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Party Games to Break the Ice

Having Fun Together Can be the Basis for Great New Friendships

Oct 14, 2008 Lesley Munnichs

Whether some of your guests are new to the neighbourhood, school or club sometimes we need a helping hand to get to know one another.

No particular equipment is needed for these games apart from clothespegs. Also, they can easily be played outdoors if it's a squeeze inside the house.

Pinch the Peg

You'll need three clothespegs for each player.

players attach the pegs to the hem or sleeve of their shirt or blouse
at the count of three everyone tries to steal the other players' pegs but before they can grab the peg they have to announce whose peg it is by saying (loudly) the person's name from whom they're taking it
when a player gains a peg they must attach it to their own shirt, blouse or sleeve
players mustn't push away hands or protect the pegs but they can run, twist, turn, dodge or flee
the game can be timed eg played for say 15 minutes, or until someone has had all their pegs stolen
the player with the most pegs wins. And with all the shouting happening, everyone has learned everyone else's name.

Hang on Tight

You'll need an even number of players for this game.

write each player's name on a scrap of paper and put all the pieces of paper into a bowl. Draw out players' names two at a time to create pairs. If the players aren't too shy and it's a mixed party you could draw out one male and one female name to form the pair
each pair stands back to back and join hands
the game begins on the count of three
players must lower themselves down until they are sitting on the floor each pressing against the back of the other and keeping backsides touching and hands linked the entire time
then they attempt to get back up to a standing position, again keeping their backsides touching and hands joined.

The first pair to finish wins.

Statues

Any number of participants can play this silly fun game.

Choose a player to be the Statue. That player leaves the room while the other players agree on a statue pose eg lunging forward as if with a sword, sitting crossed-legged with hands in lap Budda style
then the player who is the Statue returns to the room and begins slowly moving arms and legs. If he/she gets part of the pose correct the other players shout their name loudly. If, for example, someone named Kevin was the Statue the other players would shout "Yes, Kevin, Yes" as his pose gets closer to the correct one. If the Statue's pose isn't close to what it should be then the other players remain silent
the Statue must keep moving, trying different combinations, until he has the correct pose, at which time all the other players can cheer madly
play as many times as there are participants so everyone gets a chance to be the Statue, and of course everyone gets to learn their name.

After more ideas? Try Best Ever Games.

The copyright of the article Party Games to Break the Ice in Entertaining is owned by Lesley Munnichs. Permission to republish Party Games to Break the Ice in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.