Fun games recommended for making friends with people you’ve just met
There are plenty of times when you meet people for the first time, like at a new workplace or a school you’ve just entered.
Many people wonder how to get along with someone they’ve just met.
In this article, we’ll introduce games that help you become friendly with people you meet for the first time.
We’ve gathered a variety of games, including ones where you form teams and cooperate to clear challenges, and others where you open up about yourselves while having fun.
Try incorporating them at your company, school, or any other gathering where you meet new people!
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- Liven up even first meetings! A collection of fun games perfect for welcome parties
- A simple and fun co-op game that enhances teamwork
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- Get closer in no time, even with first-time meetings! Games that liven up welcome parties
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
- Fun activities that liven up the office: recreation games
- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
- Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
- [For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- A collection of hilarious questions that will liven up the conversation and might help you learn more about the other person
- [For Adults] Fun recreational games. Perfect for short breaks too!
Fun game recommendations to break the ice with people you’re meeting for the first time (21–30)
Kaki no Tane Mountain CollapseNEW!
Arrange some Kaki no Tane (spicy rice crackers) on a plate and stand a single chopstick upright in the center.
When it’s your turn, eat one piece of Kaki no Tane.
Repeat this, and whoever knocks over the chopstick loses.
You can safely eat from the outer edge, or you can raise the tension by eating pieces closer to the center.
If you’re okay with spicy flavors, the rules are simple—just eat! It’s a relaxing game to play while snacking, and it’s likely to spark fun conversation.
balloon volleyballNEW!
Let’s enjoy volleyball using balloons.
The balloons used in this game have super balls inside.
Adding a super ball makes the balloons fall faster and move differently, increasing the difficulty and making it more fun.
Participants should face each other in a circle and bat the balloon around so it doesn’t fall.
You can play in teams and have the team that keeps the balloon from dropping the longest win, or if there are fewer participants, it’s recommended to have the person who drops the balloon the fewest times be the winner.
Gesture Game
A gesture game where players split into a clue-giver and guessers, and the clue-giver expresses the prompt using only gestures.
It’s a widely loved game, ranging from classic themes like animals and celebrities to more challenging topics.
Because you get to enjoy the clue-giver’s unique movements, guessers can’t help but laugh, which helps bring everyone closer.
It’s recommended to take turns as the clue-giver and adjust the difficulty of the prompts.
Precisely because no voices are allowed, the effort to communicate draws attention.
Give this game a try for easy, casual communication—even with people you’re meeting for the first time.
Puzzle Escape Game
A puzzle-solving escape game where you aim to break out from various locations—like amusement parks and subways—by tackling games and quizzes.
Because role assignment and information sharing within the team are crucial, it’s perfect for situations where you want to build rapport with people you’ve just met.
Many of the games test a broad range of knowledge, making them a great opportunity to discover each person’s strengths.
It’s a game that leverages every participant’s advantages—whether someone excels at carefully reasoning through answers or responding intuitively.
By working together to accomplish a single goal, it’s an ideal activity for team building.
Lie or Truth Game
A lie-or-truth game where you find the fake story among three episodes.
Since each player can do it while introducing themselves, it’s perfect for meeting new people.
After the self-introductions and three episode talks are finished, think about which story is the lie.
Ask each other questions to uncover episodes that seem thin on details or show a lack of knowledge.
Finally, after the questions, say which episode you think is the lie.
It’s a game that brings people closer by talking about real things while thinking about the other person.
One word
One-Word, often used in improv, is a game where all participants each add a single word, collaborating to complete a story.
Because you read out words that fit into a single utterance, it’s best not to overthink and just respond.
You can enjoy unpredictable developments—stories may veer in unexpected directions or turn out moving.
Working with people you’ve just met also lets you feel the fun and joy of cooperation.
It’s a game that can be enjoyed widely, from short stories to epic tales.
Fruits Basket
Fruit Basket is often incorporated in educational and childcare settings.
While it’s a familiar game for school events and play, it’s also great for team building at companies.
Participants sit on chairs arranged in a circle, and one person stands in the middle as “it.” When the person who’s “it” calls out the name of a fruit, the players seated whose fruit is called get up and move.
The person who fails to find a seat becomes “it,” and the next round begins.
With the cue “Fruit Basket!” everyone moves at once, making it a lively game.
It’s also fun to add variations, such as replacing the fruits with roles from a company or school.