When going out is out of the question due to finances, a new baby, or if you are simply looking for a change of pace; consider hosting a game night. It is a great way to get to know your friends since everyone will be engaged in conversation rather than staying silent in a movie or unable to talk because the band is too loud.
Don’t be surprised though if your party idea takes a little convincing. I will admit to having a strong aversion to the thought of playing board games all night. When my girlfriend started hosting annual game nights between Christmas and New Year’s I reluctantly went along with it. Now, not only do I look forward to the party, I’ve duplicated the idea myself throughout the year.
The following game night party ideas may even help get the board game hating crowd joining in the fun.
Spread the word
Phone, text, or email invitations using an online invitation service. Evite offers free board game themed invites that will help set the tone for the party. You may want to share the fact that people who regularly play board games have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases!
Set up the space
My sectional couch and the coffee table works fine for a small group of friends, but you can designate one large table as game central instead. If you plan on having a larger crowd, or several age groups, consider setting up game stations. The dining room table can be set with one game, a coffee table can hold another, and card tables can be set up for groups of four or less.
Select games
This is where you will make or break the party. Board game hating folks like me, will not sit for a long game or stand for a laundry list of rules, so break it up with a variety of easy to play choices.
Pull out the old classics like Twister, Operation, even Chutes and Ladders for an easy game that does not hinder conversation. Connect Four is another great choice for game night. Set it up and play while waiting for other guests to arrive, or challenge your guests to tournament play.
Mental Floss is a good choice as far as trivia games go. The questions are separated into Left Brain and Right Brain categories to keep it interesting. Word games are not limited to Scrabble; you might want to try Bananagrams or Scattergories. Electronic games like Scene It? will keep those with heavy movie knowledge happy.
Game night food
Have some fun with the food by setting up snack trays in Tic-Tac-Toe fashion. Square plates can be sectioned off with four green onions and then your appetizer can go in the individual squares. Appetizers can be as simple as crackers with cheese topped with either a red pepper X or an olive slices. Make a giant set of dice by forming a cheese ball into a square shape and then adding olive slices for the dots.
Of course, none of this is necessary. Bowls of chips and an order of pizza will work just fine too!
Game night is a great way to keep your relationships strong. When life gets busy, it can be hard to make time for friends, but hosting game nights brings everyone back together. If kids are involved, they can play games on their own, or join in with the adults.
