[For Adults] Exciting Bus Recreation
When traveling by bus, you often end up sitting for long periods with nothing to do.
Your options are limited because you can’t move around much, and even if you bring games, they can be over quickly.
Before you’ve even reached your destination, you may already find yourself slipping into boredom…
In this article, we’ll introduce a bunch of simple, adult-friendly activities that can liven up those dull bus rides!
There are plenty to choose from, so mix and match a few and keep everyone entertained during travel time!
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[For Adults] Engaging Bus Recreational Activities (21–30)
Stealthy-Stealthy Game
Here’s a wordplay game based on Chocolate Planet’s signature bit “Sorori Sorori.” You’re given a prompt, and you have to answer with a three-letter word that ends with “ri,” just like “sorori.” If you can’t keep the rhythm or you answer with a word that doesn’t fit, you’re out.
It sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly tricky.
Watching movies and anime
If you’re looking to make good use of the long hours sitting on the bus, how about watching movies or anime? Everyone has their own preferences, so choosing a genre can be tricky, but light comedies that anyone can enjoy or heartwarming human dramas are great options.
If people tend to get bored watching a single feature, you could also screen a selection of short films.
These days there are plenty of anime that adults can enjoy as well, so it might be worth giving them a try.
If you’re unsure, you could list a few candidates and let the participants choose.
Tasting Umaibo Blind (Flavor Identification)
Umaibo is a cheap and easy snack loved by both kids and adults.
This is a game using Umaibo called “Kiki Umaibo” (Blind Umaibo Tasting).
A blindfolded person takes one bite of an Umaibo and has to guess the flavor.
It seems simple but isn’t, making it a surprisingly deep and challenging game.
One-in-a-hundred survey
Do you know the “1 out of 100 Survey,” a popular segment from the variety show Waratte Iitomo? It’s a game where you ask a question that seems likely to apply to only 1 out of 100 people, and you clear the challenge if exactly one person actually fits.
That said, gathering 100 people can be tough.
In that case, you can still enjoy it by reducing the number to, say, 10 people.
It’s also fine to play with a larger group, like 200 people.
Feel free to adapt it flexibly to suit your situation.
Word Wolf
Word Wolf is a simple, wordplay-style take on the popular Werewolf game.
Participants are given slips of paper with a word on them; however, not all slips say the same thing—a small number have a different word.
Players then ask each other questions to identify those in the minority.
All you need is paper and pens, so it’s very easy to play.
Magical Banana
A classic recreational game, “Magical Banana,” originally comes from a popular TV show from the 1990s called “Magical Zunō Power!!.” It starts with “Magical Banana—when you think of banana?” and players continue by linking words through association.
If you miss the rhythm or your word isn’t a valid association, you’re out.
Balloon Bomb Game
Let me introduce a “Balloon Bomb Game” using balloons.
Inflate a balloon and stick lots of pieces of cellophane tape all over its surface—some short, some long, placed at random.
Then pass the balloon around, and each person takes turns peeling off one piece of tape.
When the balloon pops, the game ends right there.
If you prepare a fun penalty for the person who pops it, the excitement ramps up.
All you need are balloons and cellophane tape, so it’s easy to bring along on a bus without taking up space—another plus.
YES/NO Quiz
A key point of “Yes/No Quiz,” where you work toward finding the answer, is that it’s a game enjoyed by splitting into a question master and questioners.
The question master chooses a topic and answers the questioners’ questions with only “Yes” or “No.” The questioners listen to the answers and try to figure out what the topic is.
To narrow down the answer, it’s important for the questioners to think carefully as they ask their questions.
It’s also a great game for team competitions, so let’s all have fun together.
The Don’t-Say-30 Game
It’s a game where players take turns saying numbers from 1 to 30, and the person who says “30” loses.
You can say a single number or multiple numbers, up to three at a time.
It’s simple but oddly exciting.
If there are many players, it ends quickly, so you can change the target number.
Tongue Twister Challenge
Prepare a tongue-twister script and challenge yourselves to see how many seconds it takes to read it! Announcers and voice actors use this as enunciation training, right? If you search for “tongue twisters,” you’ll find plenty, and you can also create your own.
Add furigana to the kanji so that even first-time readers can read it.
The person who reads it the fastest without stumbling wins! Tripping up, getting stuck, and struggling to say it will get everyone excited, and if you can say it smoothly, you’re sure to draw attention!
