How to Plan Games for a New Year's Eve Party

Party games for all ages

A New Year's Eve party can be one of the biggest social events of the year. If you want to plan the perfect games for your night, keep in mind that your guests will want to have a great time, count down the new year and mingle with new people in a comfortable environment.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Two chairs
• Internet access for more ideas
• New Year's decorations
• Paper and markers
• Party prizes
• Belly-dancing accessories and music

Plan a Young People's New Year's Eve Party

1. Give children the option to stay up to see the "Ball Drop" on television. Instruct the children to bring sleeping bags and pillows so that they can go to sleep after the New Year arrives.

2. Play the resolution game. Ask each child to set a goal for the year (learn to ride a bike, earn an A in math, etc.) and to draw a picture of his goal.

3. See which child can make the most words out of the letters in the phrase "Happy New Year." The winner gets a prize!

Plan an Adult New Year's Eve Party

1. Arrange a belly dancing competition for the male guests, to be judged by the female guests. Provide accessories each man can use to enhance his performance, including castanets, silk sarongs, veils and Arabian music.

2. Challenge your guests' creativity with the "Park Bench" game. Place two chairs in the center of the room and have one guest sit in each. The object is to get the other person to move off the park bench without touching him. This can be accomplished through an action, a statement or other creative methods, but the time limit is 1 minute.

3. Play an old standard game with a drinking twist. For example, "Twister" is a popular game that can be combined with a drinking challenge. Each time you fall, for instance, you have to take a drink, or each time "red" is called, everyone has to drink. Hasbro has a ton of new versions of old-school classic board games that can be used (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to inform your guests of potential games before they arrive, in case they need to dress more appropriately in order to move around.

• Avoid games that force strangers to mingle in a way that is too personal (i.e., touching each other or asking overly personal questions), as this can make guests feel very uncomfortable.

• Always assign designated drivers for guests who will be leaving at the end of the night. Many cities offer free or low-cost cab rides on New Year's Eve night, so check with your local newspaper or police department for details before heading out.

Resources

• Visit Hasbro.com for games galore