Tips for a Fun Board Game Night for Adults

Whether you're tired of the added expense for a baby sitter, or you're looking for an alternative to movies or other nights out, board game night in is the way to go. It's easier than you think to throw a fun game night party for adults. This guide will help with basic tips, game selections, and food and décor ideas.

The optimal number of players is usually four to six. If your guest list is longer, splitting up to play different games at the same time is an option. Try to assign people to different teams for each game so everyone is mingling, and winning teams don't start a streak of dominating every game that night. Nothing puts a damper on game night than a one-team dynasty. It also helps if you can keep everyone in the same room, either on card tables or around one TV.

A good mix of games includes a trivia game, a simple card game and a board-less game. The best way to break the ice at a game party, while also ensuring a variety of games, is to ask your guests to bring their favorites. That way, at least one person had played the game before and can quickly explain the rules. However, most large chain stores have a great selection of games, and you can always find games at online stores.

While most people are familiar with Trivial Pursuit, there are now a host of trivia games on specific TV shows, movies or decades of pop culture on the market. These are obviously more fun if most of the guests have the same interest of knowledge of the topic. Scene It? is a great trivia game with some questions on cards and some questions following a DVD clip. This allows players with less knowledge of the topic a more even playing field. There are several editions on general TV, movie and sports trivia, as well as Scene It? Friends, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Harry Potter and Twilight.

A round of Uno, Sequence or another simple card game breaks up the intense thought of trivia games and gives guests with less memory of facts a chance to shine. While Uno the card game is fun and easy to play, there are Attack, Spin and Flash editions that switch up the game a little bit. Each of these games builds on the basic Uno format with a twist of a new way of delivering cards.

To further loosen up guests and appeal to different strengths, a board-less game like Scattergories, Outburst and Cranium completes the mix of games. Scattergories will delight friends with word skills, Outburst is a trivia type of game that rewards shouting out answers and Cranium has players hum, sculpt, sketch and solve puzzles to win. Choose games that appeal to you, and that you think will match the personalities of your guests.

Pick up games at garage sales and resale stores to use as decorations and serving pieces. Since you'll be sitting around a table or TV to play the games, keep table top décor to a minimum. A few glass cylinders in varying heights from the dollar store filled with dice, checkers, dominos or game pieces from games that you won't be playing that night will be plenty. Look for games with cups that can hold forks and spoons, boxes for game cards that can hold napkins and actual game boards that can be cut up for coasters or mats for serving dishes. A Twister mat can double as a tablecloth.

For the same reason that you want to keep décor uncluttered, food and drinks should be simple enough to eat while shouting, talking, gesturing, holding cards and otherwise playing games. Cheese bites, salami slices and round crackers are a great way to suggest game chips. You can bake brownies in cupcake pans (be sure to grease the pan with non-stick spray) for easy to eat brownie bites. Another easy crowd pleaser is sweet and sour meatballs - frozen meatballs cooked and placed in a crock pot with your favorite sweet and sour sauce. Popcorn or trail mix is also easy to make and easy to eat while playing games.

By choosing one type of game, you can narrow your game night theme. For example, you can have a kid's game night with Go Fish, Candyland and Twister. Other themes are games with a deck of cards (poker, crazy 8s, euchre) or around a specific decade of pop culture. You can then build your menu and decorations around the theme. For example, at a kids game party, you could serve Goldfish crackers, pretzel twists and, of course, candy. For cheap decorations, buy coloring books and clear plastic serving ware at a discount store, color the pages, and adhere to the serving ware with craft glue so that the colored side is facing the back of the serving dish.

No matter what games you choose or what snacks you serve, game night in can be a lot of fun. With a little planning and some creativity, you can host a game night party that will be a success.