For the past year, I have been searching for fun party and team building game ideas that do not require buying a lot of things or creating waste. Wasting money money or materials is a real pet hate. So some of the game materials were from the recycle bin. Whenever I set up Trivia Questions or True or False questions, I will squeeze in at least three to six answer sheet tables from an A4 size document, typically using a smallish font size of 8.
For the past few months, we have had different-themed games, like Christmas, Halloween, Birthdays, Olympics, and many more. For most of the Trivia Questions, I just searched on Google and copied and pasted. I tend to pick questions that are easy on children and teenagers, especially as they tend to make up to half of the numbers.
Hair Throwing Challenge
This hair throwing challenge was one of most funniest games we’ve ever played. This was inspired by the Olympic game of shot put. I was gifted this fake blonde wig and Elsa’s blue gown when Frozen was huge.
To play this game, you just need a wig and a tape measure, and maybe a coloured tape to draw the line. Place the coloured tape on the tile as the marker and no one should step across the line. Then each contestant wears the wig and swings their head to get rid of the wig. The person who can throw the wig the furthest wins the game.
Room Of Misery
For this game, you need a lot of LEGO, obstacles (we used the NERF inflatable obstacles), eye masks and items to collect (we used blown up pugs which came from the Giant Pass the Pugs game, but you could use soft toys as an example alternative).
Place the LEGO everywhere around the room. Two players are challenged to move across the room, blindfolded, to rescue the pugs. The only help they have is a sighted teammate who can give vocal instructions. Our living room isn’t very big so it was not too challenging. Players tended to complete it quite quickly. We had the light off and moved the LEGO and obstacles every game to try and reset the game after each round.
Cup Challenge
You need paper cups for this one. We used plastic cups as this is what we had. Plastic cups are not great as they break so easily and I had to replace them each time. We played this game with ten people on the table. You can also play with two people each time.
Everyone stands opposite one another, which is five on each side. The host will give a string of instructions. For example, everyone places their hands on the table, everyone places their hands on their hips, everyone places their hands on their head etc. When the host thinks it is time, he/she shouts “snatch” and everyone needs to try to snatch the cup that is in front of them to win the game.
Ping Pong Challenge
Recently, I bought a treadmill and it came in a big rectangular box. I cut two big holes that were big enough for a head to come through and four small holes for the ping pong balls to drop out.
For this game, you will need a piece of large cardboard, a pen knife, marker pen and ping pong balls. My cardboard measured approximately 130 cm by 60 cm by 20cm. I used the marker to mark the middle and cut one big hole on each side and two holes on each side of the big hole.
Players sit opposite one another and I placed the board with the heads through the respective holes. Then I placed one ping pong ball in the middle to start the game. The players have to blow the ball into their opponent’s small holes. If it’s still a stalemate after 30 seconds, drop a second ball into the cardboard arena.
Feed Me Baby Five More Times
Please check for any food allergies before playing this game. For this game, you will need snacks, like cola bottles, cheese puffs and popcorn. You will also need tools like a fork, spoon and chopsticks. Also, an eye mask or blindfold. Print or write out two copies of: Fork, Spoon and Chopsticks. Also, a timer, if you are keeping the score.
Each player has to use the shortest time to feed their teammate five items. All players have to be blindfolded. Before they wear the eye masks, they have to pick the tool. Sit the players opposite each other and start the timer. One player has to use the tool to feed the snacks. The first team to feed their teammate five items wins the game.
Throw Balls Challenge
This game is like those fairground games where you throw the rings or hook a duck. You can either use a tub or egg cartons. For the tub, I used an Ikea pink deep tub/drawer and propped it on the shoe rack. Then I got a few ping ping balls for throwing.
I also used four egg cartons as the base. I coloured a few of the gaps. Each colour represents different points. For example, blue coloured gaps are 5 points and red are 2 points.
Tower Challenge
This is a team building game. Each group will use these materials plastic straws, paper plates, paper, tape and scissors to build the tallest tower that can hold an egg (we used a fake rubber egg), within 10 minutes. Keep a timer handy.
Car Race Challenge
Race against your opponent by rolling the paper roll towards you without breaking the toilet paper. You will need two rolls of toilet paper and two lightweight toy cars. Roll the toilet paper out and place the car on the end of the toilet paper. Try to roll the toilet paper without breaking the paper and aim to keep the car still on the toilet paper. The winner is whoever gets the car back without breaking the toilet paper.
We played it on our extendable table and it didn’t work properly as the millimetre difference in height of the extension caused the toy car’s wheel to catch. It is best to play on a completely flat surface.
Pass the Ring Challenge
Form two teams and race to transfer the cardboard rings to the opposite side using chopsticks. You will need toilet paper rolls, chopsticks and a timer. Cut the toilet paper rolls into many rings. Set it aside in a bowl.
Players line up next to one another and each gets a chopstick. Place the chopstick in between the bottom of your nose and top lip. One of our friends had to place two cheese balls in her top lip to give her the volume!
I set the timer for four minutes. The first player hooks the cardboard rings onto his chopstick and passes it over to his teammate’s chopstick. Then carry on to the last person on the team. If any rings are dropped, they are discounted. Only count the rings that reach the last person in the line.
Chocolate Game
Players sit in a circle around a bar of chocolate, a hat, a scarf, a knife and fork, and a pair of oven gloves. I gave them plastic utensils to make it difficult. Going around the circle, players take turns to roll a single dice (in a plastic cup), trying to get a six.
When a player gets a six, they put the hat, scarf and oven gloves on, and try to cut up the chocolate (which is meant to start wrapped!) using the knife and fork. Their chance ends when the next person rolls a six and takes over, putting on the hat, scarf… and so on. The game finishes when the whole bar of chocolate has been eaten.
Bottle Flipping Challenge
Team challenge. Split into two groups. You will need two bottles partially filled with water, a board and a marker. For the board, I stuck the tape into seven rectangular boxes.
Set the marker in the middle of the boxes. Each team will have one player flip the bottle and the other player to move the marker onto the next box on the board. The winner will be the first to get the marker in their opponent’s space.
Human Cluedo
Similar to the classic Cluedo rules, there will be ten characters/players, ten weapons and three rooms. I have made Cluedo cards for every guest/player and for the ten different weapons from spanner to hammer. As for the rooms, there are the living room, kitchen and dining room.
In the Classic game, there are six players, nine rooms and six weapons, which is 6 x 9 x 6 = 324 possibilities. As we have ten players, I made it to 10 x 10 x 3 = 300 possibilities.
As the host, I will draw a suspect card, weapon and room. Then shuffle the rest of the cards and distribute them evenly. I placed the cards inside a small brown envelope. I have also made my own detective notes for my guests.
Each player will receive two cards in the brown envelope and detective notes. Please ensure they keep their secrets and they should not divulge their information to other players. Each of you will give a guess as to who did it, in terms of the person, weapon and room. The person on their left will have to prove him/her wrong. If the person on the left can’t disprove it, it will pass to the next player and so on. A player only needs to reveal one item, even though he/she may have more than one item.
If you know the answer, you can hypothesise the suspect, weapon and room. If you guess it wrong, you will need to reveal your cards and out of the game.
So what should I do next? Leave your comments below.