10 Inexpensive Party Games {For Adults} * The Holidaze Craze

It’s a weekend, or a week night. Maybe it’s morning. Why not invite your friends all over to hang out?

What’s that? Low on cash? They’re already over and you are all staring at each other’s phones wondering what to do?!

Well, have you heard of games? They’re rather fun. They don’t need to be expensive, either. I’ll even prove it by giving you ten ideas, right now:

1. Board Game Party

Whether you’re one of those enlightened sorts who just doesn’t buy his or her games at mainstream stores, or you’re fine with Apples to Apples, there is a board game for you.

You don’t even have to spend money purchasing new ones. Do what our family does, and invite the friend that collects games and enjoys sharing.

2. Murder Mystery

I’ve mentioned this one before, because of how fun and popular murder mysteries are. They also make great birthday party games.

You may be thinking that these are expensive, but you can find kits for playing at home now. You may also be thinking that you aren’t sure about the whole acting like a character thing, but all the instructions you need will be in the game.

Live a little, to solve the mystery of who died a little.

3. Musical Games

Looking for a quick, painless icebreaker? One idea I came across was a game where each guest is given half the lyrics to one line of a popular song. The people have to go and find their other half. Maybe you could make them sing it together, for bonus points.

For the more advanced musical types, I liked this game of printing out the note rhythms on one card, and the lyrics on another.

4. Strange Disease

Nearly everyone knows how to play Charades. If not, you need to play more party games.

I’d like to introduce a funny twist on the idea of acting out a mystery word, with a game titled Strange Disease. One person, the doctor, leaves the room while the rest of the group decides on a humorous disease each is afflicted with. They don’t even have to be legitimate, which makes it all the more fun!

When the “doctor” returns, he or she is tasked with making the correct diagnosis for each strange condition.

5. Human Piñata

Have you all been cooped up inside too long? Persuade that helpful friend of yours into agreeing to be a human piñata.

Don’t worry -no one’s going to smack him or her with a bat. Your piñata is going to have to be a quick runner, or a good dodge. This is a game where the piñata treats are within full view (on the person’s shirt) and winners gain prizes by simply grabbing them.

I probably should have mentioned that you need prizes, a shirt you don’t care about, and pretty strong tape. It’s a fun way to add some zest to a gaming or birthday party, especially if you’re out of time to craft a real piñata.

6. Movie ID

When I first read about this game, I thought it was going to be another Charades-type. I thought it would be boring.

There is WAY more competition involved, though. This game requires a list of popular movies, and two teams.

When it is the first team’s turn, one person from their team will try to get them all to guess what movie title he or she picked. Instead of acting it out or saying as many descriptors as possible, he or she must state how many words he or she will use to describe the film.

The extra trick? The other team can shout out the answer first.

7. Mafia

This game takes me back to my teenage years, when we’d play it by crawling around in the dark at sleepovers. Whoever was assigned to be the mafia would grab you, to which you could respond with your best yell or scream.

Don’t worry, though. Most people play this game by sitting at a table in a civilized fashion.

No matter the group size, one person needs to be the mafia and another needs to be the moderator. Everyone else is a potential victim. Larger parties may add more than one mafia, a detective, a doctor, or a jailer. Victims attempt to figure out who the mafia is, before they all get whacked.

8. Game of Phones

Admittedly, I picked this one up because I love a good pun. Fortunately for participants, no one has to kill off his closest relative or whatnot.

This is simply a game involving smart phones. The cards have different prompts that need to be completed on the competitors’ phones; like “Create an emoji masterpiece,” and “Send a message to your parents. First reply wins.”

It’s a fairly inexpensive purchase and utilizes the toys everyone’s probably holding already.

9. Serial Pictionary

This next game is one that can easily be set up at the last minute, or even after the last minute. All you need is paper and pens. Heck, pull out some crayons if you have to.

One person starts with a sentence. Then, the papers are all passed. The next person draws a picture based on that opening sentence. Then, he or she folds the phrase out of view so only the picture is visible. Person #3 writes a sentence based only on the picture.

Continue passing and folding till you run out of paper, then unfold them all and look at the lovely story you’ve all cobbled together.

10. Pick Up Box Game

I read about this last activity on a few websites, by a few names. One place even called it Reverse Limbo, since players are required to bend forward instead of backwards.

For setup, you’ll need a box. Apparently, cereal boxes are the most popular.

The game is that every person needs to try to pick up the box with his or her teeth, without falling over or touching the ground with anything but his or her feet. Each successful round, cut an inch off the top edge of the box.

The winner, as may be obvious, is the last person who can lift it at its lowest.