Team Game Ideas for a Party

Team games can help party guests interact and get to know each other. You can play fun indoor or outdoor team games that are appropriate for children and teens. Some games designed for children and teens can also be adapted for adults. Keep the size of your guest list in mind when planning which team games to play.

Choose from a variety of silly relay race ideas for your outdoor party, dividing party guests into teams of two or four. Try the classic three-legged relay race, in which two people have to tie a right and left leg together and try to walk or run to the finish line.

For a fun variation on that idea, try the “Balloon Sandwich” race, in which two players must reach the finish line while holding a balloon suspended between their backs. If the balloon falls or pops, the team must return to the starting line.

Other relay race ideas include the egg balance, in which racers must keep an egg balanced on a spoon while they race to the finish line, and the blind obstacle course, in which a blindfolded player’s partner or teammates verbally direct him around cones and obstacles to help him reach the finish line.

Divide the party guests into groups of three or four for this silly game. Find large sheets of paper and a few markers for each team, and set the paper up outside on a driveway or in another place where accidental marks will not cause too much damage.

Each team selects a player to be the "blind artist." This role can rotate between players after each round, so that each guest gets a chance to draw. Teammates blindfold the chosen "blind artist" with a bandanna, and then both teams begin directing that person to draw certain images.

Give each round a theme, such as zoo, ocean or school. Teammates can instruct the artist to add certain details or images, such as a lion, turtle, teacher or tree. Compare drawings after each round.

A common girls' slumber party variation of this game is "blind makeover," in which blindfolded players attempt to makeover their friends.

This game offers a fun variation on common party games such as password and charades, and can appeal to children and adults alike.

Have each party guest write three nouns on scraps of paper. The nouns can be places, movies, books, famous people, objects and more. Place all the nouns in a large bowl or container.

Divide the group into teams of three or four players each. The teams will alternate turns throughout the game.

In Round 1, players have one or two minutes to draw nouns from the bowl one at a time, describe them and try to get teammates to guess as many as possible. Teams take turns until each player on each team draws and describes nouns. Teams get one point for each noun guessed correctly. Return all the nouns to the container for Round 2.

Round 2 proceeds in the same way as Round 1, except players now try to get teammates to guess a given noun by saying only one word. Players must try to remember the nouns from the previous round to help them guess correctly.

In Round 3, players must get teammates to guess a given noun by acting it out.

You can add a fourth round, if you wish, that involves drawing the noun.