active games

  • Wink Murder

    Before the game begins, one person is selected to be the murderer, unknown to any of the other players. The murderer’s job is to kill as many of the other players as possible by making direct eye contact and then winking at them. A player who is winked at must wait five seconds, and then…

  • Smiles

    One person it chosen as ‘it’, and the remaining players spread themselves standing about the room. The chosen person is the only player allowed to smile, and it is their task to make as many of the others smile as possible. They can do anything they like to induce a smile, short of touching the…

  • Mafia

    This game requires a large group of people, divided into two factions; the innocent and the mafia. The innocents should outnumber the mafia at the beginning of the game, although the exact numbers for each team do not matter. It is recommended to have the mafia number a third of the innocents, although there should…

  • Find It!

    One person chooses a small item from the room and shows it to the other players. They all leave the room while the chosen person hides the object. The players are then invited to return and find it! When a player spots the object, they do not indicate where it is, but instead immediately sit…

  • Do You Love Your Neighbour?

    You need a large space for this game, and ideally should tidy breakable decorations away somewhere safe before beginning. Set out chairs in a circle so that there is one chair less than there are players. One person is chosen as ‘it’ and stands in the centre of the circle, while the other players sit…

  • Blind Man’s Buff

    Before beginning this game, it’s a good idea to move furniture back, and delicate ornaments to safe hiding places. One person is chosen as ‘it’ and blindfolded. The remaining players scatter about the room. After a count of 5, the chosen blind man begins walking (carefully!) about the room, trying to find the other players.…