Hosting a game night is a great excuse to reconnect with your friends or meet new ones. It’s also a good way to have some fun or have a few rounds of laughter on a Friday night!
While preparing for it can seem a little intimidating or too much hard work, it can actually be one of the funnest ways to practice your people skills, all in the comfort of your own home. To help get you started and ensure everyone enjoys, here are a few guidelines that you can follow:
1. Set a goal.
What do you plan to achieve on game night? Is it to catch up with your friends, celebrate a win, or simply unwind with your loved ones after a hectic week? Defining your goal will help you set the tone, know who to invite, which games to prepare, among other things. For example, if you’re hanging out with new buddies, you’d make sure that you don’t start making anyone feel too awkward by preparing games that are too challenging or too personal. If you’re hanging out with old friends, you might want to start with a dinner meal, so you’d have a longer time hanging out and catching up.
2. Consider your space.
When inviting people, be reasonable with the number of guests your space can accommodate. Be sure that there’s enough room for everyone to move, especially if your games include a lot of physical activity. You don’t want anyone feeling uncomfortable that they’d want to leave instead!
3. Choose your games wisely!
Pick out a few games before game night itself. This will help a lot and will give the impression that you’re well-prepared. When choosing games, consider the participants and everyone’s relationships with one another. If you’re only willing to keep them for a few hours, don’t choose a game that’s plot-driven or too complicated! Make sure that the games are age-appropriate, too. You might be unknowingly making some people uncomfortable. If you don’t have a lot of games you own, you can create one or ask everyone to bring their favorite game.
4. Prepare snacks.
It’s always good to have some snacks around at game night. If you prefer, you can ask everyone to contribute a little something that’s easy to grab like finger food and chips. If you don’t know what chips they like specifically, there are snacks like Jack ‘n Jill Pic-A. It combines well-loved Jack ‘n Jill snacks such as Piattos, Nova and Tostillas in one pack, so there’s definitely something fun for everyone!
5. Set the mood.
Making a playlist that’s appropriate for the night is always a good idea. You also don’t need elaborate decorations, but subtle things like cute pillows, curtains, or a nice room fragrance can add a lot to your party.
6. Have a lot of fun!
Ensure that everyone has fun by being sensitive to everyone’s mood. Don’t ignore the signs when people start to get bored, or they aren’t given their chance to speak. Make sure not to force anyone to do something they wouldn’t, either. Lastly, don’t forget to have fun as host as well. You deserve it!
