Game Night Ideas from Our Retirement Communities in Massachusetts

Jazz up your next game night with our fun suggestions!

There’s nothing quite like getting together the crew for a night of hilarity and competition with a game night! From board games to party games, and everything in between, there’s truly something for everyone. At our senior retirement communities in Massachusetts, we truly love a good game night! Here are some of our top tips for hosting an incredible game night!

Menu

When it comes to a fun and easy game night, keep snacks light and festive! While simple snacks like chips and dip, popcorn, pretzels, veggies and hummus and sodas are always great, we like to kick it up a notch. For an elevated game night, might we suggest a charcuterie and cheese board on theme? Use small cookie cutters to create bite-sized cheese shapes like houses for Monopoly, chess pieces, or cars for The Game of Life. Mocktails should be bright and colorful, like a mock-mimosa with orange juice, sparkling water, and a splash of grenadine or cranberry juice. We also love this blue mermaid lemonade for something even more colorful!

Set the Tone

A game night isn’t a game night without an awesome look! Food and beverages are important of course, but staging is equally important. Set up a communal area like a dining room or living room with comfortable seating, plenty of pillows, and blankets. For a night of smaller games, set up different stations around the room. Two chairs and a card table are perfect for chess or checkers. Floor pillows around the coffee table are perfect for a Scrabble tournament. Last but not least, be sure to have plenty of pencils, scrap paper, and markers for any score keeping, notes, etc.

Board Games

When it comes to classic games, we love picking 3-4 games to bring out and allow the group to pick from. Monopoly, The Game of Life, Operation, Sorry, and Trouble are still huge hits, but we suggest sprinkling in some less common ones. Think outside the box and add in a couple of newer options that everyone can learn together. Games like Really Loud Librarians, Exploding Kittens, Ticket To Ride, and Quixx can be a great way to add a little spice to the night!

Group Games

When you have a huge crew, crowding around a board game can be a little tough. And while setting up small areas around the room for one on one games is fun, sometimes a group game is exactly what is needed. Great games for this kind of event include the Heads Up app, Scattergories, charades, Exploding Kittens, Taboo, and Telestrations.

Video Games

We can’t have a game night without using a little technology. From active games like Wii Bowling to party games like Jackbox or Rock Band, there’s so many options for bringing in a little something extra for your game night. For smaller groups, even hosting a small video game tournament using Mario Kart, Super Mario Party, or Castle Crashers can be a raging time!

Bonding over games with friends and family is a truly wonderful way to spend a weekend evening, and a little friendly competition is great for creating memories. We hope you use some of these suggestions at your next game night!

If you’re looking to learn more about our wonderful retirement communities in Massachusetts, please reach out to our friendly team today!