Break the ice with intros and team battles! Party games to spice up your welcome event
It’s about time for welcome parties, isn’t it?
With new students and fresh graduates coming in, many of you are probably planning welcome events.
In this article, we’ll introduce party games and fun activities that will liven up your welcome party.
If you’re thinking, “I want games that are fun even with people meeting for the first time,” or “I want to plan simple, easy-to-run games,” this will be a great reference.
In particular, games that help you learn about each other through self-introductions, and team-based cooperative games, are recommended because they make it easier to get to know one another and create a friendly atmosphere.
Now, let’s take a look at our recommended games!
- Games to Liven Up the Freshers’ Welcome Party
- [Self-Introduction & Games] Icebreaker Ideas Collection
- Fun games recommended for making friends with people you’ve just met
- Team-based recreational activities for adults that are fun even with large groups
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- A simple and fun co-op game that enhances teamwork
- A great way to get to know each other! Entertainment and performances to liven up a welcome party
- Ideas for team-based games to enliven a party
- [Let’s Get Closer] A Collection of Engaging Questions for Self-Introductions
- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
- [For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- A roundup of recommended icebreakers for college students
- Games that liven up social and networking gatherings
Break the ice with intros and team battles! Party games to energize your welcome event (71–80)
Name demon
Name Tag Demon helps everyone learn each other’s names! Stand in a circle facing inward with your hands held out, and one person (the “demon”) stands in the middle.
The demon calls someone’s name, and the person called must immediately call someone else’s name.
If you get tagged by the demon before you call a name—or if you dodge the demon’s hand—you’re out! You then become the demon, stand in the middle, call someone’s name, and the game continues.
Reacting instantly and calling another person’s name is surprisingly hard, even among friends.
If you play this at a newcomer welcome party, using large, easy-to-read name tags might help.
Old Maid with a large group
Everyone’s played Old Maid, right? It’s a card game where you make matching pairs, and the person left holding the Joker at the end loses.
Usually it’s played with a small group, but this is about playing it with a large group instead.
The more players there are, the harder it is to make pairs, and the difficulty goes up.
Adzuki Bean Relay
Prepare two dishes: one with adzuki beans and one empty.
Using chopsticks, pick up the beans and transfer them to the empty dish—it’s a game.
It might be easy for those who are skilled with chopsticks, but for people who aren’t, I think it can be quite challenging.
Break the ice with introductions and team battles! Party games to liven up welcome gatherings (81–90)
Pedometer Game
It’s a game where you attach a pedometer somewhere on your body and dance, and the person who advances their pedometer count the most by the end wins.
It can be fun to get pumped up with an uptempo track, or surprise everyone by dancing to a ballad.
You can also just flail around wildly to get some laughs.
Queen of the Knot Championship
You win by tying someone else’s necktie the fastest.
That’s all there is to the game, so as long as you have a tie, you’re set.
The title is “Queen of Knots,” but it should be fun even if only men compete.
If new employees who aren’t yet used to neckties face off, it’s sure to get exciting.
DIY Zabuton Daruma Otoshi
You could also call it a “solo Daruma-otoshi.” Stack several floor cushions, sit on them, and then remove the cushions one by one from the bottom while keeping yourself suspended.
It’s a perfect game for a tatami-room party and a good test of stamina for new employees.
The real fun begins once everyone’s quite drunk.
It’s a chance to show your boss that you can deliver results in any situation.
Towel Sumo
Prepare two towels, hook them together, and play a game where the person who gets pulled and moves loses.
Since it’s an individual competition, running it as a tournament makes it more exciting.
Having a prize ready for the champion should really heat things up!