5 Great Party Games You Can Play For Free!

My husband and I love to play board games. I saw a recent commercial for a fun game that he would love – but found out it costs over $60! Over the years I’ve learned some fantastic games that won’t cost you your weekly grocery budget. The main thing you’ll need is a fun group of people, some office supplies, and other stuff you’d find around the house. Games like these are just a few ways you can find some low cost entertainment!

1. Identity Crisis

You can play this game with a partner or a large group. You’ll need index cards, a pen and some tape. Sit in a circle (or across from your partner). Write a person of your choice on an index card without anyone seeing what you wrote. Tape the index card on the forehead of the person sitting to your left. Moving clockwise, each person has five questions per turn to inquire about who they are. For example, “Am I a woman?” or “Am I in movies?” The first person to correctly identify themselves wins! Animated characters and famous dogs are permitted whenever I play. Pooh and Lassie are common identities.

2. Signs

This game involves at least eight people to make it interesting. Select one person to sit in the middle. The people in the circle each choose their own secret sign (a physical gesture like a thumbs up). Memorize everybody’s sign. The goal of the game is to “pass” your sign to other people around the circle as many times as possible without getting caught by the person in the middle. To receive the sign, you do your own sign. To pass it, do the sign of the person you’re passing it to. If you get caught, you have to be in the middle. Do the person in the middle a favor by getting them a swivel chair. Make sure you choose a subtle gesture to make for the sneakiest game.

3. Sardines

This game is similar to hide and seek. It’s easier to play outside because you need a large area to play. If it’s too cold outside you can play inside, but the whole house would have to be accessible for a sufficient number of hiding places. The more people there are, the more fun the game will be. The group gathers in one place and selects one person to hide. The hider finds a place while the group counts to sixty with their eyes closed. After the minute is up, the group can scatter and tries to find the hiding place. Rather than declare that the hider has been found, the person that finds the hider hides with him quietly. More members of the group take notice and hide with the hider and his buddies. The last person to find the hiding place unfortunately loses and they have to hide in the next round. This game is most difficult and the most fun outside once it gets dark. Dress in dark colors, find a safe venue and have the adults partner up with the younger kids. Hide away!

4. The Movie Game

Select a person of your group to go into another room until you and the group decide on a movie title. It works best if you choose a movie with a longer title so it’s easier to drop hints later. After the movie has been decided on, the selected person can come back in. He is then allowed to ask a few questions. But not direct questions; questions that you would have in a regular conversational. The group is only allowed to drop hints at the movie title. For example, the selected person may ask, “How was your weekend?” If you chose the movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, a member of the group may respond, “It was great. I went shopping with my boyfriend and went out to eat. But I hate it when he chews with his mouth open.” The person guessing continues asking the group members conversation questions until he can correctly identify the movie.

5. Name that Food

Make sure none of your guests or family members have sensitive stomachs. This game is best when played with a large group of people. First, blindfold whoever dared to go first. Then choose an edible item for the gamer to identify. You can be nice and select a piece of a cookie, or you can be mischievous by mixing gravy, grape juice, egg nog and paprika in a small cup and making them try some. You get a point for correctly identifying your food. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins!

Take a break from the stress of preparing for the holidays and play a game! All you need is your family and friends. The holidays are all about spending time with your loved ones anyway.

Do you have any fun and free games that you play with company? Leave a comment and share your favorite!