While the kids are busy shakin’ their party shakers or rockin’ out to some Bingo Bonanza, the adults can have their New Year’s Eve fun, too.
Actually, everyone can have fun with this homemade game of 20 Questions.
No matter the crowd, when there’s a game to play, the mood’s lighter, there’s a little more laughter, and there’s a little more festivity in the air. 20 Questions is a super game for getting folks to chat, having kids listen and think , and practicing questioning skills.
This party game is seriously one of our faves. And our version is personal–so famous faces mix with familiar faces–and it’s a total riot.
20 Questions is a great, homemade party game or activity to pass a quiet afternoon at home.
Here’s the skinny. . .
It’s funny.
20 Questions With Kids–Homemade Party Game
Actually, everyone can have fun with this homemade game of 20 Questions.
20 Questions is the perfect game or activity to pass a quiet afternoon at home or a fun game for a Friday with friends. And in the era of instagram and social media, it’s the personal things like a homemade (or even print-at-home) game to bring back the good ole childhood days of impromptu get-togethers with pals or connecting with other humans on a deeper level.
I created this game last year to bring to a New Year’s Eve party with some friends, but we’ve pulled it out several times through the year. It’s fun.
And the kids totally love it more than throwing a movie on the screen.
How to play 20 Questions With Kids
1. Each player takes a turn grabbing a card from the pile.
That player then holds the card up on his or her forehead so that all the other players can see who or what is on the card but the player cannot.
2. The player holding the card tries to figure out the identity of the person on the card by asking close-ended questions to the other players, much like the questions in Guess Who?.
Here’s where 20 Questions come in.
Close-ended questions are questions that can be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. That’s it. So the player holding the card must be strategic:
- Is my person a male?
- Does my person appear on television?
- Is my person a child?
- Does my person have long hair?
- Is my person fictional or real?
And remembering the answer to each question will help determine the questions that are asked next.
What makes our 20 Questions Game Different
Our cards are full of fun, famous faces.
Oprah, Elmo, Taylor Swift, and Punky Brewster along with tons of other sports figures and familiar faces from kids’ programming.
But even more fun is adding friends and family to the cards.
We’ve added our kids’ faces, friends’ faces, teachers and coaches faces, and it’s all in good fun. Pulling a card out with a face that is actually at the party makes the laughter a bit more hearty and questions a little more hysterical.
We’ve added adults and children, babies and grandparents.
And it’s no secret–watching the expression on people’s faces as they recognize the people on the cards is priceless.
You Can Make Your Own 20 Questions Game
Our cards feature:
- Oprah
- Robert Griffin, Jr. III
- Caesar Milan
- Derek Jeter
- Joey Lawrence
- Snooki
- Jessica Rabbit
- Donald Trump (from way back when–before he was president and when he was still funny)
- Mario (from Mario Bros)
- Luke Skywalker
- Shrek
- Bullseye (dog from Target)
- Tyra Banks
- Kristen Wiig
- Carrie Underwood
- Jennifer Anniston
- Bradley Cooper
- Mike Tyson
- Darius Rucker
- Adam Levine
- George Clooney
- Matthew McConaughey
- Ryan Gosling
- Chevy Chase
- Channing Tatum
- Beastie Boys
- Denzel Washington
- Morgan Freeman
- Jamie Foxx
- Jennifer Garner
- Punky Brewster
- Snoop Dogg
- Faith Hill
- Albert Einstein
- MC Hammer
- Marilyn Monroe
- Michael J Fox
- Jennifer Lopez
- John Cusack
- Matt Damon
- Minnie Driver
- Michael Phelps
- Simon Cowell
- Tiger Woods
And remember, we also include: teachers, neighbors, family, friends, pets–you name it!
20 Questions helps kids of all ages to practice their questioning and thinking skills.
It’s a blast. Sometimes games like these–without a game board–make parties a ton more fun. And the set of cards is small enough to fit in a sandwich bag and throw in your purse or diaper bag for just about any day of the year.
Have a super party–wherever and however you celebrate!
Please share it, add your own, and have a blast wherever you celebrate the New Year or need an ice-breaker game. I’d be thrilled if you pinned this post, tweeted it, facebooked it, or emailed it to a pal.
Need some more fun New Year’s ideas?
Need some more fun New Year’s ideas?
Check out:
easy, homemade new year’s eve shakers
My kids love that app for a very similar game but a personalized one would be much more fun!
An app!? DO tell!!
This is a fabulous idea – i love it!! Pinned to make!
I’ll try to use it with my pupils .Thank you a lot
This sounds great. Definitely trying this game out with family.