Hosting a game night can be a great way to bond with friends and family, but sometimes planning one can be stressful. As a host, your main objective is to ensure everyone enjoys themselves and likes the game chosen for the night. Therefore, before inviting everyone over, set your goals for the night, such as:
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- Create A Comfort Zone
- Laugh And Share Memories As Much As Possible
- Get To Know More People And Create A Strong Bond
- Learn New Things
Game Plan
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- Too Many People
It becomes challenging to play games with a big group. Some people might get impatient, and it isn’t easy to find exciting games involving too many people. Therefore, there isn’t always best for a big group to all play one game.
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- Not The Right Space
Most of the games require circular seating, chairs, and a big table. Game night in a hotel room and cafes can be pretty loud and distracting. So take the time to map out the perfect place to fit all the guests you want to invite. Maybe you use someone else’s house to host the game, or you all meet in the park.
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- Not With The Right People
Many people can easily enjoy a fun game night. However, some individuals might need some warning, proper warm-up sessions, and some might need a little time to adjust. Some of the biggest mistakes made during the game night are inviting many people who know each other, along with one or two who don’t. This situation can make new people feel uneasy and left out.
So, before planning and making arrangements, ensure you focus on these three questions:
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- How many people can fit comfortably in your space?
- What kind of people do you want to invite?
- How many people can take part in the game?
Game Choice
The most fun and the best part of organizing a game night is choosing the game; start by preparing a list of different games. Make sure you select a game that can easily connect with people. To help you select a game, here are three popular choices:
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- Codename
It is one of the best games involving a large group of people. You and your friends will love the strategy and the creativity level in this game. It is the best choice for hosting a game night with old and new friends.
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- Cranium
This game is popular because of the skills it requires and easy-to-follow instructions with different groups or teams.
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- Bowl Of Nouns
it is a straightforward yet solid game to set up and follow along. It is trendy as it is a fast-moving game.
People Prep
After picking a fair game and making a list of people to invite, and arranging the desired set-up, it’s time for you to perform some people prep tasks. Keep in mind all the introverts, extroverts, awkward people, and even control freaks to have a small warm-up session to blend. A recipe for conducting a bad game night is:
Before the night, inform everyone about your goal and idea of an enjoyable night.
Drinks And Munchies
Delicious food and drinks are equally crucial as comfortable space and good lighting. Be sure to prepare “a mindless eating aid,” as game night should be the night where you can raise people’s blood sugar levels. Also, be sure to include snacks for people with allergies or dietary preferences. So it is always wise to have treats that are sweet, salty, and healthy.
Alcohol is not very important, but it does add some fun elements to the night. If you aren’t willing to add alcohol, you can try something festive like hot cocoa, hot apple cider, or milkshakes.
Timing
As a host, you must be particular and take control of timings. The worst game nights are the ones that drag on forever or start late.
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- Start Time
Start the night by serving food and drinks to your guest as they can easily blend and create a comfortable environment. After 45 minutes, dive into the game. If you delay or consume too much time, your friends might start regretting their arrival or get antsy.
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- Break Time
Make sure you add clear breaks between every segment or game. This gives your guest enough time to visit the restroom, get a snack or drink a refill. It also offers a chance to those who want to leave; this is okay and not a sign that the night was terrible; it is a generous act.
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- End Time
You must mention “last game” before starting the last game of the night. This will make people aware of what’s coming next and save some awkwardness.
Conclusion
Hosting a game night can be fun and exciting for your friends and yourself with the right timing and resources. This article has all the necessary tips and tricks to host a perfect night. Along with the information above, you must also prepare back-ups if things don’t work accordingly and save yourself from embarrassment. At the end of the night, take some time and ask your friends about things they liked and didn’t for the next time.
