Ice Breaker Party Games

The object of any ice breaker party game is for the party guests to get into the swing for the fun activities ahead.

You, as the host, hold the power to change the rules or boundaries of these games at any time to keep them balanced.

Check out these great ice breaker party games - there's a lot of fun to be had and...

We want as much laughter and fun as possible!

The games marked with the red star are my kids' favourites.

The Missing Guest

All of the guests stand in a circle with one chosen person in the middle. That person is given five seconds to memorise who is there before being blindfolded. Everybody else mingles around the room except for one guest who sneaks out. The blindfold is removed from the person in the middle who then has a minute to reveal the identity of the missing player.

Tip the Lemon

Objects needed: Spoons, lemons

This is an ideal game to paly while guests are still arriving. It is a contest between two standing players, both of whom hold a spoon in either hand. The right spoon contains a lemon. The aim is to knock off your opponent's lemon while keeping yours intact. You can have as many rounds as you wish or, for the truly sporting, the whole event can be staged in the form of a knock-out tournament.

Ha Ha Game

Have all the party guests lay down side by side on ground or floor. The first player lays the back of their hand on next player's stomach and that player lays the back of their hand on the stomach of the next to them and so on. The first person in line is to laugh one "HA". The next person in line is to laugh "HA HA" (twice). The third person is "HA HA HA". And so on ... you get the idea. Any player that breaks out into a giggle is out of the game and the remaining players fill the gap. The last one to giggle, wins.

How Many?

Objects needed: Various household objects

In this guessing game, players are shown a series of items on a table and have to estimate specific information about each object without touching it or picking it up. This could include:

The number of paper clips in a half-empty pack The number of cards in an incomplete pack The number of beans in a jar The number of pages in a closed book The number of elastic bands in a pile.

Naturally enough, the player with the closest guesses is the winner.

Hidden Agenda

Objects needed: Small object, stickytape or safety pins, pencils, paper

Prepare a list of a dozen or so small items - things like a button, a paper clip, an elastic band and a feather. On arrival, one of the objects is pinned or taped to each guest. The best places are visible yet difficult to spot immediately, such as on socks or belts or under collars. The players are then given copies of the list of the items they have to search for and they then circulate, examining their fellow guests and, upon discovery, writing down the object next to the name of the person on which it was hidden.The winner is the first person to locate every object or, if you prefer a short game, the one with most correct answers in five minutes.

Next in Line

Have your guests seated in a circle and ask them to call out their first names. The host, who is in the middle of the circle, points at one of the players and demands, 'Who's Next?' If the host pints with the right hand, the player must immediately call out the name of the person to their right; if the host points with the left hand, it must be the person to the player's left. The second player repeats the process, pointing to someone else in the circle with either hand. The same rules of right and left apply. And so the game continues at a frantic pace. Any player guilty of going in the wrong direction or forgetting a name is disqualified.

Open the Gum

Objects needed: Clean garden gloves (or rubber gloves), packs of chewing gum

Divide the party group into teams e.g. if you have 12 children, then three groups of 4. Each team will receive one pair of new garden or rubber gloves and one pack of gum (individually wrapped). On "Go", the first player is to put on the gloves, open the packet of gum, pull out a piece, unwrap it, chew it, and then pass the gloves to the next player. The first team to complete the task wins.

Open the Box
Objects needed: wrapped gift, oven mitts, hat, scarf and dice.

The objective of this game is to open a gift wrapped in several layers while wearing oven mitts, a hat and scarf. Wrap up a small gift then wrap this box in a succession of larger boxes. Get everyone in a circle and put the box containing the gift in the middle. Choose a number. Using a pair of dice, roll the dice. Each person gets one roll then passes the dice. When someone rolls the number chosen, they have to put on all the clothes (coat, hat, scarf, mitts) and try to open the box. In the meantime, another number is chosen and the remaining players continue to roll the dice. The person wearing the dress-ups keeps trying to unwrap the gift until a new person rolls the new number.

Silly Socks

Objects needed: Lots of socks and two blindfolds

Two children at a time play this while the others cheer them on. Two players sit on the floor with their shoes off, and the pile of socks between them. They can each pick one sock and have it ready to pull onto their foot before being blindfolded. The host's job is to keep track of the time. When the host gives the signal, they have one minute to see who can put the most socks on one foot! There will be grabbing and pulling for socks. This game is hysterical! After one minute, have the two children stop & begin counting how many socks each one has on their foot. Then have the next two children play. If you want, there can be a play-off until you have one winner & a prize.

In My Suitcase

In this memory game, players have to recite an ever-lengthening list of items in their suitcase for a holiday. The players sit in a circle and the first may announce: "I packed mysuitcase and in it I put...."a pair of swimmers". Then player two might say: "I packed my suitcase and in it I put ..."a pair of swimmers and a towel". And so it continues, with anybody who forgets an item or gets it in the wrong order dropping out. The game ends when there is only one word-perfect suitcase packer left.

Balloon Roll

Objects needed: Balloons

Players are split into pairs and each pair is given a balloon. They stand facing each other with the balloon wedged between them at waist height. No hands may be used, the balloon being held in place by body pressure. Each pair have to turn three complete circles on the spot while keeping the balloon between them. If a balloon is dropped, it may be picked up by hand but it means they have to do an extra turn. Any couple who burst their balloon is automatically disqualified.

Pass the Jaffa

Objects needed: Jaffas

Players are divided into two teams which stand facing each other, about a metre apart. Each team member stands with their wrists crossed in front of them so that they're clasping the opposite hands of the people on either side. At one end of each line is a small table with bowls of jaffas (one per team member). At the other end is another small table, this time empty. The game begins with the first player in line taking the hand of the player next to him or her and using it to pick up a jaffa. The second player passes it to the third player in similar fashion and it continues down the line until the last player, who has one hand free and puts it a bowl on the table at the other end. Meanwhile, more jaffas have begun their journey from the top table. Players must keep their hands clasped to their team mates at all times and are not allowed to move their feet - although they may twist, bend and squirm their arms, legs and bodies where necessary. If a clip is dropped at any stage, the umpire picks it up and puts it back on the top table. The first team to transfer all its jaffas to the bottom table wins the game. You may use apples, oranges, or any other object for this game.

Ping Pong Puff

Objects needed: ping pong balls

Played on a long table with a ping pong ball, it's just like the real thing except there's no net and instead of using bats, the players use plastic straws to move the balls. Players are divided into two teams who position themselves on opposite sides of the table. A ping pong ball is dropped into the middle of the table and the players have to try and blow the ball over the opposite edge which their opponents are defending. Each time they do so they score a point, the first team to reach 21 points being the winner. After each point, the ball is replaced in the centre of the table. Players must keep their hands behind their backs at all times.

Obstacle Course

Objects needed: Blindfolds, various large objects

This is a great practical joke game and sure to produce some loud giggles. An obstacle course is laidout (preferably outside on the lawn). You can use obstacles such as chairs, marbles, rope, large bowls or containers, rocking horses... whatever you can find to make it interesting. Players are led around the course once (without blindfolds) before being taken away to another room and blindfolded. In their absence, all of the obstacles are cleared away. Blissfully unaware of what has happened, the first blindfolded volunteer is brought in and taken gingerly around the non-existent course by one of the other party goers. After stepping delicately over thin air and ducking under imaginary dangers, the poor victim is finally told that the ordeal is over. Only when the blindfold is removed does the player realise what has happened! The victim is redeemed as it is their turn to lead the next unsuspecting player through the imaginery obstacle course.

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