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Dinner with family is the most satisfying moment when you spend quality time with each other after a hectic day, discuss what happened, and relieve the exhaustion. You can make such gatherings even more memorable by playing family dinner games together and making the mood cheerful and light at the table.
Our post brings you a list of the best dinner games that can maintain a vibrant atmosphere and let everyone have utmost fun. Pick the games you think are suitable for your family. You may even improvise these games as per your requirements.
40+ Family Dinner Games
Make dinnertime fun with these family dinner games. Most of these require no preparation and are guaranteed to create some happy times during any reunion.
1. Gratitude alphabet
This is a great game for young children to learn the letters of the alphabet while also learning about gratitude. Gratitude is a trait that must be ingrained in children from a young age so that they appreciate the little things in life.
In this game, you have to select a letter of the alphabet, and the whole family has to think of things they are grateful for. For example, if the letter is B, you can say things such as, “I love Bananas,” or “I am grateful for the Bread on my plate.”
2. Storytellers
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This fun game will keep your family laughing for a long time. Each member must add a sentence to the story. By the time the last member adds their sentence, the story will be hilarious and absurd.
For example, you can start with the sentence, “Once upon a time, there was a cat.” The next person can say, “It went over the hills in search of food,” and so on. You can set a time limit or keep going until one of you finishes dinner.
3. 3, 2, 1 questions
Ask these three questions to learn more about any guest or family member at the dinner table. The questions include
- What are the three good things that happened to you today?
- What are two good things you hope to do tomorrow?
- What is the one thing you are grateful for?
You can change the questions according to your preferences. Ask questions such as “What three good things did you do for others today?” or “What one thing will you do tomorrow to help others?”
Quick tip4. Word association
This game can yield some funny results and keep you all in a good mood. The first member says any word that pops into their head. Then, the next player says the word that comes into their head the moment they hear the previous word.
For example, if the first member says ‘DOG,’ the next member says, ‘PLAY,’ and so on. No one should stop to think for a word. If they do, they are out of the game. You have to say the next word immediately.
5. Good and grit
This is a sure way to make young children and teens share about their day without being prompted. For this game, each person has to narrate a good experience and a bad experience.
This game gives your family members a perspective on the different things each person experienced during the day.
6. Impromptu speech
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Give each person a topic on the spot and ask them to talk about it for 30 seconds without thinking about it. You can select any random topic and watch as each member tries to talk their way through.
They cannot take a break. If a person pauses too often or uses fillers such as “uhm” or “ah,” you can tell them to stop and give the next topic to the next person.
7. What made you say?
Here is another game through which you can indirectly make your children share about their day with you. Ask them, “What made you say …?” The last word could be anything from “Cool” to “Huh.”
It is amazing how much information you can glean from your family by asking this easy question. You can go around the table, asking each person the same question with different last words.
8. Compliment
Don’t we all forget to give compliments to each other amidst our busy schedules? Ask each family member to compliment another person at the dinner table. Compliments positively influence both the receiver and the giver.
You can also encourage your family members to come up with their own compliments and make everyone feel more special.
Quick tip9. Jokes
If you have someone in your family who loves jokes, play this game at dinnertime. Each person has to share a new joke about their family members. You could even grade the jokes in a casual way.
You can make rules for the tone of the jokes. For example, you can ban vulgar, racist, ableist, or sexist jokes at the table so that everyone in the family feels included.
10. Name the movie or book
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Each family member says a popular line from a book or a movie that everyone at the table is familiar with. The other members should guess the name of the book or the movie from which it is taken.
This is a good way to know how much your children pay attention during a movie viewing or book-reading session. It can also encourage your children to read more books or watch quality movies.
11. What are you proud of?
This game is a good way to boost your family members’ self-confidence. Ask them this question at least once a week. They can share things they did over the week for which they feel proud.
You must make your children realize that no act is small. Helping others, rescuing an animal on the street, or simply finishing their chores can make them feel proud of themselves.
12. Conversation cards
Conversation cards serve as great conversation starters not only during family dinners but any get-togethers. You can get these cards from online stores or brainstorm with your family and make the cards yourself.
These cards include a question on each card. There are a variety of topics you can include so that everyone has something to talk about. “Do you think pineapple on pizza is good?” or “If you were to win a million dollars in a lottery, what would you do?” are some examples of the questions.
13. Would you rather?
“Would you rather?” is a popular game to play with people of all age groups. Regardless of whether your children are young or teenagers, you can easily make up age-appropriate questions to ask them.
Make a list of would-you-rather questions to ask each member or let everyone make one up on the go. “Would you rather have pizza or pasta? ”or “Would you rather be younger or older?” are some examples of these questions.
14. I spy
I spy requires nothing but a keen eye. It is easy to play this game anywhere, and it keeps everyone entertained. Each player selects something around the room and says, “I spy something _____ (a color).” The others have to guess what the object is.
As you progress, you can change the descriptions. For example, someone can say, “I spy something square,” or “I spy something heavy.”
15. Song time
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If your family loves music, they will love this game at dinnertime. All you have to do is to be up to date with popular songs. Hum any song that you like, and the others have to guess what song it is.
The person who fails to guess the right song has to sing a song aloud. You can even add karaoke sessions if your family loves singing.
Quick tip16. Famous person
Each person at the table has to select a famous personality for themselves. The person they choose must be familiar to all the family members. Do not reveal the name of the famous person in the beginning.
Each person should behave like the famous person they have selected throughout dinner time. In the end, guess the person each one is impersonating. It is similar to charades, but with a twist.
17. Two truths and a lie
Each member has to share three things about their day. Out of these, two should be truths, while one should be a lie. Then the other members have to guess the lie. This is a classic game that will help your children open up about their day. It will also help develop their imagination as they think about a lie that will fool others.
18. Word chain
This is another word game that will be a hit at the dinner table. All you have to do is pay close attention. It is a great tool to develop your children’s vocabulary.
You may start by saying a word, and the next person has to say a word starting with the last letter of the word you said, and so on. No person can take more than five seconds to think. You could even set categories for each round.
19. ABC game
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This game is similar to the word chain game. In this game, you have to say words in alphabetical order. For example, if you start with A for apple, the next person says B for ball, the next person after them says C for Cat, and so on. Try saying these words fast for more fun.
If your children are tweens or teens, you can say words that end in alphabetical order. For example, you say chiA, the next player says comB, the third says attiC, and so on.
20. Doctor
Children love playing with medical kits and pretending to be doctors. This game will give them a chance to become real doctors for a short while. For this game, one person who becomes the doctor has to step out of the room, and the others should discuss among themselves and decide on a disease each.
The doctor has to come in and ask questions to each ‘patient’ and diagnose their ailment. The first ‘patient’ who gets their ailment diagnosed correctly becomes the doctor for the next round.
21. Guess the ingredients
The person who has cooked the meal should list the ingredients they have used in each dish. Keep this list away from the other players. The other players have to taste and smell each dish and tell the ingredients present in them, right down to the different herbs and spices.
You can even blindfold the players and let them guess the ingredients. This game helps develop children’s senses of taste and smell and increases their appreciation of different flavors and smells.
22. Imitate
This game is straightforward to play and only takes a minute to set up. Put everyone’s names on pieces of paper and place them in a bowl. Take turns choosing a name from the bowl before your family sits for dinner.
Then, throughout dinner, everyone must sit in the seat of the person they choose and act like them. If you choose your own name, simply draw again to join in the fun. You can also write the names of characters from your favorite show, animals, or absent family members on the papers and pretend to be them during dinner.
23. Meal time adjectives
Expanding your vocabulary during a meal can be a fun game for families. The more amusing the words that the children can come up with, the more exciting it will be. And if you can develop some significant and fascinating words, this game might truly help your children learn.
Begin by selecting an item from your dinner, such as potatoes with gravy. One person should describe the food using an adjective. They can use words such as creamy, flaky, buttery, lumpy, and so on. Continue going around the table until you run out of adjectives to describe the food.
24. Taboo
List five to eight words that will be forbidden during dinner. Make sure everyone can glance over the list or give everyone a copy to use throughout the dinner.
When someone unintentionally says one of the forbidden words, they must take a token (printed and cut-out tokens, dice, coins, or beads are all acceptable). The individual with the fewest tokens at the end of dinner wins. You can also introduce a rule requiring the person with the most tokens to clean the table after the meal to double the fun.
25. Words and songs
This game can be played in groups or by individuals. You can write down various words or phrases on pieces of paper in a bowl. Pick a piece of paper, read it aloud, and have everyone jot down as many songs as possible that include the given word or phrase.
26. Colorful food
In this game, each family member describes the color of their food using imaginative comparisons instead of typical color names. For example, you might say, ‘The mashed potatoes have the gentle, pale glow of moonlight on freshly fallen snow.’
This game promotes creative thinking and offers a fun twist to dinner discussions. It’s a fun approach to experiment with the colors of your dinner in a new and amusing way.
27. Freeze
In this entertaining dinner game, choose one family member to be the ‘freeze caller.’ Their task is to call out ‘Freeze!’ at random times during dinner. When the command is given out, everyone needs to stop moving, regardless of what they are doing.
Imagine a situation where someone is cutting their meat, another is in the middle of a sentence, and someone else is in the middle of a hearty bite. As everyone freezes in fascinating and sometimes hilarious poses, there will certainly be plenty of giggles and spontaneous laughing.
28. Follow the leader
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Choose a ‘leader’ from your family for this fun dinner game. The twist is that everyone must imitate the leader’s actions while eating. It’s related to synchronization but with the bonus of following the leader.
Imagine that everyone at the table imitates the leader’s actions when they bite, sip a drink, or use cutlery. Leaders can be as imaginative as they want, creating an entertaining and unique dining experience.
29. Dinner Doodle
You can set out paper and markers at the dinner table for each family member. While eating, invite everyone to doodle, draw, or sketch whatever comes to mind. Take some time after dinner to discuss and share your artwork. The various creations that emerge will astound you. It’s a fun and original method to express yourself and start interesting conversations.
30. Dinner time capsule
You can keep a jar at the dinner table and encourage everyone to write down a brief message describing their future hopes, dreams, or objectives. Drop these messages into the jar as you’re eating the meal together. Choose a date to reassemble around the table, possibly a few months from now. Open the jar on this significant day and read the messages out loud.
31. Dinner scavenger hunt
Prepare an easy scavenger hunt for your family before dinner. Hide little objects or leave clues around the dining area. Then, during the dinner, distribute the list of items to locate or riddles to solve.
While you eat, work as a family to locate the undiscovered treasures or solve the puzzles. It’s a fun and interactive way to bond with your family while adding excitement to your meals.
32. Cookie face
This can be a perfect dessert-time game. Each player in this funny game leans back and places a cookie on their forehead. The goal is to get the cookie to your mouth and bite it without using your hands. It’s a silly challenge that will keep you entertained during dinner. Enjoy the humor and possibly a few cookie blunders as you tackle this fun task together.
33. Eat like a bird
String some Cheerios or similar cereal together for a fun dinner activity, and occasionally add raisins or dry fruits. Serve the delicious cereal before each player and have them consume it without using their hands, just like birds. Set a one-minute timer and see who can eat the most in that amount of time. It’s fun to eat dinner and engage in a little friendly rivalry.
34. Corn kernel hunt
Paint or color a single corn kernel and hide it among other kernels in a pot. Now for the twist: everyone in the group must use chopsticks to grab the distinctively colored kernel from the pot before time runs out. It takes precision, patience, and fine motor skills to pick out the exceptional kernel among the sea of ordinary ones.
35. Toothpicks
Distribute a large amount of toothpicks to everyone at the dining table. The aim is to spell out three-letter words without allowing any toothpick to break or bend,
You’ll be challenging your creative and problem-solving skills as you design words out of only straight toothpicks. Compete against the clock to see who can make the most three-letter words in the shortest amount of time.
36. Marshmallow word relay
Make flashcards with words or phrases and divide people into groups. The twist is that one participant from each team fills their mouth with huge marshmallows and attempts to express the word or phrase to their teammates. The rest of the squad must decode the muffled message. The team that successfully decodes the most words or phrases in the shortest time wins.
37. Feed your partner
Divide everyone at the dining table into pairs. One partner is seated on a chair, while the other is blindfolded and stands. The task for the partner wearing the blindfold is to spoon-feed the pudding to their seated partner. The seated partner can offer directions but cannot use their hands to assist in any manner.
38. Rescue the gummy bears
Begin by hiding a few gummy worms under a pile of frothy whipped cream on a plate. Participants are only allowed to retrieve the gummy worms with their mouths, and using their hands is not allowed. You can set a timer to keep the game exciting.
When the timer runs out, count the number of gummy worms each player has collected. Whoever has the greatest number of gummy worms wins.
39. Applestack
Gather your family and friends around the table, each armed with apples. The goal is to stack apples as high as possible, which is easy and difficult. The player who builds the tallest apple tower without it collapsing wins. This interesting and amusing game adds a new twist to dinner and provides a delicious reward for your efforts.
40. Lyrics twist
The game starts with someone humming or singing a song line. The lyrics must be continued by the following player in a style that is completely absurd or outlandish. The resulting songs can often be amusing, taking unexpected and funny turns.
41. Suck it up
Give each participant two plates, one filled with treats like M&Ms or Skittles and the other empty. Everyone must carefully transfer the candy from the full plate to the empty one using only their mouths and a straw.
The competition gets tougher as the clock runs out. Individuals must show outstanding control and precision to scoop up these delectable treats. When the timer goes out, count the candies on each player’s plate to determine the winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I encourage my family to participate in family dinner games?
Choosing age-appropriate games, explaining the rules clearly, setting a positive tone, offering incentives, and making it a regular event will encourage the family to participate, making the games more enjoyable for everyone and creating a fun and engaging family tradition.
2. How can family dinner games be used to build relationships?
Family dinner games can encourage open expression of thoughts and feelings, create shared experiences, encourage laughter and fun, work together as a team to complete a task, and build new dinner-time routines, which can foster deeper connections and create lasting memories.
3. How can family dinner games be adapted for families with members who have special needs or disabilities?
To adapt family dinner games for members with special needs or disabilities, modify the rules to simplify or accommodate their abilities. Provide visual cues and alternative communication methods, and create a comfortable sensory-friendly environment. Encourage teamwork and embrace flexibility and patience. These adaptations foster inclusivity, allowing all family members to participate and enjoy the games together.
4. How can family dinner games be used to encourage creativity and imagination among family members?
Engage in storytelling games where each person adds a sentence to create a collaborative narrative and inspire imaginative thinking. Incorporate drawing or doodling activities on placemats or paper to unleash artistic expression. Play word association games or create impromptu skits to add fun and innovation. Making family dinner games a platform for imaginative exploration can nurture creativity and strengthen family bonds.
5. How can family dinner games be adapted to include family traditions or cultural practices?
To include family traditions or cultural practices in dinner games, you may consider theme-based games, traditional storytelling, recipe exchanges, cultural trivia challenges, and incorporating customs and rituals. These adaptations foster cultural appreciation, intergenerational knowledge transfer and strengthen family bonds. By infusing games with cultural elements, family members can celebrate their heritage, deepen their connection to traditions, and create memorable experiences.
6. How can families with limited time or resources incorporate family dinner games into their routines?
Opt for quick and simple games that require minimal setup. Choose games that can be played while eating, such as conversation starters or “Would You Rather?” questions. Use online resources or smartphone apps for ready-made game ideas. Dedicate a specific monthly day or time for family game nights to ensure regular participation.
Adding some excitement to the dinner table, such as family dinner games, is a fantastic idea. After a long day of work and hectic schedules, there should be joy and laughter when family members finally gather at the dinner table. As the members amuse themselves with various games, the enthusiasm flows easily. So, experiment with word association, jokes, discussion cards, and a variety of other games, and make them a dinnertime tradition. Spending time together having fun at the end of the day can ensure that no matter how the day would have gone by, family members will revel in each other’s love and retire for the day with a grateful heart.
Infographic: Family Dinner Games
Family dinners are always a good way to spend quality time with our loved ones. In addition to the never-ending talks and sharing of food, we bring you a list of games you can include in the itinerary of your family dinner to double the fun. So, read on and pick the best from the lot. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Play the “Gratitude Alphabet” game before beginning your dinner.
- Gather yourself around the most narrative family members, as they are remarkable storytellers.
- Even the time at the dinner table could be fun when you play “Guess The Ingredients,” “Word Chain,” and “Would You Rather?
Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team
Gather around the dinner table and have fun with your kids! Here are ten games you can play with your family to make dinner time fun!
