25 Fun Games for Tweens to Try this Year

Spin and Dare:

Spin and dare is a play on two popular teenager games: Spin the Bottle, and Truth or Dare. With this cool twist, it’s great fun for tweens to try out and feel cool or grown-up. First, the participants write some fun and interesting dares onto sheets of paper—if you want some fresh ideas, there’s a collection of creative dares to ask that can spice things up. Then those are all tossed in a hat. You start by spinning a bottle, as expected, but the game deviates there. Whoever the bottle is pointing at when it’s done spinning has to grab a piece of that paper and do whatever the dare says. Then they can go spin and make someone else do the next dare!

 

Scavenger Hunt:

Scavenger hunts can be fun for all ages, and tweens are included in it. We have talked about scavenger hunt ideas before, as they are perhaps the easiest fun party games for tweens, young adults, and grownups to organize. As a matter of fact, you can include a scavenger hunt in any event you organize, whether it is a team-building exercise or a family game night on a cozy Saturday afternoon. For this particular game for tweens, you should put the group of kids into teams and give them a list of things they must find. You can have them bring things back, take photos on their phone, or otherwise prove their finds at the end. The team who checks the most off of the list is the winner.

Some of my best memories as a tween were doing mall scavenger hunts, and lots of my friends did this for their birthday parties. They are so easy to make really, really fun!

 

Pass the Fruit:

This is a fun game that utilizes teamwork again. You grab a piece of fruit, whether an apple, orange, lime, or something else. The purpose of the game is to get that fruit from one player all the way to the other end of the line. What makes this so fun (and difficult!) is the fact that you are not allowed to use your hands in any way to pass the fruit. Great fun and it results in tons of laughs. You can consider this one of the best games for teens, tweens, kids, and adults that you can play as a circle game as well.

 

Who am I:

A popular game for tweens, teens, and adults is “Who am I?”. Someone writes down the names of celebrities onto index cards. Then each person has a card attached to them, somewhere they can’t see it. This could be on their back or forehead, anywhere is fine. Now they get to have fun by figuring out who they are. They can ask questions, and it usually results in a funny situation as everyone tries to figure out who they are.

 

Uno:

Uno is a game that most have played, and it can be fun for all ages. You can pick it up on Amazon for just a few bucks, and it’s perfect for any size group. The rules are fairly simple and boil down to getting rid of all the cards in your hand. Of course, doing so turns into a race and competition that most love. You can find a complete list of Uno rules online.

 

Murder in the Dark:

This game involves slips of paper and a great sense of imagination. Prep is simply writing “murderer” on a slip of paper, “detective” on another, and “suspect” on all the rest. So far, it sounds very much like a Mafia game to play with your grownup friends, but for teens and tweens, you need to add a twist. Everyone takes one but does not show it to anyone. The game starts with lights going out, at which point the murderer finds people in the dark and taps them on the shoulder. The murdered people drop to the ground, complete with dying noises. This continues until the detective is “dead”. At that point, the lights come on and the detective must decide who the murderer was.

 

Airplanes Go:

Airplanes go is a fun activity that combines creativity with competition. Those taking part in the game make their own paper airplanes with paper, markers, stickers, and whatever else is around. Once everyone is done, they all stand in a line outside. A referee will call out “Airplanes, Go!” at which time the tweens can throw their planes. Winners can be those whose planes go highest, travel farthest, etc. Keep in mind to select this game if the tweens in question are on the low end of the age range. Older kids will dismiss your idea of making paper airplanes, pull out their phones or tablets, and play online.

 

Nail Polish Spin:

The best games for teenage girls (especially for a sleepover party) always include Nail Polish Spin. This is another game based on Spin the Bottle (without its default adult content and innuendo), and it is specific to all-girl groups. In order to play this game, you need some wild and crazy nail polish colors. Whoever is spinning chooses a nail polish bottle and spins that. Whoever it points to when done has to paint a nail the color in the bottle. Then she spins a different bottle for the next girl to paint onto a nail of her own.

 

Marco Polo:

Everyone loves a good water game! This one is a classic and makes a day in the pool even more fun. One person is designated Marco while the rest of the participants are designated Polo. Marco covers his eyes and counts to ten while all others try to get far away, without leaving the water. Marco then starts to search by shouting out “Marco”, keeping their eyes still closed. The Polos must all yell back “Polo”. Marco makes his way toward someone, and this is repeated until Marco tags someone. That person is turned into the new Marco and the gameplay starts over.

 

Scrabble:

Scrabble is a game that is great for tween kids. It works on improving the player’s vocabulary and spelling skills. The game is available here for a very reasonable price if you don’t have it around the house somewhere.

Players randomly select letter tiles and use their brainpower to put together words that will give them the most points. It’s a great game for strategy lovers or that budding English lover in your family. Scrabble is also an amazing 2-people board game to play with an adult friend or family member. The really smart ones who love a challenge and have a penchant for foreign languages can also play it in a foreign language to make things even more entertaining and hard.

 

Lottery Fun:

Lottery fun is a great game for parties that will include gift bags. Each person who comes in the house picks up a lottery ticket, which can be handmade prior to the party. Each card corresponds to a particular prize bag. These can be filled with candy, toys, prank items, and more. Each child wins something, and it can be made into a fun reproduction of the actual lottery if wanted! This is one of those fun party games for tweens that mix the concept of child play with more mature concepts to make them feel older.

 

Obstacle Olympics:

The Obstacle Olympics is a great way to get tweens moving and can utilize items you already have in your home. You simply construct an obstacle course around your yard or home. You can include things like tables, chairs, ropes, balls, and more. Make up an instruction for each (such as performing a yo-yo trick for five times in a row, or running under a table on your knees). Explain the instructions, divide the kids into teams, and send them off. The competition will be fun to watch and the kids will get rid of some energy while they play.

 

Flashlight Tag:

Who doesn’t love a good tag game? This game is fun for late-night parties and is best to organize in a big backyard or other outdoor places. Pick someone to hold the flashlight and choose a base that everyone knows. Everyone without a flashlight runs off while the person with the flashlight counts down from sixty seconds. When the time is up, the one wielding the flashlight sets off to find the others. He or she calls their name, and they must go back to the base. Others can rescue them by sneaking to the base and touching the people there. The game continues until the person with the flashlight has found everyone!

 

Cheat:

This card game is great for tweens and only requires a regular set of cards. It’s played almost exactly like the game “BS”, but adapted to a younger audience.

You take the cards and deal them evenly to all players. The way to win is to be the first to get rid of all your cards. Gameplay works by laying down cards after saying what they are. You can use any combination of cards, so if you say “four”, you could lay down two twos, four aces, or an ace and a three.

What makes the game fun is you are encouraged to cheat. For instance, you could lay down four cards, claiming they are four kings when really they are two kings, an ace, and a six. If someone calls out “Cheat!” your cards are checked. If you cheated, you take the pile of cards. If you call cheat but are wrong, you take the pile. If you need more inspiration on the best card games to play with adults, teens, tweens, and kids, check out our ultimate guide right here! We’re sure you’ll find something for small to large groups!

 

Jenga:

Jenga is a great game that revolves around subtlety, teamwork, and physics. The game consists of wooden blocks that are stacked up together. The goal? To pull out a block, without tipping over the tower, and then place it onto the top of the tower. You have to be steady and concentrate in order to win, but whichever team doesn’t bring down the tower reigns supreme. You can play with the whole family for a family game night!

 

Balloon or Blow:

This one is fun and has been around for years! With Balloon and Blow, all you need is a pack of long skinny balloons and two teams. Each team leader gets a skinny balloon that is already blown up. They take the balloon and grasp it between their knees in order to hold it up from the floor. When the ref says “Go”, each team works at getting the balloon down the line. This is done by passing the balloon from knee to knee, without touching it with any other body part or breaking it. Breaking the balloon starts the process over for the team. Whoever gets the balloon from the first person to the last without dropping or breaking it gets the win!

 

Tricky Ball:

For those who love ball games and sports, this one is sure to be a treat. It starts with a group of players in a circle a few feet apart from each other. The ball starts in someone’s hands, and it is passed to the left as quickly as possible. If someone misses the ball or drops it on the ground, a handicap is added. For the first, the person must only use one hand from then on. The second time, they must use the other hand. Third, they must kneel on one knee but can use hands again. Fourth, both knees must hit the ground but all hands are in play. The last two you would stay on your knees but lose one hand, then the other. At the point, you would be dropped from the game. Whoever is left at the end is the winner.

 

Freeze Tag:

One of the best fun games for teenagers, Freeze tag is exciting and gets a lot of exercise in. It is similar to a normal game of Tag, but when the person who is “it” touches someone, that person must freeze. They have to stay that way unless a team member unfreezes them by touching them. The game ends when everyone except the person who is tagging is frozen in place.

 

Piggy Back Race:

Another game that introduces some exercise is the piggyback race. This one is simple and easy to learn. It’s also something that tweens will love to do again and again. This game is a typical race, with an atypical twist. Teams are made with even numbers on each. All teammates are paired and their job is to piggyback across the yard. On the way over, one person rides while the other runs. On the way back, this switches so they are in opposite positions. Each pair must make it to the goal and back. The first team to get everyone there and back wins it all. If you need more ideas on relay race games for tweens, we also recommend the three-legged race, among others.

 

Monopoly:

This is the perfect age to get people involved in the game of Monopoly. These kids will have the basics of real estate and money management down. They can easily learn more by playing the game. Most of you have probably played this game once or twice, but even if you haven’t, it’s a classic for a reason. You’ll love playing with your tweens or just watching them grasp the concepts as they go along. Monopoly is one of the best party board games of all time for all age categories.

 

Pass the Lifesaver:

Pass the Lifesaver isn’t well known but still very fun. Each player is put into a team and the premise is easy. Using a toothpick in their mouth, each person must pass a Lifesaver candy to the end of the line. There are no hands allowed and dropping the candy starts the drill all over again. It’s harder than you’d think! Using your mouth to transport a candy is not as easy as it might sound at first.

 

Encore:

This game is for all the creatives out there. Prior to playing, write common words from songs on some index cards. Organize two teams and flip a card. Whichever team can come up with a song with that lyric in it, wins points. Keep playing until you have ten, fifteen, or even twenty points.

 

Name that Tune:

This is another musical game that really gets everyone going. Make a playlist before the party time with songs from all sorts of genres. Once you get the party going and everyone ready, start playing the songs. You can begin in the middle of the song or at the beginning, whichever you prefer. Whoever puts their hand up first gets to guess the song’s name. If they are wrong, they lose a point. If they are right, they gain a point. Play until you’re bored, with the person who has the most points the winner.

 

Suck and Blow:

Yet another game that has stood the test of time, next on our list of fun games for tweens is Suck and Blow. This one is easy and is best to play with a group that is gender diverse. The kids stand in a line that is a girl, boy, girl, boy, etc. The object of the game is to pass a playing card from person to person using only your mouths to suck and blow on it. If the card drops while two people are playing, they are eliminated. This goes on until a winning duo is recognized.

 

Sequence:

A game of strategy that won’t break the bank, this one is a keeper. You can pick up Sequence and see why it’s so much fun. This game is hard, exciting, and ultimately entertaining. It contains aspects of many games, such as poker, canasta, and rummy. Playing both cards and chips, you form sequences and use skill and luck to keep in the game. It’s a really fun way to pass an evening, and tweens will love it just as much as adults.