Going out on a Saturday used to be our idea of a good time, but since having kids, staying home is much more our speed. It doesn’t mean we can’t still see friends and have fun it just means that a house party with the whole family makes more sense. Whether your home with your own crew or hosting a game night with family and friends, here are a few tips to host a Family Game Night with success!
How to Host a Family Game Night with Friends
This post includes affiliate links, games were provided by Hasbro Canada for promotional purposes. All opinions are my own.
1- Set The Date
If you are inviting guests, send an email asking if they can join you for game night. Be sure to let them know the plan for the night so they are prepared and can let their children know too. It’s more fun when everyone plays and your guests might like to bring a few of their favourite games too. Keep your guest list to just one or two other families, playing games with a large crowd can be tricky.
2- Pick games the whole family can enjoy
Now that you know who’s coming and how many guests, plan ahead and have a few games already picked out that everyone can play. Look for games that are fun for both children and adults, especially ones that can be altered to play in teams.
Here’s a few fun choices:
Jenga Pass Challenge – Take the classic Jenga game “”off the table”” with the Jenga Pass Challenge game. Stack Jenga wooden blocks on the platform to build the tower then remove one block at a time while holding one of the platform handles. It takes a steady hand when removing the blocks and passing the platform to opponents…be carefull or the Jenga tower will come crashing down! Be the last player to successfully stack a block and pass the platform without causing the tower to crash.
Hearing Things – Who knows what’s going to come out of your teammate’s mouth? The Hearing things game, Hasbro’s twist on the online viral “”Whisper Challenge”” sensation has you guessing what you think your teammate is saying by reading their lips. One player puts on the speech-cancelling electronic headphones and the other player says the random phrase shown on the card such as, “Pigeons like to cuddle” or “You’re the champ of the camp “. The game headphones limit the player’s ability to hear what their teammate is saying out loud, and the player has to figure it out to earn the card. This one is lots of fun and a good one to play with teams.
Speak Out Showdown -Speak Out Showdown is the electronic ‘head to head’ mouthpiece challenge game with ridiculous rambling and random interruptions. Players simultaneously try to get their teammates to correctly guess more correct phrases than their opponents, but the electronic interrupter unit’s hand randomly determines when it’s your turn to speak out and when it’s not! One player from each team sits in front of the unit and tries to say different phrases while wearing a speech-inhibiting mouthpiece that keeps their lips open. Their teammates try to guess what they’ve said when the hand is flipped down in front of them, indicating that it’s their turn to talk. The phrases on the cards utilize specific letter combinations that are hard to say without the ability to close their mouth. Cards are collected for correctly guessed phrases. This game is full of laughs and a bit of drool! It’s meant to be played in teams so it’s perfect for a group of people. Geared for ages 8 and up but younger ones can definitely do the guessing and play with some help reading.
Don’t Step In It – Be careful not to poop out while playing this hilarious game with messy consequences! Put on a blindfold, spin the spinner, and then take that many steps across the game mat. But watch out! Little piles of compound, molded in the shape of poop have been strategically placed on the mat. Sometimes players will have to add a poop, remove a poop, or even re-arrange the poops along the mat. Who can avoid the number twos to be number one to win? Geared for the younger crowd, it’s a fun one to get the kids up and moving. Be sure to remove socks before playing!
3- Game night doesn’t have to be at night
If you have children you might want to plan for an afternoon of games over an evening event. The afternoon might give you more time to play multiple games and not go late into the night.
4- Bring on the Snacks
It just wouldn’t be game night without some yummy snacks to munch on, but don’t go overboard cooking all day, the beauty of family game night is that it’s supposed to be casual and relaxing. You could consider ordering a pizza or asking everyone to pitch in for a potluck but keep it to finger foods and easy to eat snacks like chips/veggies and dip, popcorn, appetizers (try these sweet chili antojitos!) and maybe a fun candy buffet for dessert!
Big Brother Canada is hosting Game Night!
Hasbro is joining the Big Brother Canada House with games that are fun to watch, play and share! Each week, Hasbro will be awarding the Head of Household with a game (voted by Canada!) that will allow him/her to play with other houseguests throughout the season. This is HUGE because guests are not given much entertainment while in the House – so it should be loads of fun!
Last week’s game was Monopoly, pop over to the Big Brother Canada website to vote now on which game you think the houseguests should play next week. Tune in on Monday to see which game will show up in the HOH basket.
Excited to play Hearing Things, as it looks like lots of fun!
I would choose the Jenga Pass Game. It sounds like a lot of fun and excitement.
I’m most excited about playing Hearing Things, it sounds like a great game for the whole family to enjoy.
I’m most excited about Hearing Things Game because it sounds like a great game
They all sound like lots of fun. I’m most excited about the Jenga Pass Game. Thank you!
I would love to try Hearing Things or Jenga Pass and the grandchildren would love the poop game lol
I think Hearing Things would be a lot of fun! Thanks for the opportunity
Don’t Step In It really looks like a fun game especially with little kids.
Don’t Step In It would be hillarious….ha ha ha !!
Excited to play Hearing Things
I am most excited to play Jenga Pass!
I would love to try Hearing Things! I have heard that it is something much fun. Thanks!
Excited about speak out!
I am excited to play Jenga Pass!
I would choose the Jenga Pass Game sure sounds fun
I am excited to try hearing Things as I haven’t played it.
I love Jenga Pass.
I’d love to play Hearing Things which sounds like a lot of fun.
Speak out! Looks like so much fun!
Don’t Step On It sounds like it would be full of laughs!
Speak out looks like fun!
Hearing Things
I would love to play Hearing Things and the Speak out with the grandchildren.
they are at the stage where Don’t Step In It will amuse them to no end.
My kids would love to play Hearing Things!
I think it would be Hearing Things!
I excited for Hearing Things – I heard this was pretty fun to play
I’m interested in the new Jenga game – I have fond memories of that as a child.
I am most excited to play Jenga pass!
Jenga pass challenge looks like lots of fun but I think that Don’t step on it would provide some good laughs! We own speak out and love playing it, it’s always a surefire win for lots of laughs and fun!!
I would be really excited to play Hearing Things! All the games look so fun!
The Jenga Pass!!! thanks!
Im most interested in Jenga Pass Challenge.
I haven’t played any of these games yet! I am excited to try them all, especially ‘Speak Out’ It looks lile it would be a lot of laughs!
I’m excited to play the Jenga Pass Game
I’m would love to play Don’t Step In It
Looking forward to playing Jenga Pass Challenge.
Want to try Hearing Things most, think it would be lots of fun.
Jenna Pass Challenge sounds like fun.
I think Hearing things would be a really fun family game.
Don’t step in it looks hilarious! My kids think poop is funny so I know they’d love this! 💩
I am most excited to play the game Hearing Things , sounds like a great game and fun with the whole family , thanks for the chance 🙂
I’m most excited about Speak out. We’ve been debating getting a copy of that one.
(Jenga Pass Challenge looks like my kind of game
We adore Jenga so we are most excited to play the Jenga Pass Game!
I’m excited to play Hearing Things. it sounds hilarious
Hearing Things! My friend has that game & we played it on New Years Eve! It was so awesome & hilarious. SO many laughs!
I am most excited to play Jenga Pass Challenge
Don’t Step In It….my granddaughters have been laughing at the commercials. They get the giggles and really want this game. If I dont win I guess I’m heading to Walmart to get it. 🙂
I”m excited to play jenga pass challenge!
Bring on the Snacks is fun game to play with kids!
Tough choice but Don’t step on it sounds fun, we really want to play Speak Out though lol
excited to try speak out! Looks fun
Don’t step in it lol!
Don’t Step In It …can’t wait to try
I would be most excited to play Jenga Pass Challenge.
My kids giggle every time the Don’t step in it game commercial comes on so I think that would be the one we enjoy most
I am most excited to play Speak Out! But seriously these all look awesome!!! 🙂
Don’t Step In It sounds fun!
My kids are obsessed with potty talk, so they’d probably get a big kick out of “Don’t Step in It”
Curious to try jenga pass since we love jenga!
We would love to try Speak Out Showdown!
I am thinking my grandson would like the poop game a lot! lol
Don’t Step on it looks hilarious and I know my daughter would love it, I really want to try it!
Speak Out looks like a lot of laughs!!!
This is a game playing family and we would love any board games that we win. Thanks for the chance. The boys in the family would especially like the poop game.
I have never seen “Don’t Step In It”, would love to try this out
Hearing Things looks to be fun! my friends would have a riot playing this game!
Jenga Pass would be fun!
Jenga pass
Would love to play the Jenga Pass.
I think I would like to try Don’t Step In It
We love Jenga, so I’m excited for Jenga Pass
We are most excited to try Speak Out.
I am most excited to play Speak Out Showdown. We bought our nieces the original Speak Out game as a Christmas gift and my sister in law sent us some photos and videos of them playing – looked like so much fun!! Our kids have wanted the game ever since, so I’d love to win this version for us to play as a family. All the other games look like great fun too! We love playing games!
I am most excited to play Hearing Things.
I am most exited to play Speak Out , would be so much fun 😉
I’m most excited about playing Hearing Things
I would love to try the Jenga Pass Game
Jenga Pass Challenge
They all sound like lots of fun. I am most excited to play Hearing Things.
My kids really want to try Don’t Step In It
Hearing Things looks like it’d be the best!
We are most excited to play Jenga Pass.
Hearing things. I can see it being a hoot up at the cottage!!
We’re most excited to play Jenga Pass Challenge
Don’t step in it is something my daughter would love! 🙂
Would love to play Hearing Things
without a doubt, jenga pass!!
Hearing Things Game
I am excited to play them all, Jenga pass sounds like fun
I’m most excited for Jenga Pass Challenge
Hearing Things looks like fun.
i am most excited about hearing things, we love games in our house and i have not heard of that one yet, Looks so fun!!
I think Hearing Things sounds fun!
I am most excited to play Don’t Step In It,
I’d pick Speak Out
Don’t step on it looks funny
We’ve seen the commercials for Don’t Step on it and the boys really want to play this one!
Hearing things
My kids have been begging to try Speak Out, so we’d prob play that first 😉
Most excited to play Speak Out Showdown
I want to try the speak out game because I think it would be hilarious with my family!
Jenga Pass Challenge! w00t w00t!
Hearing things looks like a blast 🙂
We are most excited to play Jenga Pass
Hearing Things would be fun!
We would really want to play Speak Out
speak out looks fun as a barrel of laughs!
Jenga pass challenge
Hearing Things sounds like a lot of fun.
Hearing Things! Thanks for the chance
I think the Jenga Pass game would be a lot of fun to play
Jenga Pass Challenge
The Jenga Pass Challenge would be fun to play with my grandchildren, there be lots of laughs but hopefully no tears.
I’m most excited about Hearing Things Game because it sounds like a great game
I would love to play the speak out game.
Do t step in it looks gross and awesome for my son.
These games look halarious and fun! Really would like to play speak out and my boys would get a kick out of Don’t step in it.
Don’t Step In It sounds like fun
Most excited o play Jenga pass challenge.
I’d like to try out the new Jenga Pass Challenge.
I am most excited to play Jenga Pass.
Big fan of Jenga, so id be excited to try Jenga Pass.
excited totry the new Jenga game – we love the original!
speak out!
The new Jenga game looks pretty good!
Hearing things sounds fun!
i played hearing things at my moms house, it was pretty fun
Hearing things sounds like a fun game to play!
Most excited for Hearing Things
im most excited to play Jenga pass with my kids
My youngest son is really into Jenga and who doesn’t love an intense game of Jenga, so I’m most excited for Jenga pass.thank you so much for this giveaway
I would be most excited to play the game Hearing Things.
I’m most excited to play hearing things! I’ve never heard of that game before and it sounds really fun!
I’m excited to give Hearing Things a try. Looks like fun!
I would be excited to try hearing things, though my kids would likely vote for don’t step in it!
Jenga pass
I need games!
Jenga Pass Challenge
Speak Out looks so much fun!
Im most excited for hearing things
Don’t step in it!
Jenga pass.
Don’t step in it 😉
id like to try hearing things
I love Jenga, and would be super excited to try the Jenga Pass version!!!!
Don’t Step In It!
I am Excited about speak out
I would love to test out Jenga Pass.
HEAring things
I’m most excited about playing Hearing Things
dont step in it sounds hilarious.
Hearing things sounds like fun.
I would love to play Jenga Pass
Hearing Things & Jenga Pass sound awesome!
jenga
I think my family would really love the Hearing Things game!!
I’ d like to play Hearing Things!
Jenga pass is so fun
I would love to play Hearing Things.
don’t step in it probaby will bring lots of laughter
Hearing Things sounds fun :).Thanks!
I am sure my daughter will want to play “dont step in it”
Jenga Pass! I love family games nights!
Don’t Step In It looks like it will be lots of laughs
Can’t wait to play speak out.
I would love to play Jenga Pass Challenge.
Hearing things looks fun for the whole family!
The Jenga Pass Challenge looks challenging
We really want to play the Jenga Pass Challenge.
Jenga, it’s a classic! Always fun.
Don’t step in it! Don’t step in it actually looks like it would be a night of non stop laughter!
Hearing Things sounds like it would be an instant hit here!
Really want to try Hearing Things.