Introduction
The golden years are always a blast, but what about the older folks in the crowd? There are plenty of family-friendly games out there targeted at people of all ages, but they sometimes require more physical prowess or some added equipment. A few tweaks on some existing games will make sure the birthday party continues to be a hit for us seniors.
What follows is a list of 8 fun games for seniors -– all you need to do is pick one! And if that’s not something you’re into, you can always opt for doing an on-site paint class or having your guests write their favorite memories of your dad on his wall instead.
And if you’re looking for some more classic game ideas for seniors, check out these incredible game night activities.
Senior Games For Birthday Parties
1. Name That Tune
This is one of the most popular senior party games out there, but it’s got a little something extra goin’ on. Instead of playing along to some random pop song, try playing the classically uplifting “Happy Birthday” song on your phone! It’s sure to put a smile on your friends’ faces while also tapping into your nostalgia.
2. Hide-And-Seek
This is a classic game that can be made exciting for an older crowd with a little bit of preparation. First of all, make sure your players are familiar with the area you’re playing in. For example, if you are in someone’s house make sure there are no stairs or hard-to-navigate hallways. If someone gets lost or hurt it could spell disaster for the rest of your party. Also, it might be best to ask anyone who wants to play if they have had any recent injuries -– just to preemptively rule them out.
3. Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Donkey
This classic children’s game never fails to get a laugh out of a room. Just make sure you have a large enough blindfold to cover the face of anyone playing, and perhaps have your guests take off their glasses beforehand. If all goes well, you’ll get a lot of fun responses from seeing how people ‘construct’ that donkey! I’m sure you know what I mean 🙂
4. Ring Toss
This is another simple game for seniors that can be made more exciting…but it’s a little tricky. In fact, I would say this is more suited for a large group of children that are around the same height. Also, you might want to check out my article on how to throw a fun birthday party.
5. The Prisoners’ Dilemma
This game was originally created for kids who are starting to grasp how to play video games, but you can easily adapt it for an older crowd too. It’s not difficult at all to set up -– just make sure everyone is sitting in a circle around the ping pong table/fishing rod/whatever you’re using. Then, give them each a few tokens and tell them to take turns placing their tokens on the table. When they’re done, count how many tokens each person has and send them back into their seats. The last person with tokens is the winner.
6. Spin-The-Bottle
Spin the bottle is a classic game that has been played for generations and generations, and it’s easy to see why. Don’t let your guests get away with giving you a lame excuse not to participate! The only things you need here are a bottle and some paper or tape. You can put pictures of celebrities or friends on the paper, or just have them write their name. Whatever you use, just make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottle too easily! If someone spins their own name they have to spin again, but if they land on another guest’s name they have to give them a kiss.
7. Charades Or Pictionary
This is another game idea that can be played by older people too, but it just takes some planning. First of all, you’ll want to make sure you get your guests involved in the game. If that means you have to sit out just show off your acting chops and cheer people on! You’ll also want to set aside some time for playing this game before everyone gets too drunk -– it can be kind of frustrating if at least half the room doesn’t know what’s going on! If you’ve got things like this sorted out then you’re ready to play.
8. Making A Mixtape Of Your Dad’s Favorite Songs
In this age of YouTube, mixtapes are a dying art, but you can still find them from time to time somewhere online. If you can’t find any it may be because your dad’s music wasn’t his specialty. That’s something you can change! You could always buy a mixtape if that’s what it takes, but there are plenty of other ways to create a similar mixtape! Something as simple as going through 3 of your dad’s old vinyl records and putting the songs onto ones and zeros would make for a nice surprise at the end.
9. Video Game & Board Game Night
Video game or board game night is a great way for your guests to get together and socialize. If you’re hosting an older crowd you can set it up to be more like a dance party -– with all the lights off, strobe lights, and music playing. You could even set up a dance competition and let the guests pick their favorites.
10. Non-Alcoholic Beer Pong
While we’re on the topic of pervs and alcohol, here’s a fun and exciting idea for your birthday party! You can always replace those ping pong balls with dry ice or something similar so you don’t have to worry about them bouncing everywhere. I haven’t tried this one before but it looks like it would be a lot of fun! The only two things you need here are ping pong balls and cups…and maybe some non-alcoholic beer if you’re going to try the next idea.
Conclusion
If you’re planning a party for your dad and you’re bored of all the usual ideas then perhaps one of these great birthday party games will fit the bill? Just remember that it’s not always about how fun the game is, sometimes it’s about how much fun the birthday boy gets out of it too! Of course, if he gets drunk and starts crying in your living room just remember his age….and know that at least you’re not alone in being surrounded by grownups who can’t handle their liquor!
That wraps up our list of ideas for seniors party games. If you try any of them out I would love to hear how they went! If you have any questions about this list or if you think I missed an idea, please leave me a comment below!