Party Games for Guests: What to Play at a Birthday, Christmas or Family Get-Together

Who wrote this. The wishdo.io team wrote this article and every rule in it. We make wishdo, so the invitation tips use it; we checked them on 11 November 2026.

Find your guests in the first column. Each row gives a game to start with, a main game and one to finish.

Two or three hours need only three or four games, plus one spare.

With children, keep each game short: kids aged 4–6 stay with one game for about 10 minutes. Stop every game while people still enjoy it.

All these games need is people: 4 to 15 guests around a table or on a sofa.

Players: 4–15 · Time: 10–20 min · You need: nothing · Age: 8+

Each player says three short facts about themselves. Two are true and one is made up. The others vote on the lie, then the player reveals it. It is a good first game when guests barely know each other.

Players: 4–12 · Time: 15–30 min · You need: nothing, or sticky notes · Age: 8+

One player leaves the room while the others choose a famous person for them. When they return, they ask yes-or-no questions to guess who they are. With sticky notes, everyone plays at once: write a name and stick it on your neighbour's forehead. Take turns, one question each.

Players: 6–20, in two teams · Time: 20–40 min · You need: nothing · Age: 7+

The other team whispers a film or book title to one of your players, who acts it out without words. Your team has a minute to guess. Agree on signs first, such as fingers for the number of words. Teams take turns, a point per right guess.

Players: 4–12 · Time: 10–20 min · You need: nothing · Age: 12+

Everyone holds up ten fingers. In turn, each player says something they have never done: "Never have I ever ridden a horse." Everyone who has done it folds a finger. The last person with fingers up wins. Keep it to everyday things, such as food, travel or hobbies, and nobody has to explain a folded finger.

Players: 7–16, plus a host · Time: 30–60 min · You need: nothing · Age: 10+

The host secretly taps two players (three if there are 11 or more): they are the mafia. Each "night", everyone closes their eyes; the mafia open theirs and silently point at one player, and the host sees who. In the "morning", the host says that player is out. Then everyone talks and votes one suspect out. The town wins when all the mafia are out, the mafia when they equal the rest.

Players: 3–12 · Time: 10 min · You need: nothing · Age: 7+

Pick a category, such as food, cities or animals. Going round the circle, each player names one for the next letter of the alphabet within five seconds. Whoever gets stuck sits out, and the last player left picks the next category. Skip letters that hardly any word starts with.

Nobody has to stand up for these, so they fit between courses or over cake.

Players: 4–15 · Time: 10–15 min · You need: nothing · Age: 6+

One player starts a story with one sentence: "On the morning of the party, the cake disappeared." Each player adds a sentence in turn. After two rounds, the last player ends it. For a harder version, add one word at a time.

Players: 4–15 · Time: 10–20 min · You need: nothing · Age: 6+

A player hums a well-known song without words, and the others guess the title. Whoever guesses first hums next. In teams, one player hums titles from a pile while their team guesses as many as they can in 60 seconds. Children's songs and film themes suit mixed ages.

Players: 5–20 · Time: 15 min · You need: ten questions, paper and pens · Age: 8+

Write ten questions about the birthday person or host: their first job, favourite food, dream city. Guests write their answers, then the host reads out the real ones. A point for each right answer.

Players: 6–25 · Time: 15–20 min · You need: a baby photo of each guest · Age: any

In the invitation, ask guests to bring or send a photo of themselves as a baby. No baby photo? Any old photo works. Number the photos and pass them round, or show them on a TV. Everyone writes down who each baby is. The most right answers wins, and the photos keep people talking all evening.

A quiz suits any group and any ages. Teams of three to five keep quieter guests involved.

Players: 6–30, in teams · Time: 30–45 min · You need: questions, paper and pens · Age: 10+

Prepare four rounds of eight questions: general knowledge, the past year, music and the host. Teams write their answers and swap sheets for marking after each round. Give one prize to the winners and one to the funniest wrong answer.

Players: 4–20 · Time: 15 min · You need: phones, or a printed list · Age: 8+

Each player writes a film title in emoji only and sends it to the group chat, or the host prepares a list. The others guess. If nobody gets it within a minute, the author gives one hint.

Players: 4–15 · Time: 10–15 min · You need: nothing · Age: 10+

Each player describes a famous film in one flat, literal sentence, and the others guess it. "A girl moves to a new house and meets the neighbours" fits more films than you would think. Whoever guesses first describes the next one.

Players: 2–6 teams on one phone, or up to 20 in a Room · Time: 15–40 min · You need: a phone, a TV if you like · Age: 13+

Moviki is our own project, made by the wishdo team. An AI draws a scene from a well-known film, and players guess the title. In "Movie Battle", 2–6 teams share one phone, 60 seconds a turn, and the host taps "Got it" or "Skip"; new frames are limited each day. In a "Room", up to 20 players join from their phones by PIN or QR code, no account needed. It is free; the iOS and Android apps show ads.

Pick games where nobody sits out for long, and keep them screen-free. Clear away anything breakable, and have one adult watch while another runs the game. For gifts, make a birthday wishlist for your child on your own account.

Ages 4–6: short games with music and movement.

Players: 4–15 · Time: 10 min · You need: music · Age: 3+

Play music and let the children dance. When it stops, everyone freezes. Anyone who moves sits out one song, then joins in again. At the end, every child gets a small prize.

Players: 5–15 · Time: 10 min · You need: a soft toy and music · Age: 3+

Children sit in a circle and pass a soft toy while the music plays. When it stops, whoever holds the toy does something simple: a jump, an animal noise, or saying their favourite colour. Nobody is out, so shy children enjoy it too.

Players: 4–20 · Time: 5–10 min · You need: nothing · Age: 3+

The children lie on the floor as still as sleeping lions. An adult walks round and tries to make them laugh with funny faces, without touching anyone. Whoever moves becomes a helper. It calms the room before cake or home time.

Ages 7–10: a challenge, a mystery and some competition.

Players: 3–12 · Time: 20–30 min · You need: 6–8 written clues and a prize · Age: 6+

Write a chain of short riddles, each pointing to where the next clue is hidden: under a cushion, in the bread bin, behind a plant. The children follow the trail together, and the last clue leads to treats for everyone. Keep clues away from stairs and the oven.

Players: in pairs · Time: 10–15 min · You need: paper, pencils, simple pictures · Age: 6+

Children sit back to back in pairs. One describes a simple picture without naming it. The other draws what they hear. Then they compare and swap. It is a quiet break between running games.

Players: 4–15 · Time: 15–20 min · You need: paper cups, cotton balls, spoons, a timer · Age: 7+

Set up one-minute tasks: build a pyramid of ten paper cups, carry cotton balls across the room on a spoon, flip a plastic bottle so it lands standing. Each finished task scores a point.

Ages 11–13: Mafia, Who Am I? and Two Truths and a Lie work at this age, and so do these two.

Players: 4–10 · Time: 30–45 min · You need: a box with a number lock, 4–5 puzzles · Age: 10+

Lock some treats in a box with a number lock. Hide four or five puzzles round the room: a riddle, a code, a hidden word. Each one gives a digit of the code. Use as many puzzles as the lock has digits. Set a 30-minute timer, and keep one hint ready for each puzzle.

Players: 6–16, in teams of 3–4 · Time: 20–30 min · You need: old newspapers, tape, child-safe scissors · Age: 8+

Each team gets the same materials and 15 minutes to dress one volunteer as a model, on a theme such as space or superheroes. Each model then walks the "catwalk". Everyone gets an award: best idea, most tape, bravest model.

Winter parties come with gifts, so bring them into the games. When family ask what you would like, a Christmas wishlist answers with one link.

Players: 6–25 · Time: 20–40 min · You need: one wrapped gift per guest, a set budget · Age: 8+

Also called White Elephant. Everyone brings a wrapped gift and draws a number. In turn, each player opens a new gift or takes an opened one, and whoever loses a gift opens a new one. After a gift has been taken twice, it stays where it is. When all are open, everyone keeps what they hold.

Players: 4–30 · Time: 15–30 min · You need: names drawn in advance, one gift each · Age: any

Draw names a week or two before, so each person gives one gift to one other. At the table, each opens their gift and guesses who their Santa was. A Secret Santa on wishdo gathers everyone from one link and draws the names. Our guide explains how to organise a Secret Santa online.

Players: 6–20 · Time: 15–20 min · You need: slips of paper, pens, a bowl · Age: 10+

Each guest writes, without a name, one thing from this year they are happy to share: a trip, a new skill, a small disaster. The host reads them out, and everyone guesses whose it is. Then that person tells the story in a minute.

Players: 4–30 · Time: 10 min · You need: paper, pens, a jar · Age: 8+

Everyone writes three kind predictions for the coming year, about themselves or the group: who will move house, who will finally bake bread. Leave out weddings, babies and break-ups. Seal the signed slips in a jar and open it at next year's party. It makes a warm last game.

Players: 6–20 · Time: 15–20 min · You need: a small item from each guest, a bag · Age: 6+

Each guest puts a small item into a bag: a key, a ring, a hair clip. The host pulls one out and asks a player who is looking away what its owner should do. The task must be harmless: sing a line, tell a joke, praise the cook. The owner does it to get the item back. Anyone can swap a task for an easier one.

Mix ages in every team, so a grandmother and an eight-year-old win together. Choose games where knowledge, luck and acting all count.

Players: 6–20, in mixed teams · Time: 20–30 min · You need: questions, paper, pens · Age: 6+

Write questions about each generation's world: a song from the grandparents' youth, a cartoon the children watch, a game the parents played at school. Put one person from each generation in every team. Each question is easy for someone, so everyone gets to help.

Players: 4–20 · Time: 10–15 min · You need: a cloth bag, 10–15 household objects · Age: 4+

Put everyday objects in a cloth bag: a spoon, a pine cone, a key, a sponge. Each player feels one object without looking and says what it is. Children and adults have the same chance. Leave out anything sharp, fragile or small enough to swallow.

Players: 5–20 · Time: 15 min · You need: paper and pens · Age: 7+

The host asks a simple question, such as "Name a fruit". Everyone writes an answer in secret, then all show them at once. You score a point for each player who wrote the same as you. Close families do well.

With 15 or more people, one person runs the games: explains the rules and keeps time. Make teams of 4–6 by birth month, so couples usually end up apart. At work, skip games about private life; the Home Quiz or Charades make a good main game.

Players: 12–60 · Time: 15–20 min · You need: printed bingo cards, pens · Age: 10+

Make a grid of 16 squares, each with a trait: "has been to Japan", "plays an instrument", "has a birthday this month". Guests walk round and find a different person to sign each square. The first to complete a line calls "Bingo!" Strangers start talking within minutes.

Players: 10–40 · Time: 5–10 min · You need: nothing · Age: 8+

Ask the group to line up by birthday, January to December, without a word. Gestures are allowed. Then everyone says their date out loud, and the group sees who is out of place. Play again by shoe size.

On a video call, pick games that need only voices and a camera. Two Truths and a Lie, Who Am I?, Story Chain and the Home Quiz work as they are: share your screen for the questions.

Players: 3–20 · Time: 10–15 min · You need: a video call · Age: 5+

The host names something, and everyone has 30 seconds to find it at home and show it to the camera: something red, the oldest thing in the kitchen, a book you never finished. The first to show it scores a point.

In a Moviki "Room", up to 20 players join by PIN from their own phones wherever they are, so it works on a video call too. Moviki is our own project, made by the wishdo team.

For the rest of the planning, see our list of services for planning any celebration.

Make your birthday wishlist