Really Cool Games to Play

Consider the Audience

• Consider the age and interests of your guests as you plan games for an event. If it's a conservative crowd, be careful with movie/TV games that not all guests will feel comfortable with. If it's a younger crowd, avoid historical Trivial pursuit. Try and get as many guests as possible to play but be sensitive to those who are too shy or intimidated to play. A game is mean to be a fun activity, not torture.

Active Games

• For people who are comfortable with one another, consider games that get them out of their comfort zone. Charades is a fun one and you don't even have to buy anything. Several websites (e.g., charades-ideas.com) provide celebrity names, books or movie titles to a charades game. You can write down these suggestions on slips of paper and then your guests can act them out.
  Taboo is also a fun and active game. Taboo requires quick thinking as players try to explain a main concept, provided on their cards, without using the five key words related to that concept. Taboo is a board game sold at most toy stores.
  Pictionary is a good choice, especially if you'd like to include children in your game. One main player draws an object and then the rest of the players try and guess the object in a specified period of time. Pictionary is a board game that can be purchased at a toy store and the game comes with cards that lists the items to draw, along with pads of paper. For a large group, consider a large writing pad that can hang on a wall. Then all the players can participate and see the artistic attempt.

TV/DVD Games

• Scene It is a DVD board game in which people watch video/TV clips and answer questions on plot, characters and other details related to the clips. It's a fun game for those who keep up with pop culture. Note that a DVD and TV are needed. A large screen television makes it easier for playing with a large group of people.
  The Nintendo Wii is another fun game using a TV and DVD player. Wii is a home video game that includes athletic sports and exercises. It's amusing to the young and old alike. A Wii is more of an investment. If you do purchase a Wii, buy extra remotes so several players can play at once.