Teen Group Party Games

Before the Party

• The execution of a fun teen group party game often begins before the party. Plan for at least two group games for the party, with a couple of back-ups in the queue. An effective group party game is one that is so well-planned it appears to be spur-of-the-moment. Make a time schedule for the evening, but keep it flexible. Remember to be sensitive to those types of activities in the games that can cause embarrassment to teenagers. The goal is to have fun and help the teens present enjoy themselves.

Ice-Breakers

• The beginning of a party can be daunting to shy teenagers or to any teen new to the scene. A good ice-breaker sets the tone for the rest of the evening and encourages the teens to mingle and learn more about each other. Group-Games.com suggests a popular ice-breaker game called Celebrity ID. To play this game, pin a celebrity's name to the back of each teenager. Instruct the teens to ask the others for "yes and no" clues to help them figure out which characters they have on their backs. This "mingling" game can be adapted to any theme (e.g. for a book club, use novel characters) and is also a perfect time to serve drinks and food.

Entertainment Games

• After food, drink and mingling, keep the party momentum going with an entertainment game. An entertainment game usually involves seating the teens in a circle with one guest designated as the "entertainer." A good entertaining game to try is "The Story Game." For this game, one teen writes the first sentence of a story on a pad of paper. Pass the paper around the room, giving each teen a chance to contribute one sentence to the story. Ask a volunteer to read the finished story to the group. Expect lots of giggles and screams of laughter.

Action Games

• By now, the sugar from the cake has taken its toll, and the teens will want to get up and move. While the teens are still in a circle, release their energy with a seat-exchanging game. An easy one to try is called "I Have Never." Remove one chair from the circle and ask for a volunteer. The volunteer becomes "it" and has to announce something that he's never done. Those teens who have done what he hasn't get up and exchange seats. He then tries to grab an open seat before it's too late. He remains "it" until the next person loses her seat. She becomes it and announces something she has never done. Prepare yourself for some surprises with this one. You may learn more than you expected.