Party Games for Kids & Adults

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure for more information.

Trying to think of party games for kids and adults other than Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Bozo Buckets? With a little bit of creativity and some planning, you can make sure your next party is one guests will be talking about for years to come!

Every good party needs some fun games but finding a game that is enjoyable for both kids and adults can seem impossible.

Carolyn Bell’s The Complete Book of Christmas, suggests playing party games as a traditional way to round out a holiday evening. Who wouldn’t rather play a fun game with friends than mindlessly reaching for the remote control or popping in a Christmas DVD?

3 Easy Party Games for Kids & Adults

Charades:

This game has been played by everyone at one time or another, and as long as the teams are balanced, it is sure to be a hit at your event. Your job as a host is to have a selection of thematic titles prepared in advance.

Choose your charade titles, including movies, songs, symbols, etc. and print them out on little slips of paper. Fold the slips, place them in a pretty gift bag, and you are ready for an impromptu game of charades!

What Manners:

This game hails from across the pond, and it is so much fun to play with a group of kids and adults who love to challenge their vocabulary.

The game is played when one person in the group silently chooses an adverb. The other players take turns asking the key player to answer posed questions or perform certain activities in the manner of the secret adverb.

So, if the secret word were “sarcastically,” you can imagine the type of response generated to the question, “What did you get your wife for Christmas?”

Pelmanism:

Similar to Charades, this game must be prepared ahead of time. Pelmanism is a system of memory-training. This game challenges participants to recall the most minute details after a brief period of study.

To prepare for this game, gather 20 or 30 small items from around your home and arrange them on a platter. Some of the items to include could be a coin, an old key, an earring, a game piece, and anything else you find around your house. Cover the platter with a pretty napkin, and bring the tray into the party room.

Let your guests study the tray for exactly one minute, and then replace the napkin to hide the items. Give each player a piece of paper and a pencil and have them write down as many items as they can remember in a three-minute period.