Want to plan a fun night in with your friends? Whether it’s for a Girl’s Night, Couple’s Night or you just want to have a group of your favorite people over, a festive Game Night for Adults is always a great idea! Here’s a simple plan with a full run-down of everything you need to make your evening of playful fun a success!
There’s something special about gathering with friends and playing games over a glass of wine and some fabulous snacks, isn’t there? We used to love playing board games when we were kids and there’s no reason to stop now. It can be a fabulous way to unwind, deepen friendships and create fabulous memories! From the invitations to the food, drinks and games themselves, follow these simple steps to plan a fantastic Game Night at your house.
We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.
~George Bernard Shaw
Game Night Invitations
Game Night does not need to be a fancy affair, so keep your invitations simple! It’s totally okay to do a private Facebook Event, a group text or send an electronic invitation. Do whatever your group will respond to and appreciate the most. Paperless Post has some really cute electronic invitations for Game Night including a themed “Brews + Boards” invitation that would be perfect! I’d recommend sending your invitation about 2 weeks in advance so people can save the date to attend.
Game Night Food
You’ll need to decide if you want to serve dinner, small bites, desserts, or some combination of the three. Personally, I like to host Game Night after dinner with a mix of savory and sweet small bites. Whatever you decide to do, aim for something that isn’t labor intensive so you can actually participate and enjoy the games yourself!
Here are a few ideas for food that would be great for Game Night:
- 20 Mini Appetizer Recipes with Big Bite
- 15 Savory Fall Appetizer Ideas
- Our Favorite 7 Fall Appetizer Dip Recipes
- How to Make a Gorgeous Cheese Board for Your Next Party
Game Night Drinks
You’ll need to decide if you want to provide drinks or if this is a BYOB event. If you decide on BYOB, just make sure to include that detail on your invitation. You can keep things simple and provide a few types of beers and wines, depending on what your group of friends prefers. Or I always like trying out a new drink recipe at a party – bonus points if it’s something I can make ahead of time in a pitcher and just place out for guests to serve themselves. Make sure you also have water readily available as well.
Here are a few Cocktail Ideas for Game Night:
- Bourbon Berry Lemonade Cocktail Recipe
- Frosted Cranberry Cocktail Recipe
- Wild Autumn Old Fashioned
- Maple Cider Bliss – The Perfect Fall Cocktail
- Sweet Ginger Gold Spring Cocktail Recipe
- Fruity Red Wine Sangria Recipe
Game Night Desserts
Something sweet is a must at Game Night, am I right? Again, the whole goal of hosting Game Night is to make it as easy as possible for you, so keep that idea in mind as you plan your desserts! You can make a big batch of brownies and cut them into small bites. Your favorite cookie recipe is an easy make-ahead sweet treat or something that serves a crowd like a seasonal cobbler or a berry trifle would be ideal!
Here are a few other ideas for Game Night Desserts:
- Spice Cupcakes with Maple Pecan Frosting
- Christmas Holly Cupcakes
- Delicious Milk and Cookies Cupcake Recipe
- The Perfect Summer Sangria Popsicles
Party Game Ideas
You probably already have some favorite games to play with friends, but we thought we’d share some other ideas as well. If you have outdoor space and great weather, you may even consider including something like Darts, Corn Hole, Giant Jenga or Croquet too!
If you prefer to keep things indoors, classics like Monopoly, Pictionary, Cranium and CatchPhrase are always a good time. Or consider some of these other Party Game Ideas (I included a few of my favorites and asked my friends for theirs too):
- Cards Against Humanity (or one of its many variations) can always be counted on for lots of laughs.
- Relative Insanity, created by Jeff Foxworthy, is a great one for a family Game Night!
- Exploding Kittens, which was the most-funded game ever on Kickstarter.
- Apples to Apples, an oldie but goodie focused on funny comparisons.
- Jackbox Games, a fun way to take Game Night digital!
If you concentrate on the main points we covered, you should be able to pull off an exceptional night of playful fun for your friends! The only other details I like to think about are lighting and music – both of which help set the stage for a great night.
Think about how you can dim the lights and use some of the beautiful candles you have around your house (but likely rarely use)! This is a great excuse to pull them out! And finally, put on a playlist in the background that your guests will enjoy. Need some ideas, check out our post 9 Perfect Dinner Party Playlists, that I know will also work for Game Night!
Leave a comment and let me know your favorite game for an Adult Game Night and then Pin this post for later party planning!
