Did you know that besides ‘HAVING FUN,’ there are many wonderful benefits of playing games? Next time you play a game, think about these assets and see if you agree.
Game playing increases your social skills, it’s physical activity that your body needs, enhances your hand – eye coordination, increases your learning ability, teaches sportsmanship and being fair, makes people HAPPY, helps patients with chronic pain to overcome their discomfort and actually Reduces stress. (Yeah, I like that benefit!) 🙂
Whether you are up for Crazy Eights, Video games, Monopoly, an adventuresome game of hide and seek with your kids, Twister, (gosh does that bring back nostalgic memories and the first four words that come to my mind are ‘awkward, boy- girl – party,’) 🙂 or a ‘Murder Mystery’ dinner party, playing games is not only fun and challenging but a great way to let loose and get to know one another.
THE FAMOUS PEOPLE GAME.…Maybe some of you already know this game but if not, I think you will really enjoy it. 🙂
This is one of my favorite party games of all times. (Whether at one of my ladies luncheons, an Afternoon Tea, an intimate night with friends over a scrumptious meal or a family gathering, it has always proven to be a winner!)
It’s easy, challenges everyone’s creativity, brings forth an abundance of laughter and can become quite competitive!
It is also a great Ice-breaker for guests who don’t know one another very well, as it helps to lower inhibitions as well as bring forth joy, creative thinking and good ‘old fashion fun.’ It’s hysterical to watch our friends and family members that we know ‘oh so well’ show an entirely ‘new side’ of themselves as the COMPETITION begins. 🙂 (I don’t even know myself sometimes when I am playing on a team and we are one point away from winning! 🙂 I go crazy! (Competition will do that you know?) 🙂
Are you ready? All you will need is your imagination, white peel off labels from Staples or peel off name tag’s, a Sharpie pen and a few door prizes.
If you have eight guests arriving to your party, choose a variety of eight famous people. (If you would like to play, ask one of your friends to think up a character for you and make you a name tag as well.) You can pick Hollywood stars, Entrepreneurs, Chefs, renowned authors, singers, musicians, Talk Show hosts,(anyone who is prominent and well known…) Also fictitious characters such as ; The famous Pillsbury dough boy, Superman, Spider man, Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings or Aslan the Lion from the wondrous C.S. Lewis movie, Chronicles of Narnia. It’s entirely up to you and your creative juices as you are the host or hostess of this entertaining fete.
Here are a few examples…. There are so many wonderful ideas out there depending on the guest list you have.
Once you have chosen your celebrated and notorious people you would like to use for your game, write their names down on your labels, large enough for everyone to read.
When you decide to start the Famous People Game, share with your guests the RULES and the game you will be playing. After you feel everyone understands, (there may be a few questions,) you can go around the room and peel off the label and place the name on the back of the person you have chosen to be that famous celebrity. Make sure they do not see “who” they are. 🙂 (I usually play this game after all of my guests have arrived and have gotten something to drink and have had a chance to mingle for awhile. (Before our meal.)
THE RULES!
Let everyone know that they can only ask YES or NO questions to the others at the party in order to get clues of “Who they are.” They can ask questions like, “Am I an author of best sellers?” “Am I a fictitious character?” “Am I dead?” “Am I a singer?” “Am I pretty?” “Am I handsome?” “Do most people like me?” etc… It is important that everyone who is participating only answers with a YES or a NO… Explain that the first three people who correctly guess “who they are” will get a prize. (That always brings out the competitive sides of people.) (I never knew some of my friends were so fierce in their pursuit of winning to acquire the prize.) 🙂 It was fun to watch! Keep playing the game until you have at least three winners. It’s OK to laugh, react or smile when you are finding out who each person is as some of the characters fit the personalities perfectly, while others celeb is totally opposite of who they are as a person. It is a delightful and entertaining game and sure to be a hit! (Oh and another rule to remember….If your home has a lot of mirrors, impress upon your guests that there is no looking over the shoulder in the mirror to see who they are….) 🙂 Get a little suspicious if anyone has a sudden urge to go to the, amply mirrored, ladies room. 🙂
The gifts you have for the winners should be creative but moderate. It really does depend on the guests and theme of your get-together. For instance, for one of my ladies luncheons, (because I love to do crafts) I had so much fun making the gifts…petite topiary trees with roses, floral baskets, decorated teddy bears, etc…Other gatherings, (if they are all ladies,) scented hand lotions, journals, body sprays, candles and picture frames are ideal. If you have a mixture of both men and women for your festivity, some ideas might be DVD’s, (you can find them for $5.00 at Wal- Mart,) CD’s, a decorative potted plant, a bottle of wine if they are wine drinkers or a table game, such as; Scrabble or Uno. You know your friends and family the best, so pick out the prizes according to their likings.
I hope you enjoy this game at your next get-together and let me know how it turns out! 🙂 REMEMBER to HAVE FUN!
***One last thought, If you are playing multiple games at your get-together, and you would like to only have “one winner” in this game, that is fine too.
PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture originated from.