When you think of party games, you might picture classics like Pin the Tail on the Donkey or piñatas. But there’s a whole world of creative party game ideas that can elevate any gathering. Much like road trip games, the best party games can be tailored to your guests, ensuring everyone has a blast.

If your party-planning checklist doesn’t have space for games, that's perfectly okay. Sometimes, a successful gathering is all about good conversation and reconnecting with friends. But if you’re looking to add some fun and laughter to your holiday gathering, or if you need ways to keep the little ones entertained, these crowd-pleasing party games are just what you need.

These games are perfect for any occasion because they have simple rules and require little to no supplies. Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, a holiday get-together, or a small dinner table, these games are easy to fit into the mix.

They work for both adults and kids, depending on how you set the rules. They're especially great for family gatherings—giving you something fun to do after the gift exchange or Thanksgiving dinner, so you don’t just end up staring at the TV.

Pick a few games that suit your crowd and keep them in mind for future parties. They're so quick to explain and play, you can pull them out whenever the energy starts to dip, saving your event from fizzling out.

Universal Party Games for Every Occasion and Age Group

Saran Wrap Game

What You Need:

• A roll of plastic wrap
• Small prizes (candy, gum, dollar bills, or lottery tickets)

How to Prepare:

1. Place a prize in the center of the plastic wrap.
2. Wrap it tightly, adding more prizes with each layer.
3. For a challenge, tear the wrap into smaller sheets as you go.

How to Play:

1. Players sit in a circle.
2. The first player gets the saran wrap ball, and the person next to them gets a pair of dice.
3. The goal is to unwrap the ball before the person rolls doubles with the dice.
4. Any prizes that fall out are theirs to keep!
5. Once doubles are rolled, the ball is passed to the next player, and the game continues.

Post-It Note Game

What You Need:

• Sticky notes
• A pen

How to Play:

1. Write the name of a famous public figure or character on each sticky note.
2. Pass one note to each player, who sticks it on their forehead or back without looking.
3. Players take turns asking yes/no questions to figure out their identity (e.g., "Am I alive?").
4. The game continues until everyone guesses their identity, or reward those who guess correctly with prizes!

How's Yours?

How to Play:

1. Choose one person to be "It" and send them out of the room.
2. The rest of the players agree on a common characteristic (e.g., hair, clothing, or body part).
3. "It" returns and asks someone, "How's yours?"
4. That person answers with a one-word adjective (e.g., "itchy," "thick," "stretchy") to describe the chosen characteristic.
5. The game continues until "It" guesses the characteristic, or keep going with new attributes!

Never Have I Ever

How to Play:

1. Sit in a circle and take turns saying, "Never have I ever..." followed by something you've never done (e.g., "Traveled to Africa" or "Eaten escargot").
2. If anyone in the group has done it, they must hold up one finger.
3. If no one has done it, the person who made the statement holds up a finger.
4. Continue until one player has three fingers up—they’re out!

Would You Rather?

How to Play:

1. Gather in a circle.
2. Start by asking the person next to you, "Would you rather..." followed by two funny or challenging scenarios (e.g., "Would you rather not shower for a year or not brush your teeth for a year?").
3. Once they've answered, it’s their turn to ask the next person.
4. Keep going until everyone runs out of creative or silly scenarios!

Heads Up!

What You Need:

• The Heads Up! app (available on App Store and Google Play)

How to Play:

1. One player holds the phone to their forehead, facing outward, while the rest of the group acts out or describes the word on the screen.
2. The player with the phone has 1 minute to guess as many items as possible.
3. After the timer runs out, pass the phone to the next player.
4. Categories include animals, movies, celebrities, and more for endless fun!

I'm Hosting a Party…

How to Play:

1. Announce you're hosting a party, but only people who bring the right items will be invited.
2. Pick a secret rule, like "bring something starting with the same letter as your name" or create your own rule.
3. Each player announces what they’re bringing, and you reply with either "Yes, you're invited" or "No, you can’t bring that."
4. The goal is for everyone to figure out the secret rule through trial and error.
5. The game ends when someone cracks the code!

Two Truths and a Lie

How to Play:

1. Each person shares three statements about themselves—two truths and one lie. Example: "I have two siblings, I've been to three continents, and I love cats."
2. The rest of the group guesses which one is the lie.
3. After each round, the next person takes their turn.
4. It’s a great way to learn fun facts about each other, and adding tricky details makes it even more entertaining

Sticker Stalker

How to Play:

• Give each player 5-10 stickers (choose fun, festive ones for extra flair).
• The goal is to secretly stick all your stickers on others without getting caught.
• If someone catches you sticking a sticker, you must take one from them in return.
• The first person to use up all their stickers wins.

Mail Call

How to Play:

1. Arrange chairs in a circle, one fewer than the number of players.
2. One person stands in the middle while the others sit.
3. The person in the middle announces a descriptor (e.g., "wearing red" or "has a cat").
4. Anyone who fits the description must get up and find a new seat, but can't return to their own or move to adjacent seats.
5. The person in the middle also tries to grab a seat.
6. The last person standing becomes the new one in the middle.

Spoons

How to Play:

1. Get a deck of cards and enough spoons (or pieces of candy) for everyone minus one player.
2. The dealer deals four cards to each person and places the remaining deck nearby.
3. One player draws a card from the deck, decides whether to keep it or pass it to the next player, and the process continues around the table.
4. The goal is to collect four matching cards.
5. When a player collects four of a kind, they grab a spoon. Others rush to grab one as well.
6. The last player without a spoon is out. Remove a spoon and continue until only one player remains.

Camera Hot Potato

How to Play:

1. Set a phone to self-timer mode (10 seconds works best) in regular photo mode (not selfie mode).
2. Pass the phone around the group, with each person holding it up to strike a quick pose.
3. The goal is to pass the phone quickly, and just before the timer goes off, take the photo.
4. Keep passing the phone until the photo is taken.
5. Review the funny and probably undignified snapshots afterward for plenty of laughs!

Crossed, Uncrossed

How to Play:

1. Set a phone to self-timer mode (10 seconds works best) in regular photo mode (not selfie mode).
2. Pass the phone around the group, with each person holding it up to strike a quick pose.
3. The goal is to pass the phone quickly, and just before the timer goes off, take the photo.
4. Keep passing the phone until the photo is taken.
5. Review the funny and probably undignified snapshots afterward for plenty of laughs!

In a Perfect World

How to Play:

1. Everyone sits in a circle.
2. The first person describes their "perfect world" with a rule (e.g., "In my perfect world, only words with double letters are allowed," like "schools" but not "universities").
3. The next person suggests something that fits the rule. If it’s correct, you say, "Yes, that would be in my perfect world." If not, let them know.
4. Continue around the circle until everyone figures out the secret rule!

Thumper

How to Play:

1. Everyone sits or stands in a circle.
2. Each person selects a unique hand or leg motion and shows it to the group.
3. Start clapping or stomping to a steady rhythm.
4. The first person performs their own motion, then adds the motion of someone else in the circle.
5. The next person repeats their own motion and adds another person’s motion, and so on.
6. No passbacks or pauses are allowed. If someone hesitates or messes up, they’re out.
7. Keep going until only one person remains!

Straight Face

How to Play:

1. Each player writes an outrageous or funny phrase on a slip of paper and places it in a hat.
2. Sit in a circle and pass the hat to one player.
3. The player draws a slip, reads the phrase aloud, and everyone else must try to keep a straight face.
4. If anyone laughs or smiles, they're out of the game.
5. Continue passing the hat around until all phrases are read.
6. The last person remaining with a straight face wins!

Medusa

How to Play:

1. Gather everyone around a table and have them put their heads down.
2. Count down from three, and on "three," everyone sits up and looks at someone else in the circle.
3. If you make eye contact with someone, you're out of the game.
4. If the person you're looking at is looking at someone else, you're safe.
5. Continue until only one person remains.
6. The last person standing wins!

Mr. Freeze

How to Play:

1. Designate one person to be Mr. Freeze.
2. While everyone else is moving around and socializing, Mr. Freeze will suddenly stop and "freeze."
3. When Mr. Freeze freezes, everyone else must immediately stop moving and freeze as well.
4. The last person to stop moving and freeze is out.
5. Continue until only one person remains, or play throughout the party for ongoing fun!

Keep Count

How to Play:

1. Form a circle with your group.
2. One person starts by saying "one" out loud.
3. The group continues counting, but no one can say the same number at the same time.
4. If two or more people say the same number at once, the count starts over at "one."
5. The goal is to count as high as possible without overlapping numbers.

Name That Song

How to Play:

1. One person hums a song—no lyrics allowed!
2. The rest of the group listens and tries to guess the song.
3. The person who guesses correctly gets to hum the next song.
4. Continue playing until everyone has had a turn or until you want to finish the game!

Timeless Tunes

Musical Chairs

How to Play:

1. Arrange chairs (or seat cushions) in a circle, with one less than the number of players.
2. Choose someone to control the music while the rest of the players stand in a circle around the chairs.
3. Start the music, and players walk around the chairs.
4. When the music stops, everyone must quickly find a seat. The person left standing is out.
5. Remove one chair after each round and continue until only two players remain, competing for the last chair.

Charades

How to Play:

1. Have everyone write down a mix of prompts—like movies, TV shows, famous people, or random concepts—on slips of paper. Place them in a bowl.
2. Divide the group into two teams.
3. One player from a team picks a prompt and acts it out without speaking or making any noises, while their teammates try to guess what it is.
4. Use a timer to set a time limit for each round. When time runs out, switch to the other team.
5. Continue alternating turns until all the prompts are guessed. The team with the most correct guesses wins!

Telephone

How to Play:

1. Gather everyone in a circle.
2. Choose a phrase and whisper it to the person next to you. No repeats allowed!
3. Each person whispers what they heard to the next player, continuing around the circle until it reaches the last person.
4. The final player says the phrase out loud to reveal how much it changed from the original.

20 Questions

How to Play:

1. Choose one player to start the game.
2. That player thinks of something—a person, place, thing, or animal—and keeps it secret.
3. The rest of the group takes turns asking yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is.
4. The group has up to 20 questions to guess correctly. If they guess right, the person who guessed correctly wins. If not, the player who chose the item wins.
5. The winner can take the next turn or receive a prize, depending on your rules.

Party Drinking Games

Flip Cup

How to Play:

1. Split the group into two opposing teams and line up on opposite sides of a table.
2. Place one plastic cup upside down on the edge of the table in front of the first player on each team.
3. The first player must flip their cup to an upright position using only one hand.
4. Once the cup is successfully flipped, the next teammate takes their turn.
5. Continue down the line until all team members have flipped their cups.
6. The first team to complete the task wins. The losing team can face a penalty, such as finishing their drinks!

Medusa

How to Play:

1. Gather everyone in a circle and have them stand with their heads down.
2. One person counts down from three, and on "one," everyone quickly looks up and locks eyes with another person in the circle.
3. If two people make eye contact, they shout "Medusa" and must take a drink or a shot.
4. The game continues until everyone has finished their drink, or the group decides to wrap up the fun.

Most Likely

How to Play:

1. Players take turns finishing the sentence "Who is most likely to..." with a funny or outrageous scenario.

• For example: "Who is most likely to sing karaoke sober?"

1. After the scenario is read aloud, the group counts down from three.
2. On "one," everyone points at the person they think is most likely to do the thing.
3. The person with the most fingers pointed at them must take a drink (or complete a fun penalty).
4. Continue the game until everyone has had a chance to ask a question or as long as the group wants to play!

Make Any Party Game a Drinking Game

How to Play:

• Choose a party game you love and introduce drinking penalties or rewards.
• Instead of eliminating players, losers of a round take a sip or a shot.
• For games that involve creating rules (like Kings or Cheers to the Governor), make each rule a drinking instruction.
• Example rules: "Women drink," "Men drink," or "Anyone wearing glasses takes a drink."
• Use creativity to incorporate drinks into the gameplay while keeping the atmosphere lighthearted and fun.

Games to Elevate Your Adult Gatherings

Telephone Pictionary

How to Play:

1. Distribute small sheets of paper or notepads and pens, ensuring each player has as many pages as there are players in the group.
2. Each person starts by secretly writing a word or phrase on the first page of their stack.
3. Pass the stack clockwise to the next player.
4. The second player looks at the word or phrase, moves it to the bottom of the stack, and draws their interpretation on the next page.
5. Pass the stack again, and the third player interprets the drawing into a new word or phrase.
6. Continue alternating between drawing and guessing until the stacks return to their original owners.

Mafia

How to Play:

1. Players are assigned secret roles: mafia members (the "bad guys"), villagers, and police officers. The game works best with a large group.
2. The mafia’s goal is to eliminate all the villagers without being caught.
3. Villagers and police officers must work together to figure out who the mafia members are before they are eliminated.
4. The game alternates between "night" (when the mafia secretly eliminates a player) and "day" (when everyone discusses and votes on who they think the mafia are).
5. The game ends when either the mafia is caught or the mafia eliminates all the villagers.

Kings

How to Play:

1. Shuffle a deck of cards and lay them face down in a circle around a can of beer or soda placed in the center.
2. Each card represents a specific rule (you can use the classic Kings rules or create your own).
3. Players take turns drawing a card and following the rule associated with it.
4. After each turn, the drawn card is placed under the can’s tab.
5. The game continues until the last card is placed, causing the can to pop open.
6. The player who places the final card must drink the contents of the can.

Fun Party Games for Kids (and the Young at Heart)

I Spy

How to Play:

1. Choose someone to go first.
2. The first player selects an object in the room and gives a clue: "I spy, with my little eye, something [color/feature]."
3. The other players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to figure out what the object is.
4. The player who guesses correctly gets to choose the next object or wins a small prize

Connection!

How to Play:

1. Grab a ball of string or yarn and have everyone stand in a circle.
2. Choose one person to go first. They describe something about their life, like "I like dogs."
3. If someone else in the circle shares that trait, they shout "Connection!" and catch the yarn.
4. The first person then tosses the yarn to them, and they start describing something about their life.
5. Continue this process until everyone has had a turn, and the yarn forms a web connecting all the players.

Minute to Win It Games

How to Play:

• Inspired by the classic TV show, these games challenge guests to complete tasks in under a minute.
• Examples include:
• Picking up Cheerios with a toothpick using only your mouth.
• Reciting the alphabet backwards without making a mistake.
• Sorting a bowl of M&Ms or Skittles by color.
• Bouncing ping-pong balls into an egg carton.
• Players take turns attempting the challenges, and those who complete them in under a minute win

Limbo

How to Play:

1. Set up a broomstick or similar object horizontally at a starting height.
2. Players take turns leaning backward and attempting to pass under the stick without touching it or falling.
3. After each round, lower the stick slightly to increase the difficulty.
4. The last person remaining who successfully limbos under the stick wins!