, so why let the millennials have all the fun? This game will challenge your adult guests to combine captions and photos for the funniest and most entertaining meme possible. With any luck (and a little social media magic), maybe yours will go viral.
Yahtzee
Sometimes adults have had a lot of wine and need a game that relies more on good luck than on a ton of skills. When that happens, Yahtzee fits the bill. Besides, who doesn’t love shouting “Yahtzee!” when they roll that coveted five of a kind?
Cocktail gathering
Sometimes opening a few bottles of wine and putting out some cheese is the extent of your hosting experience — and we hear that. Still, you want to keep your guests talking about the evening long after they leave your driveway in an Uber. Since they won’t be raving about your Martha Stewart-like skills, try these hilarious games. None of them even requires a table!
Charades
No game list for a party would be quite complete with this classic. A stack of choices with a theme that matches the party can give the game extra structure and make it more intriguing.
ALSO TRY: Candy vodka with Jolly Ranchers
Pick Your Poison
Remember those teen years blushing your way through Would You Rather? Up the ante with Pick Your Poison, an NSFW spin on that nostalgic favorite. Guaranteed to inspire giggles and a few raised eyebrows, this game is best played after a couple of drinks. After all, gotta make sure those pesky inhibitions don’t get in the way of the fun.
Deck Around
File this under hilarious ways to break the ice. Deck Around turns ordinary words and phrases into something uproariously funny in a matter of seconds. As a bonus, the folks who made this game obviously have a great sense of humor — read the box and you’ll see what we mean.
