Fun Group Games & Activities

Blanket Name Game

• The blanket name game is especially useful when bringing two groups of people together who know the members of their own group but not the other. Before the game begins, have each player clearly state his name and then divide players into two teams. The two people facilitating the game hold up a large blanket between the teams as one player from each team moves into position right in front of the blanket, looking at it. When they are ready, the facilitators drop the blanket and the players in position race to see who can yell the other player's name fastest. Teams keep track of their points and rotate who is standing at the blanket each time until all players have had a few turns.

Beanbag Melee

• Set up three chairs in a triangle with about 10 to 15 feet between each chair and place five small beanbags in the center of the triangle. Divide the group into three teams, one at each chair. Players on each team take turns running to grab one bean bag from either the center of the room or another team's chair, carry it back and place it on their own team's chair. Whenever a player returns, places a beanbag on the team's chair and tags the next player, the next player can go get another beanbag. The first team to have three beanbags simultaneously on their chair wins.

Telephone Charades

• As its name suggests, telephone charades combines the classic games of telephone and charades. Players divide into at least two teams of four to seven players and line up in a single-file line behind each team leader. The facilitator grabs the player at the end of each team's line and shows them a piece of paper with a funny action or situation such as "drowning in a pool of spaghetti." Each of these first actors returns to the back of his team's line, taps the next player on the shoulder to get her to turn around and spends 30 seconds silently acting out the clue. This continues down the line until the players at the front of the lines see the last charade and try to guess what the initial clue was.

Bigger and Better

• A group gathering in a residential neighborhood can play the bigger and better scavenger hunt game. Give each team a small item such as a paperclip or a pen and instruct them to go trade it for something that is bigger and better. Teams return after a specified amount of time, usually ranging from one to three hours, to show off their biggest and best item to a panel of judges.