How to Plan the Ultimate Games Night

Now that staying in is the new going out, throwing an amazing games night is super high on our list of fun activities to organize. Luckily you don’t need to be a professional party planner to throw an amazing games night, but there are a few ways that you can make sure your event goes down in history as one of the best games nights of all time. Take a look at these top tips to help plan and prepare your games night so that everyone has memories to last a lifetime! 

 
Board game

Everyone loves a games night! 

From choosing the games to making the food, I swear that half the fun of games nights is actually in the planning! 

Have a theme 

Now, this is not an essential part of the evening, but it really does add a lot of fun to the event if you can muster up the energy for it. It can be as simple as getting everyone to wear a silly hat, or it can be as elaborate as full-on fancy dress and party decorations. Once you have an idea of the theme you can then match your food, games, and entertainment to it. 

Make it comfortable

Board games and card games tend to need everyone to crowd around a table, so instead of trying to sit everyone at the dining table, move to the lounge and throw lots of cushions, blankets, and beanbags on the floor. Use a coffee table as the playing surface and make sure that everyone has somewhere comfy to sit. Lighting also plays a huge factor in comfort levels, so dim the main ones and use candles, fairy lights, and lamps to create a warm and inviting atmosphere and consider adding flowers and incense to make the room smell incredible. 

Choose your games 

It’s super important to choose games that are accessible to everyone so that everybody can join in. We are huge fans of games like The Taskmaster Board Game and DesignNest MagnetCubes Rollercoaster Marble Run, as these games are lots of fun and have no age limits. Games nights are also a great opportunity to make the most of any skills at your disposal – for example, if someone is a bit of a whizz at charades or thinks of themselves as a poker pro, have them teach everyone the basics to get things off to a good start. 

Monopoly board:Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels
Games nights are a great way for everyone to enjoy themselves 

Prepare games night food

It’s not a games night without a buffet of tasty treats and snacks to munch through! The best thing about games night is that the food will always be easy to prepare, as no one will be looking to sit down and have a whole meal. Stick to making finger foods that are easy to eat while you’re playing darts or poker, such as crispy chicken wings, halloumi fries, and chips and dip. Make sure you have plenty of wipes handy for any sticky fingers! Sweet treats such as popcorn, fruit platters, and candy are a great way to satisfy any post-snack dessert cravings, so ensure that you have that covered too. 

Choose the entertainment

Sure, you might be playing games but that doesn’t mean you should slack on the entertainment! Party playlists on YouTube or Spotify are absolutely essential for games nights. Either spend some time creating your own with your favorites, delegate the task to one of the participants or use a premade playlist to get those party vibes flowing. Towards the end of the party, when everything is winding down, it might also be worth having a movie ready to put on in the background. This will help to draw everyone’s attention which will give you the perfect opportunity to start putting the games away.

See! Half of the fun is in the planning! Whether you’re planning a huge games night or a quiet one for a few people, these tips will make sure that your games night will be the talk of the town.