Hobbies And Interests
Guessing Games
Games that challenge participants to use their critical thinking and analytical skills to decode information are adaptable to all ages and abilities. Host a classic game of charades for groups of at least four people. To play a basic round, split the group into two teams. One team sends a representative to the middle of the room; the player selects a slip of paper prepared before the game with the name of a movie, television show or famous person from a box. The player must then use nonverbal clues or demonstrations to act out the item on the paper. His teammates have one minutes to correctly guess the item to score a point before the next team has a chance to proceed. To adapt the game, host a round of theme charades in which the items on the paper all share a similar element; for instance, a child&'s theme birthday party may include papers with items related to dinosaurs while an adult party may have slips with the names of class film stars.
Challenge Games
Challenge games invite teams of participants to build an object or complete a task with a limited amount of time and materials. Divide participants into teams of two; challenge the teams to create an object like a fort using only the available household objects. For an object like a fort, teams may use sheets, pillows, cushions and chairs. Invite teams to decorate their forts with a theme like planets or under the sea. Give each player a scoring card with points available for design, creativity and decorations. Each participant then visits the other players&' forts and rates them; they cannot rate their own fort. The team with the highest points wins a prize, such as a small toy. For a smaller-scale challenge game, invite participants to create working objects like cars using limited household materials. After the cars are built, host a race by placing a piece of plywood on a stair case. The fasted car wins a small prize.
Active Games
Get physical indoors with active indoor games. Host an indoor "snowball fight" by replacing cold, icy snowballs with plush rolled-up socks. Move two couches to either side of the room to serve as a fortress. Each team is allotted a basket of socks. Players them attempt to hit opposing players with the socks; those who are struck must sit out. Be sure to move any valuables to another room before playing this game.
For a less aggressive game, play a hazard walk. Place participants into pairs and line everyone up on one side of the room. One player from each team is then blindfolded with piece of fabric; their partners then walk to the other side of the room. The blindfolded partners must then cross the room without bumping into hazards like other players or pillows, chairs and stuffed animals strewn about the floor. Partners can offer verbal directions but cannot touch their partners. If a player touches a hazard, they must return to the starting line and try again. The first team to have both players on the other side of the room wins a small prize.