Games to Liven Up Your 2026 Graduation Party and Thank-You Banquet
After the graduation ceremony, many schools might hold parties or thank-you gatherings.
And if you’re the organizer, you might be struggling to choose games or activities for entertainment, right? Since it’s a special graduation party, you’ll want to make it a wonderful and fun time that everyone will remember.
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of ideas—from games related to school life to activities that get large groups excited.
We’ve also prepared plenty that let you look back on memories, so please use them as a reference!
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- Let's Make Memories! Fun Icebreaker Activities Recommended for High School Farewell Parties
- Games that liven up elementary school thank-you parties! A collection of ideas that both children and adults can enjoy
[2026] Party Games to Liven Up Graduation Parties and Thank-You Banquets (11–20)
Tasting/Comparative testing of XX
Assemble different flavors and brands of items like tea, potato chips, and Jagarico, and try to guess which is which—that’s a tasting game.
A blindfold is a must, of course, but if you pinch your nose while playing, the difficulty goes up even more! Plus, you can make it even more exciting by getting creative with what you taste—like doing a wasabi tasting.
Russian cardboard
Cardboard boxes are lined up on the spot, and when the signal is given, the participants sit on them at the same time.
Some boxes are sturdily made while others are flimsy, and the person who happens to choose a box they can sit on wins.
Since you can’t easily tell which ones are sturdy just by looking, it’s a game that relies heavily on luck, like Russian roulette.
If you pick a dud, you end up dropping in bottom-first, and that fall and the embarrassment are part of the fun.
Because the rules are simple and the winner is decided quickly, even people who aren’t good at games will find it easy to join.
Juice tasting
Do you think you could identify your usual bottled tea or soda without looking at the label, hitting the exact brand? “Tasting Juice” is a game where you line up several drinks—like different teas or the same flavor of juice from different manufacturers—taste them side by side, and guess the precise product name.
Even if you can recognize your favorite drink that you have often, comparing ones you’ve only had a few times can be quite challenging.
If preparing a box to hide the packaging is a hassle, it’s recommended to pour the drinks into cups or use a blindfold!
Guess the best actor! Russian Roulette
In a lineup of identical foods, one is secretly super spicy—this is the classic “Russian Roulette.” With the usual rules, it ends with someone writhing in pain from the heat, but if you have the person who got the spicy one perform and let the audience guess who ate it, large graduation parties or thank-you gatherings will get even livelier.
Be sure to invite anyone confident in their acting skills.
Wasabi, mustard, and chili peppers are the standard choices, but if children are participating, please be very careful with the amount.
Private Quiz
Graduation parties and thank-you gatherings bring everyone together as we all feel the sadness of parting.
Ending in tears is fine, but of course we want to finish with smiles.
So how about hosting a “Private Quiz” that makes everyone grin? It might cause a stir with questions so niche that people wonder, “Who would even know that?”, but that’s exactly what makes it fun.
For example: “What new hobby has [Name] recently started?” or “What’s [Teacher’s Name]’s favorite anime?” The more trivial the prompt, the funnier it gets.
Who did what, when, and where game
“When, Where, Who, Did What” is a memorable entertainment I recommend to anyone looking for something that leaves an impression.
Multiple participants each write down the four elements—“when,” “where,” “who,” and “what they did”—on paper, then combine them at random to create delightfully quirky short sentences.
With minimal preparation and a wide variety of outcomes, it’s a hit with all age groups.
The unexpected laughs are sure to energize the room even more.
[2026] Party Games to Hype Up Graduation Parties and Thank-You Receptions (21–30)
Get hyped! 5 bizarre relay races
When it comes to activities that are easy to set up and get both kids and adults excited, relays are the way to go.
In bingo relays, color-matching relays, hand-holding relays, obstacle relays, and pinnie (bib) relays, it’s not just running speed that matters—being able to read the situation and think on your feet is key.
Because these games incorporate a variety of movements, children won’t get bored and will feel motivated to take on the next challenge.
Everyone gets to be the star, working together and having fun, so be sure to try these relay games at your thank-you party.
