You don’t need to spend a pile of cash to have fun at night. Host a game night at home, and you’ll save a significant amount of money. You’re not just going to keep your budget but also have a lot of fun in return.
The next time you decide to spend some quality time with friends and family have the event in your home. Shake things up by opting to be the host of the party. You can surprise yourself and your mates with unique and interactive games. Keep reading to know six tips on how to host the best game night. After this event, the attendees may even decide to make the occasion a tradition.
1- Invite an Appropriate Number of People
You can invite your entire high school batch to your place for a night of fun, but everyone would have to squeeze in to enter your home. Only ask a handful of people instead of calling the entire block for your game night (unless you live in a mansion). One reason you don’t want to invite a large group is that games may become messy.
If it’s your first time hosting a game night, then try inviting five to eight friends first. Games like 21 questions will be easy to control when playing with a few people. You can check out this post to know what to ask folks participating in this game.
2- Clean the Place
No one likes to come inside your place if it looks like a hurricane just hit the area. Clean your dwelling before your guests arrive. Having fun at home also means you and your mates won’t have to check where they’re stepping.
Here are the steps you can do to tidy up your house for game night:
- Vacuum the floor.
- Remove and store breakable objects from tables.
- Replace glass dinnerware with plastic.
- Move furniture near walls for an ample play area.
- Clean the bathroom.
After removing the clutter from your home, you can opt to apply decorations on some regions of your home. Party adornments can help liven up the place to add an extra layer of fun.
3- Serve Drinks
Game nights are full of fun, frolic, and screaming. Your guests will become thirst in no time with the different activities you’ve lined up. You can serve non-alcoholic drinks like juices, iced teas, or sodas. If everyone or the majority of people in your guest lists are above drinking age, then you can serve cocktails, beer, or wine.
As the host for the night, you might even serve a special drink to celebrate the occasion. Cocktails you can consider handing out for the night may include Kamikaze, Classic Manhattan, or the French Martini. If you’re out of ideas on what drinks to serve, then you can always buy a good bottle of wine or spirits.
4- Make or Order Food
Aside from the drinks, don’t forget about the food. Game nights are incomplete without finger foods. It’s okay to serve full meals if it’s part of the agenda, but large dishes may inhibit guests from enjoying the activities.
Finger foods like pizza, gourmet flatbreads, buffalo chicken wings, and nachos are traditional game night favorites. You can also mix it up by taking out something fancy from the oven like a crowd-pleasing Manicotti or Dessert Dominos.
5- Traditional Games Equal Twice the Fun
Your game night is incomplete without physical activities. It’s fun to hang around and play games on a gaming console, but most devices can only cater up to four players. The rest of your guests will have to wait for their turn which may result in unnecessary boredom.
Traditional games offer plenty of fun for the entire group. Here are examples of fun activities to play during the game night:
- Cards Against Humanity
- Board games
- Codenames
- Charades
- Telephone
- 21 Questions
- Pictionary
These games are ideal for different groups of people. A study carried out by the researchers at Baylor University said that board game nights could help bring couples closer. It’s not just couples who can get closer during game nights but for everyone else attending your party as well.
6- Don’t Forget About the Prizes
Last, have rewards at the ready for the people who win your games. These prizes don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. It can be anything from small trophies to gift certificates to a nearby shop. You can even give out a creative award like a large homemade chocolate medal.
Many people are now preferring to stay indoors instead of enjoying nights out on the town for fun. A survey from Mintel, a market research firm, states that 28% of people aged 24 to 31 prefer drinking parties at home. Instead of drinking the night away, become the host of an exciting game night. The events that will transpire may burn into the minds of your guests to strengthen bonds.
