Drinks and Decorations: Set up the Space
Before you think about entertaining the crowd, plan out the party space. You’re going to be playing games, so you’ll need an area large enough for your guests to move around. Consider using the living or family room, or the outdoor patio in the summer months. To create an open area that’s perfect for mixing and mingling, push sofas, chairs and coffee tables along the walls of your space. Now it’s time to break out the party supplies. Add metallic balloons to each side of the door for a festive entryway. Suspend bright garlands and banners above the coffee table so everyone knows where to find trays of appetizers. For a mobile version of the classic home bar, create a miniature mixology station with a bar cart. As guests arrive, suggest that they try their hand at making their favorite cocktail, and make sure the bar cart is stocked with acrylic glasses, cocktail shakers and strainers. Once the games start, simply push the cart into a nearby closet or hallway to allow more room for gameplay.
Outdoor Games: Bocce, Bean Bag Toss and Badminton
If you’re hosting a party for a summer birthday or live in a temperate region, invite friends and family onto the deck or patio for some birthday fun. Divide guests into two teams, with anyone who wants to sit out serving as scorekeeper. Then break out the yard games. Badminton and bocce are classic outdoor games guaranteed to provide tons of excitement for you and your guests. For a more casual alternative, organize a game of bean bag toss. This relaxed activity is a classic at any outdoor gathering—if you don’t have access to the traditional wood targets, use different sized bins and baskets instead. For even more of a challenge, move the baskets further and further from the thrower after each turn. The team with the most bags in the bin gets first shot at the birthday cake!
Guessing Games: Reverse Charades
After you’re finished with outdoor fun, bring the party indoors and gather everyone in your play area, whether that’s in front of the basement’s sectional or in the living room. Start with classic party games, then add a twist. Everyone knows charades, but how about reverse charades? Divide the group into teams again, this time with smaller groups of three or four. Each round, one member of each team leaves the room while the other team members decide on a clue. Then, the team acts out the clue for that person to guess. For an on-theme version of the game, stay within a category that’s a favorite of the birthday celebrant—be it action movies, classic novels, or famous artists. Write down different terms within the category on slips of paper, and have team members pull these clues from a jar or canister. To take this game to the next level, limit the guessing time to 60 seconds, or 30 seconds for reverse-charade professionals.
For Even More Fun, Raid the Playroom
Once you’ve had enough of reverse charades, look through the kids’ playroom for inspiration. Start with a few of everyone’s favorite kids’ books. Then have a competition—take turns reading the books aloud and see who can make it through the story with a straight face. No smiles, no laughing. If you lose, you have to start from the beginning of the book. This game works best later in the evening, after everyone’s had a few cocktails or glasses of wine. For a more creative activity, pull out the arts and crafts gear for fun with pictionary. Have partygoers write terms on slips of paper as they did in reverse charades. Then, each guest sketches or paints what’s on their slip of paper as everyone tries to guess what they’re drawing. To make this into a birthday party game for adults, add a competitive twist. Maybe you can only draw with your non-dominant hand, or for a real challenge (and a lot of laughter), blindfold the artist.
No matter your age, have fun at the next birthday party with exciting activities everyone will love. What are your favorite birthday party games for adults? Share them with us using the hashtag #Cratestyle.
