Nothing can derail a great party as easily as someone suggesting the group play a terrible game. When everyone's trying to get to know each other and have fun, the last thing they want to do is be required to learn the in-depth rules of an extravagant board game or put their conversation on hold for a three-hour game of Monopoly. Unless you're hosting a true game night—and all of your guests signed up for some serious gaming before arriving at your event—you'll want to choose more lighthearted party games. Here, hosting experts tell us the fun party games guests will actually want to play. These activities are sure to increase the energy at your event, not deplete it faster than you can say, "pass go and collect $200."
READ THIS NEXT: The 6 Best Things to Ask Guests to Bring—If They Offer.
1 | Two Truths and a Lie
iStockKick off your next party with the fun icebreaker Two Truths and a Lie. We promise it's way more fun—and less stressful—than asking guests to share a fun fact about themselves. "It's an easy game to play that brings out the competitive nature of everyone in the room," says Carissa Kruse, professional event planner and founder of Carissa Kruse Weddings. "It also allows people to learn about each other quickly and get to know one another within a short period of time."
To play, have each person say three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one that's false. Everyone else guesses which is the lie. Later on in your party, guests will have easy conversation starters with each other—all they have to do is bring up one of the other guest's "truths."
2 | Fish Bowl
ShutterstockFish Bowl blends concepts from other well-known party games into one quick, high-energy game. Ashley Elizabeth, an entertaining expert at Sweetpea Lifestyle, says it can even help guests bond more easily.
To play, each guest writes down one noun on a slip of paper and places it into a bowl. Then, split into two teams. There are three rounds. Round one: Describe the word for your teammates without using it or rhyming it; round two: act out the word like Charades; round three: use one word only to describe the word. Whenever your teammates guess the word, you get a point. You'll see everyone's competitive side really quickly!
You also opt for the celebrity version: Instead of a noun, have everyone put a famous person's name into the bowl, and follow the same rules.
3 | Would You Rather?
ShutterstockSuggesting a game of Would You Rather is a great way to keep the energy going at a party, says Kruse. "This game helps guests have a lot of fun and also encourages meaningful conversations," she explains.
To play, each person takes turns asking a "would you rather" question. Kruse suggests something like: "Would you rather travel the world or stay in one place?" If your squad is having trouble coming up with prompts, there are tons available online for free.
READ THIS NEXT: 6 Items You Should Always Have in Your Kitchen When Guests Come Over.
4 | Werewolf
iStockWerewolf is an affordable party game—you can pick it up on Amazon for less than $15—that gets guests on their feet and chatting with others. While playing, guests must work together to discover which member of the group is the "werewolf"... before it's too late.
"The game is easy to learn, and it encourages players to communicate and strategize, which helps to break the ice and establish connections," says Suman Kumar Sahni, certified relationship expert and co-owner of Moodfresher.
5 | Never Have I Ever
Olena Yakobchuk/ ShutterstockNever Have I Ever is a classic party game for a reason: people love playing it, and it helps guests get to know each other better. To play, each guest says something they've never done before. If a guest has done that activity, they must take a drink.
"It can get pretty wild when players start revealing their secrets, but that's what makes it so fun," says Kumar Sahni. "It's a great icebreaker and can keep the party going for hours." If guests aren't drinking, they can play by putting ten fingers up and putting a finger down if they've done the activity. The first guest to put all their fingers down wins.
For more hosting advice delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
6 | Conversation Cards
Studio Romantic/ShutterstockAn easy way to ensure the chatter never wanes at your event is to leave conversation questions on each table, suggests Elizabeth. "People can pick one and ask the table or ask a specific person," she says. You can pick up an affordable deck of conversation starter cards are your local bookstore or create your own with index cards and online prompts.
