When friends come over to play games, you want things to stay on a cool level. Use my party games strategies to keep the competition civilized and fun.
In our busy, and sometimes stressful adult lives, we could all benefit from a night of play every once in a while. I have compiled ten suggestions for intellectual party games in a separate post, check them out. As for playing, here are some things to keep in mind that make it fun for all:
[1] Mix it Up
When it comes to teams, go for unexpected pairs. In other words, don’t team up with the person you always team up with. You’ll bond with someone new when you have to compete. If you arrived with a significant other, definitely choose someone else to partner with. That will keep things more interesting for everybody.
[2] Leave Your Ego at Home
This isn’t the time to be shy, uptight, or a sore loser. It’s only a game, after all. Let loose and relax. If you don’t know the answer to something, don’t be afraid to take wild guess—even take the opportunity to make a joke. Keep everyone laughing, it’s all in good fun.
[3] Personalize It
Remember that game rules can be added and customized to fit your group. Think of adding something crazy, like “every time somebody says the word “UMM”, they have to put $1 in the pot, the winner takes all.” Create rules that keep everyone engaged.
[4] Incentivize the Competition
Keep it competitive by adding rewards to the winners and punishments to the losers. Of course, we’re only talking about things like “winners get to control the music,” and “losers have to do dishes.”
(5) Winning Isn’t Everything
Whatever game you choose to play, keep in mind the most important rule of all: It’s not about who wins, it’s about who has the most fun.
photo: by istockphoto.com/jacoblund
Party games go great with pizza, see my plan creating an exciting pizza buffet in 03 Easy Pizza
