14 Game Night Ideas To Do With Your Friends At Home
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Whether you’re looking to laugh with friends, bond with family, or strengthen your connection with your partner, game nights are a fun way to mix up your weekly routine. Before you begin planning your next game night, there are a few essentials you need to make your event one to remember.
What You Need For Game Night
Hosting any type of gathering can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding once you see the smiles spread across each guest’s face. To ensure all your attendees have an enjoyable experience, you need to collect the essentials: from seating to snacks–and of course–the games.
Price Reference (average price):
$ | Under $30
$$ | Between $30-$60
$$$ | More than $60
Seating
Creating a comfortable and inviting space is crucial when hosting any gathering. Before you begin preparing the guest list, choose which area of your home you’ll host your game night in, and ensure that there’s plenty of seating options available for everyone.
Image: Target
Marin Stacklable Pouf
Target Opalhouse
Price: $$$
If you find yourself low on chairs, opt for floor cushions. Complete with three square-shaped cushions, these poufs are made with plush velvet that feels and looks so luxurious.
Why We Love It: It has a caster base that makes it easy to move around your space and store.
Image: Etsy
Corduroy Floor Pillow
LaBaManu
This ultra-plush floor pillow mimics the feel of the coziest sofa cushions. Finished with a velvety soft corduroy texture, this pillow has a sofa-like design that helps prevent the fill from shifting while your guests are relaxing.
Why We Love It: Its unique design fits with any home decor style, from retro to modern.
Image: Target
Monroe Bean Bag Chair
Christopher Knight Home
You can never go wrong with a plush bean bag. Made with ultra-soft faux fur, this bean bag is lightweight, so you can easily move it throughout your space–from your game room to your reading nooks.
Why We Love It: This bean bag is fitted with a child-safe zipper that makes refilling easy.
Serving Tools
You can’t have a successful game night without a menu of delicious treats. Before your guests arrive, collect reusable and durable serving tools to create a spread of snacks, including cheese boards, dips, and sweets.
Image: Target
Acacia Round Cheese Board Set
Nook Theory
Price: $
Crafted from acacia wood, this serving board features a round silhouette with a swiveling top that opens to reveal a trio of stainless steel cheese tools with coordinating acacia wood handles.
Why We Love It: Its recessed moat catches any syrups or dressings that run away from your main spread.
Image: Amazon
Old Fashioned Glass Set
Tossware
Price: $
Whether you’re serving cocktails or mocktails, the last thing you want to worry about as a host is cleaning up shattered glass. Instead, opt for durable drinkware like this set of timeless, multi-colored glasses featuring a crystalline pattern at the base.
Why We Love It: These glasses are made of shatterproof materials, making them perfect for both kids and woozy adults.
Image: Amazon
Reusable Bamboo Dinner Set
Nook Theory
Price: $
Another durable alternative to your fine china pieces, this set of bamboo-crafted plates will instantly elevate your snack spread. Each plate is scratch-proof and has its own unique pattern that looks beautiful on their own or together.
Why We Love It: They’re dishwasher safe.
Prizes
Who doesn’t get excited when they win something? Raise the stakes at your game night with a limited selection of prizes, from baked goods to candles.
Image: Amazon
The Cottagecore Coloring Book
Helen Mabel Chestnut
Price: $
Coloring is a relaxing and meditative activity that can help reduce stress and anxiety. As you’re preparing for your game night, consider a coloring book as one of the potential prizes. Regardless of your attendants’ ages, it’s a great choice that every person can enjoy.
Why We Love It: This book has 30 hand-drawn illustrations that are perfect for all ages.
Image: Etsy
White Sage & Lavender Soy Candle
Copper Fox Candkle Co.
Price: $
Help your party-goers create an inviting mood in their own space with a candle prize. This soy wax candle is infused with an earthy-floral combination of white sage and lavender that promotes calm energies.
Why We Love It: Soy wax burns slower so you can enjoy its entrancing scents longer!
Image: Amazon
Asian Dagashi Snack Mystery Box
Mashi Box
Price: $
When in doubt, reward your winners with snacks. Create a mystery snack crate made of your own baked goods, or opt for a themed treat box! This box will take your winner’s taste buds on a trip through Asia with its assortment of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean treats.
Why We Love It: Each box has its own unique assortment of snacks, so every winner can enjoy a surprise.
Games
You can’t have a game night without a lineup of great games that will bring quality conversation and an abundance of laughter. To avoid heated discussions among guests, select the games of the night before everyone arrives.
Image: Target
Clue
Hasbro
Price: $
The classic “whodunit” board game, try to solve the gruesome murder of Boddy Black before your opponents. This spooky game is perfect for Halloween season, murder mystery parties, and year-round play.
Why We Love It: This suspenseful game is easy and fun for everyone, making it ideal for family night, too.
Image: Amazon
Calico
Alderac Entertainment Group
Price: $
Perfect for cozy gamers, in this strategy game, you’ll work against your opponents to sew a quilt that’s not only beautiful, but appealing to the collection of cats waiting to rest on your creation.
Why We Love It: This game is themed around cuddly cats.
Image: Amazon
Telestrations
USAOpology
Price: $
Full of twists and turns, this game adds a new visual twist to “Telephone.” You and your guests will take turns drawing what you see and guessing what you saw. Once everyone has had a turn, you’ll review the sketchbook to see where the miscommunications began.
Why We Love It: This game requires no drawing skills. In fact, the worst your art skills are, the more fun this game can be.
Card Games
From trick-taking to matching, there are so many card games to choose from. If you’re looking for a fun card game that requires an element of strategy, try these fast-paced options.
Image: Amazon
Throw Throw Burrito
Exploding Kittens
Price: $
Enjoy a memorable evening of dodging plush burritos with this matching-meets-dodgeball game. Easy to play, in this game you’ll collect cards, earn points, and throw burritos at your opponents.
Why We Love It: The burrito characters are made of soft foam for a gentle touch when thrown at opponents.
Image: Walmart
UNO All Wild
Mattel
Price: $
The cult-favorite game of UNO has set out to ruin friendships with this new edition of Wild cards only. Every card in this deck is Wild; however, there are several surprise action cards integrated throughout to make each round more challenging.
Why We Love It: This version of the beloved game has new Wild cards to shake up the game.
Image: Etsy
The Divine And Play Tarot Playing Cards
Printagrams
Price: $
If you’re an avid game night connoisseur, you need a deck of playing cards that speaks to your personality. The opportunities are endless with a playing deck–test your bluff with Poker, race your friends in a game of Spoons, or enjoy a calming game of Solitaire!
Why We Love It: This deck of playing cards is reimagined with tarot illustrations.
Grown Up Games
Sometimes, game night is just for the grown ups. To spice up your gathering, try an adult party game (or two).
Image: Amazon
That’s What She Said
Price: $
Warning: Laughter is inevitable with this risque game of innuendos. With 400 phrase cards and 58 setup cards, during each round, the judge will pull a prompt card while the other players select what response card they feel is the funniest, dirtiest, or most logical! Once all players have decided, the judge will choose whose mind is deepest in the gutter.
Why We Love It: It’s a spicier version of Apples to Apples that’s perfect for Girls’ Night, birthdays, and reunions.
Image: Target
Tell Me Without Telling Me
Spin Master Games
Price: $
This versatile party game will get you out of your seat and help the laughter flow. Split into teams and guess as many cards as possible by giving hints as directed on the die. Your roll will determine if you’re acting it out, using one syllable words only, or freestyling your turn.
Why We Love It: It includes a Not Safe For Work deck for those nights your friend group is feeling bold.
Image: Amazon
Rabble
Price: $
Embrace the absurd when you play this unruly party game. Complete with 392 Rabble cards and 56 challenge cards, this game will have you guessing outlandish words and phrases, or completing laughter-inducing challenges.
Why We Love It: Each card features beautiful illustrations by diverse artists.
Games For Couples
Sometimes the best game nights are between just you and your partner. Settle on the couch with refreshments and enjoy a meaningful conversation, or spice it up with more risque options.
Image: Amazon
We’re Not Really Strangers (Couples Edition)
Price: $
Get to know your partner on a deeper level and enjoy hours of meaningful conversations with this card game that comes complete with 150 questions and wild cards, all designed to help couples strengthen their relationship.
Why We Love It: With three levels, you can start with easy questions before digging deeper.
Image: Walmart
After-Dinner Amusements: Truth Or Dare
Chronicle Books
Price: $
Spice up your next date night with a game of truth or dare. With 50 truths and 50 flirty dares, this game can help you explore your relationship and spark intimacy.
Why We Love It: This game is packaged in a tiny, discreet tin that’s perfect for playing on vacation.
