4 Dinner Party Games To Get Your Guests Talking
You've planned the meal. The main course is simmering away, the nice china is out, you've even managed to put a tablecloth down before setting the table. You're feeling like you're on fire for this dinner party, killing it already before anyone arrives. Then you remember, "Crap I don't have any games to play and Tony is notoriously hard pressed to talk about anything." No worries, I've got you covered. Here's 4 dinner party games to get your guests talking.
1. Secret Phrases
This game goes by many many different names. However, no matter what name it goes by all the versions have one thing in common - they keep popping up because the game can be histerical.
What You'll Need
Strips of paper (can be printed out and cut out) with phrases on them.
How to Play
You as the host are going to come up with phrases to place on strips of paper. These papers go underneath your guest's dinner plates (or in an envelope). Before dinner starts (since nobody wants to flop your delicious food onto the table) all of your guests will take their phrases from under their plates and read them to themselves. During dinner conversation it is their objective to say their quirky phrase without being caught.
Rule Version 1
Each guest gets one phrase and gets 1 point for saying their phrase without being caught. The person with the most points at the end of the night wins
Rule Version 2
Each guests gets 3 phrases, easy, medium and hard. The first guest to use all three of their phrases in conversation without being caught wins. This version is especially fun if you enjoy being creative and know your guests well enough to make odd phrases tailored to them.
Some examples of phrases you might place under a plate...
- Does my tongue look blue to you?
- I could really go for some peanut butter and pork rinds right now.
- Do you think I would look good in a dress? (for male guests)
- Do you mind scratching my back for me?
- Sometimes I think about salmon spawning.
Your phrases should fit your group of guest's styles in part so they don't stick out like sore thumbs.
2. Two Truths & a Lie
Another classic party game that can be used as both an icebreaker game or as a game in the middle of the night. Just as the title suggests, the game is all about telling two truths and a lie.
What You'll Need
- Scraps of paper or sticky notes
- Pens/Pencils
How to Play
Hand out a piece of paper or sticky note to each of your party guests. Every guest will then write down two truthful statements about themselves and one lie. The trick to this game is to make the truthful statements seem outlandish and the lie to seem reasonable. Each person will take turns reading their statements (or you as the host can read the statements for each person). The group then tries to decide which of the three statements is a lie.
I've found this game to be a cool way to learn some really unique things about people. You can also have little party favors or candy to give out to people who successfully fool the group with their lie.
3. Black Magic
This game can be considered both a party trick and a party game. It's played as a stationary game so it can be played around the dinner table or while people are standing. If you haven't ever had anyone else in your group play the game before, you will have to decide on who is going to be your associate before the game starts and fill them in on the trick.
What you'll need
One well informed assistant
How to Play
- At the beginning of the game your assistant will leave the room so they are unable to see or hear the rest of you.
- Then you are going to ask the rest of your dinner party guests to select the "secret" object is that the assistant needs to guess. In our example let's pretend your guests chose a necklace someone is wearing.
- Bring your assistant back in and begin the process of asking the assistant if the objects you're pointing out are in fact the "secret" object. For example it might go like this
- "Is it the chair?" "No" answers your assistant
- You ask again "Is it the wallpaper?" again your assistant says "no"
- You point to the *black* hair your friend has and say "Is it Sarah's hair?" and your assistant says "no."
- Finally you point to the necklace the guests chose and ask if that's the object to which your assistant responds "yes."
If you hadn't figured out the pattern in the questioning, the trick is to ask about a black object immediately before you ask about the secret object. This is the secret clue that lets your assistant know that the object after you pointed out the black one is the chosen object. Let other people join in on being assistants as they figure out the trick leaving people in the dark as long as possible to keep the game going.
This game has always been a crowd favorite for new players as lightbulbs start going off in people's minds. Those AHA! moments are great when the wheels are still turning around the rest of the table trying to figure out what's going on.
4. Psychiatrist
Another perennial favorite among party goers is the Psychiatrist game. As with the other games, super simple setup and you're good to go.
What you'll need
Someone willing to be "the psychiatrist"
How to Play
- As the host you can choose someone to be the Psychiatrist or see if someone will volunteer. This person needs to go out of the room where they can't hear the rest of the group.
- The rest of the group must decide what kind of "ailment" they are going to have. Examples include
- Being the person to their left
- Thinking they are a barbecue chicken sandwich
- Afraid of psychiatrists
- Gets anxiety when around forks and knives
- etc.
- The psychiatrist is brought back in and then will begin asking the rest of the group questions. Any question is useable and the guests answer with the condition of their ailment. I.e. if they are the person to their left answer the question as you believe the person to your left would answer.
For more games check out our related articles section below.