Roundup of easy party tricks. A collection of ideas that require no preparation.
When you’re asked to do a wedding performance, you might be thinking, “I was asked to perform, but I won’t have time to prepare or practice before the day,” or “I can set aside time to prepare, but I get nervous, so I’d rather avoid a live performance at the venue.” If that sounds like you, you’re probably looking for simple performance ideas.
In this article, we’ll introduce ideas that require minimal preparation and practice, as well as options where, once you’ve prepared in advance, you won’t have to do anything on the day itself.
Find ideas that fit your situation and preferences—ones that make you think, “I want to try this!” or “I could pull this off!” Even though we’re calling them “simple performances,” we’ve collected only the best recommendations—from funny to moving—so we hope you find them helpful.
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Roundup of easy party tricks: a list of no-prep ideas (1–10)
Apatou Game
A classic game at Korean drinking parties, its charm lies in the rhythmic chants and how quickly a winner is decided.
First, everyone rhythmically repeats the Korean word for “apartment,” apateu.
At the same time the caller announces a random number, participants stack their hands in the middle.
You move the bottom hand to the top while counting numbers; whoever matches the number the caller announced loses.
Lightness and speed are what matter most—don’t overthink the tactics, just keep it casual and have fun.
First Impressions Game
I think everyone has preconceived impressions of others—like someone who seems kind or someone who looks studious.
This is a game where we explore what impressions you have of such people and whether those impressions are commonly shared.
Split into teams and choose, from the opposing team, the person who fits the given prompt; the more matches you get, the more points you earn.
Don’t just count the matches—also check whether those answers really fit.
Use it as a conversation starter, too.
snack tasting
How about a snack tasting game that everyone can enjoy together? In this activity, participants are blindfolded, taste a snack, and try to guess the flavor.
For example, you can prepare snacks with a wide variety of flavors like Umaibo or Hi-Chew, or you can gather a random assortment of different snacks.
Be sure to research participants’ dislikes and allergies beforehand, and decide which snacks to include accordingly.
As a variation, you can also do it with juices.
Roundup of easy party tricks: a collection of ideas that require no preparation (11–20)
acrostic using the Japanese syllabary (aiueo poem)
To begin with, if the appeal of the performance is that it’s improvised, don’t you think practice isn’t necessary? With that in mind, I’d like to introduce the idea of an “aiueo” acrostic.
In this game, you create sentences that start with each syllable of the Japanese gojūon for a given theme.
For example, if the theme is “kekkon” (marriage), the first person says a sentence that starts with “ke,” the second person says one that starts with “tsu,” and so on.
Altogether, it forms a single message.
It’s also perfect for calling on someone to jump in and participate on the spot.
karaoke
When it comes to classic entertainment for large gatherings, karaoke is probably the go-to.
People of all ages can enjoy it, and it has the added appeal of creating a sense of unity in the room.
Of course, some may want to practice if they’re going to perform, but if it’s a song you usually sing, you can probably get by without much rehearsal.
Start by choosing songs that match the atmosphere of the occasion—like weddings, year-end parties, or welcome parties.
Alternatively, picking songs that suit the age group of the attendees is sure to get everyone excited.
playing rock-paper-scissors after seeing the opponent’s move (i.e., acting with hindsight/cheating)
If there’s anything you need to prepare for after-the-fact rock-paper-scissors, it’s probably just the prize for the winner.
At the call of “Rock, paper, scissors—shoot!”, the host of the activity throws either rock, scissors, or paper, and participants respond after seeing it, following the pre-given instruction such as “Lose” or “Win.” You can have everyone play in a knockout format, or have representatives from each table compete.
There isn’t much to prepare, but do think in advance about ways to keep the game moving at a good tempo and how you’ll run it on the day.
Find the Liar! Game
It’s a game where the presenters act out reactions to a given situation, and the players have to guess who is actually reacting for real.
The go-to reactions usually involve things like acupressure mats, bitterness, or sourness, and it tests the acting skills of those who aren’t actually experiencing them.
You have to craft your reaction with strategy—whether to go over the top or keep it subtle—and consider which will be more convincing.
How much the person who’s genuinely taking the hit can suppress their reaction also seems like a factor that affects the difficulty of the game.