[For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
We’re introducing recommended games and recreational activities for college students!
We’ve gathered a variety of options—from exciting activities perfect for club or seminar retreats and welcome/farewell parties, to simple games for small groups, and large-scale recreation suited for spacious venues like school grounds.
There are plenty of activities you can enjoy indoors too, so no need to worry about the weather on the day!
These can be used across many event scenarios, so feel free to use them as a reference.
Let’s play some classic recreational activities and trending games, and have a great time together!
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[For University Students] A Collection of Exciting Games and Recreational Activities (1–10)
Human spot-the-difference
It’s a game where people act out a spot-the-difference challenge, like comparing two pictures to find what’s changed.
First, the participants who will present the puzzle line up so everyone can see them.
Then they alter things—such as the order they’re standing in, their poses, or the items they’re holding—to create differences.
The goal is to use your memory of the previous state to figure out what has changed since just a moment ago.
It tests how well the answerers can remember details, and how subtly the presenters can create differences that are hard to notice.
Birthday line
If you’re looking for a recreation activity that gets a big group excited, Birthday Line is our top recommendation! In this game, participants line up in order of their birthdays without using any words, making it a huge hit at freshman welcome events, seminar retreats, and more.
Because you communicate only with your hands and gestures, hilarious mix-ups and unexpected incidents can happen.
But those very mishaps become great stories to laugh about later.
The sense of accomplishment and togetherness when you get it right is exceptional! Since no one speaks, people tend to be more considerate of each other, which can spark new friendships.
Give it a try with everyone and have fun!
Taste-testing ___ game
There’s something called “kikizake” (sake tasting), and this is about trying that concept with food and snacks instead of alcohol.
There are so many flavors of chocolate, and potato chips also come in limited-time and regional varieties—so many types are on the market.
Put on a blindfold, taste them, and try to guess the flavor! Just being blindfolded makes it surprisingly difficult.
[For University Students] A Collection of Exciting Games and Recreational Activities (11–20)
Serious Tag
“Serious Tag” is, as the name suggests, a straightforward, no-frills game of tag (lol).
Nothing more, nothing less.
Since college students need a decent amount of space, playing tag on campus can be a lot of fun—just make sure you get permission first! You can add special rules if you like, but keeping it simple works too.
If you use smartphones to share the location and time of people who get caught, it cranks up the thrill even more, so give it a try!
Samurai sword-fighting (chambara) battleNEW!
Chanbara Battle is a game where players use soft swords to knock off balls attached to each other’s arms.
Because it’s played in teams, you’ll naturally develop a sense of camaraderie even with people you’ve just met.
As you plan your strategy, conversation will arise naturally too.
Have fun getting active together and work as a team to lead your side to victory.
If time allows, switch up team members and leaders to create more opportunities to talk with new people.
You can purchase chanbara equipment from online shops.
Picture shiritori
It’s a game of picture shiritori that really puts your drawing skills to the test.
You draw a picture, show it to the next person, then they draw a picture that continues the shiritori chain from what they think your picture represents, and pass it on—repeating this process.
Of course, you must not explain anything with words.
You have to convey what you drew using only the picture so the next person can understand it and continue the chain.
balloon volleyball
The game where you bat a balloon back and forth so it doesn’t fall—many of us strongly associate it with childhood play.
If a regular rally feels a bit too simple, try adding some twists to make the mind games more intense.
For example, gradually increase the number of balloons you use, or incorporate a Yamanote Line game into the rally so players have to think while they move.
Because the basic rules are so simple, there are countless potential variations to try.