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GAME ON!
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Many favorite childhood memories recall playing Monopoly with friends on a rainy day, spending an afternoon in an intense game of Capture the Flag, and laughing through endless rounds of cards at the cottage.
So why is it that when it comes to dreaming up ways to entertain ourselves and our friends that we often overlook the really fun stuff? Games aren’t just for the young—and they’re a great way to socialize.
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A game for every party
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Knowing me, knowing you
Did you know that you can learn more about someone by playing a game than by going on 10 dates? Or that you can learn more about yourself by playing a game than you can from several therapy sessions? That’s the assertion of Psychology Today in a 1998 article on the psychology of games. “Psychologically speaking, games have a knack for setting us free,” the article explains, pointing to the structure and rules around a game, as well as the focus on the board, as factors that make people feel safe and allow them to say things they ordinarily wouldn’t.
Planning a game night
For your next get-together with friends, invite everyone to bring their inner child along and break out the board games or a deck of cards. Your guests will thank you for it—and all it takes is a little thoughtful planning on your part.
Step 1: Choose the right game for your guests
Think carefully about your guest list when selecting a game to play. Will there be four of you, or 14? Are they primarily introverts, or will they be battling for airtime? Some games, like poker, can work for small groups or can be turned into tournament-style play for larger parties. See “A game for every party” for suggestions on classics, and some popular party games.
Step 2: Set the mood
Creating a fun games atmosphere involves making people feel comfortable and relaxed from the moment they arrive. Make it clear in your invitation that this is a casual party, and dress and decorate accordingly. Create a cozy atmosphere with comfortable seating, simple but tasty refreshments, and warm lighting (enough to play the game by, but no more). To get people into “game mode” right away, you might start with an icebreaker game after most or all of your guests have arrived (see “Breaking the ice” for suggestions).
Step 3: Be prepared
Check your game to make sure it has all the playing pieces, and be stocked with sharpened pencils, paper, and any other supplies that players will need. Have everything handy in a basket you can pull out at game time. You’ll also want to think through the seating arrangements for the game. If you’re playing cards, you might clear the dinner table, or set up a separate card table and chairs elsewhere in the room. For board games, the dinner table should be fine as long as your chairs are comfortable, but a large ottoman or coffee table can also fill the bill nicely. Toss in a few large floor pillows to allow flexible seating for team games.
The food
Lest you start out with edgy players, feed them first. If you’re serving dinner, do so early in the evening, and don’t make it an eight-course meal unless you want to bring the party to a screeching halt for naptime. Dessert (make it something easy for guests to eat with their fingers; squares, brownies, cookies are all good options) can be served once the game is underway.
If your gathering will start after dinner, have appetizers and cocktails available for guests as they arrive, and give them time to have a drink and socialize a bit before introducing any games. Substantial finger foods like cheesy crab dip, avocado dip with quesadillas, even a cheese or antipasto platter are great starters.
For game-playing time, have lots of snacks on hand—more dips, mixed nuts, even bowls of popcorn—and replenish them often.
The drinks
If you’re hosting a relatively small number of people, this is a great opportunity to treat them to some interesting cocktails. While you don’t want to be a bartender all night, pre-selecting two or three creative drinks will add to your guests’ enjoyment, and the evening’s setup should allow you to easily monitor when your players need refills.
You might start off with a classic cocktail like a Manhattan as guests arrive, then move to something fun like a Gringo Swizzle at game time (this is a personal favorite, but beware—it goes down smoothly and packs a punch!), and perhaps serve some hot cocktails with dessert as the evening progresses.
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Breaking the iceTo encourage people to mix and stimulate conversation, try a get-acquainted game like One-Word Conversation at the beginning of the evening. Suitable for any number of people, it works this way: Scatter guests around the room in pairs, numbering each person 1 or 2. On your signal, number 1s carry on a conversation with their number 2s using only ONE word at a time. They are to find out as much as possible about that person. On a second signal, number 2s ask number 1s the questions. When “change!” is called, everyone finds another partner and the questioning begins again. The game shouldn’t go on for more than a few minutes. Sample: |
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Making it fun for everyone
It’s your job as host to make sure that your guests are having a good time. In this case, that includes monitoring the game’s running time and its players to know when a game has gone on too long. And don’t ignore a player or team’s winning, advises Andrea Campbell in her book Perfect Party Games. “Award a prize, let them bow, or just generally throw some attention their way.”
At the end of the evening, though, chances are that everyone will remember the games played, and not who won or lost.
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