Grown Up Game Night

As y’all know, we are big gamers around here. Ever since the boys could hold a game piece, we’ve been playing them all – card games, strategy games, party games, and the classics.

We still relish a family supper with a board game, and we played quite a few this summer. But recently we started talking about roping in some of our grown-up friends for a game night. And… we finally did it!

We already have a little group that meets for dinner out every couple of months, so this time we offered to host at our place, keep it casual, and play games. The response was mixed – some hesitation at first -but everyone was “game” to try something new.

The Food & Drinks

To keep things easy, I didn’t want anyone to have to bring a thing. We ordered pizza and salads for the main course and I set up an appetizer grazing board. My inspiration? Childhood favorites, all grown up. Think PB&J, cheese & crackers, rice krispie treats, and a mix of homemade and store-bought nibbles. Everything was served on the giant board Honey cut to fit our kitchen island years ago. And, down the center of the board I used my collection of letter dishes to spell out GAME ON. It turned out to be the perfect icebreaker – everyone gathered around, snacked, and got pumped for the main event.

We also set up the bar with our homemade margaritas, wine, a variety of bourbons, and plenty of non-alcoholic options. Something for everyone!

Grown-Up Game Night Menu

I made everything in advance the day before. The only difficult part was not eating it before the main event!

• Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
• PB&J Bars
• Sausage & Dip
• Jalapeno Cheddar Crackers
• Whipped Goat Cheese
• Sourdough with Butter and Honey

Those were supplemented with…

• Blue Cheese Olives
• Pistacios
• Sliced Cheese
• Veggies: Grape tomatoes, celery sticks, mini cucumbers
• Crackers: Assorted

The Games

I didn’t have a strict plan in place, but here’s what worked really well. Honey went through our massive stash of games and laid a bunch of options out on the dining room table. I wrote everyone’s name on slips of paper, tossed them in a bowl, and pulled them one by one. When your name was pulled, you got to pick the next game! It gave us such a fun variety of options and ensured everyone was comfortable with at least one game. A couple of things I learned for next time:

• Only put out games that can be played with the number of people you have (no 4-player max when you have 6).
• Skip anything that requires a long rulebook or too much strategy – the goal of game night is fun, not stress!

We kicked things off with Scattergories (always a blast), then had Monopoly Deal and Telestrations on deck. All solid choices that had us laughing and competing late into the night.

Favorite Games for Grown-Up Game Night

If you’re ready to host your own game night, here are a few tried-and-true favorites that keep things light, easy to learn, and fun for a crowd:

• Scattergories – Classic quick-thinking game that always brings out the laughs.
• Monopoly Deal – All the fun of Monopoly, but faster and easier. (use 2 decks for more than 4 players)
• Telestrations – A hilarious mix of Pictionary and Telephone.
• Codenames – Word game that’s great for teams.
• Catch Phrase – Fast-paced guessing game, perfect for groups.
• UNO Flip – A fun twist on the classic UNO.
• Heads Up! – Charades-style party game (bonus: app-based and easy to play anywhere).

The Best Part?

It was such a hit that both couples immediately volunteered to host the next two game nights. I’d call that a win! Sometimes the simplest evenings – pizza, a grazing board, a few drinks, and some games – turn out to be the most fun. I can’t wait to keep this tradition going.

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