[For Adults] Fun recreational games. Perfect for short breaks too!
Introducing fun games and recreational activities for adults!
When adults play, games that involve analysis and brainpower, or activities that offer a bit of excitement, really bring up the energy.
So this time, we’ve gathered card games and board games that adults can enjoy, along with no-equipment games and recreational activities.
They’re great for coworkers and friends, and families can enjoy them too—especially if you have middle or high schoolers.
Simple games are perfect for filling small pockets of time, so take this opportunity to give them a try!
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- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
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- Recommended indoor games and recreational activities for the workplace
- Games that liven up social and networking gatherings
- [For Adults] Fun Games to Liven Up Your Cherry-Blossom Viewing: Recreation and Party Games
- Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
- [In a Short Time] Icebreakers and Fun Games That Shine at Morning Meetings
[For Adults] Fun Recreation Games. Great for Spare Moments Too! (41–50)
Stocking Sumo
Funny faces are a surefire gag that makes people of any generation laugh.
And here’s a game that forces those funny faces: “Stocking Sumo.” For this game, you prepare two stockings and tie their toes together.
Then two players each put a stocking over their head and pull against each other; whoever has the stocking come off loses.
More than about winning or losing, it’s a great game for having fun with the hilarious faces it creates.
King of Vocabulary
Here’s an introduction to the card game “Vocabulary King,” recommended for adults.
First, shuffle the deck and deal five cards to each player.
Decide the turn order.
The last player draws two cards from the remaining deck and plays two cards of different colors from their hand.
This becomes the first challenge, and the game begins.
There are four card colors, and each card lists conditions such as number of letters or color types.
Give a word that perfectly fits the challenge, and the first player to reduce their hand to zero cards wins.
You can also change the challenge to something easier for you by playing cards from your hand!
Human finger smartphone (likely shorthand for smartphone operated by human finger)
Yubi-suma is a game where you raise your thumb while saying things like “Issē-no-de 1” or “Yubi-suma 3.” “Human Yubi-suma” is the full-body version.
Everyone starts with their faces down; when a number is called along with the usual Yubi-suma chant, you either lift your face (like raising your thumb) or keep it down.
If the number said matches the number of people who lifted their faces, the caller wins and leaves the circle.
If it doesn’t match, they stay.
The person who can’t leave the circle by the end loses.
It’s a different kind of fun from playing with just your thumbs!
Seven Steps
Seven Step is a counting song game where you count numbers rhythmically from 1 and clap only on 7.
Once you get used to it, you can add rules like “clap on 2 and 7,” which boosts the game’s difficulty by demanding more focus and quick reactions.
Its appeal is that anyone can join right away and it isn’t overly complicated.
You can freely customize it by increasing the tempo or swapping claps for other actions.
Since it requires no equipment, it’s great for adult brain training, recreation, and interacting with children.
Atama-Oshiri Game
Let me introduce a fun group game called the Head-and-Tail Game.
The quizmaster announces the first letter (head) and the last letter (tail).
Respondents must quickly think of a word that fits and answer on the spot.
It’s recommended to start with an easy theme—like fruits or vehicles—before asking questions.
It’s a game that tests your flashes of inspiration and your ability to make instant decisions.
Compete to see how many you can answer while having fun.
If you keep a steady rhythm by clapping along as you answer, you’ll get that exciting, time-pressured feeling as you participate.
flying disc
The “flying disc” can be thrown hundreds of meters at a master level.
There are even world championships, so why not choose it for outdoor recreation? Once you learn to throw it well, it’s really fun!
3-second try!
Introducing the board game “3-Second Try!”, which calls for a spirit of challenge and the ability to judge your own limits.
In this game, when a prompt card is flipped, players declare how many times they can perform the task.
The player who names the highest number earns the right to attempt the challenge and tries it for 3 seconds.
If they succeed, they earn points; if they fail, the right to try passes to the player with the next highest declared number.
The first player to earn 2 points wins.
If you’re confident, you can boldly declare a large number, while opting for a lower number that might strategically bring the challenge back to you is also a valid approach.