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 self-intros and team battles! 10 party games to spice up your welcome party (1–10)
No-hands speed-eating contest
A speed-eating contest without using your hands might sound rude, but it’s not really.
You tilt your head back and place a cookie or biscuit on your forehead, then move your eyes and mouth to guide it down into your mouth.
You’ll end up pulling funny faces at the welcome party right off the bat (lol).
The Perfect Match Game
The game where you ask the other team questions and try to land exactly on a preset number is called the “Spot-On Game.” If the number is too small, the game ends quickly, so it’s best to pick a larger target like 100,000 or 1,000,000.
Split into two teams, decide who goes first, and take turns asking the other side questions.
Come up with questions that help you get closer to the target number, such as: “How much did living alone cost you?” “What’s the most expensive gift you’ve given a girlfriend?” “How many followers do you have on Twitter?” Hitting the number exactly might be tough, so it should still be plenty exciting if the team closest to the target number wins in the end.
Self-introduction game
As expected, there’s always time for self-introductions at a welcome party, right? It can be a slightly nerve-wracking moment, but this icebreaker will have your back: a self-introduction game.
In addition to the usual intro, prepare cards with conjunctions like “furthermore” and “however,” and have people share one more layer of information about themselves!
Actually, a self-introduction
This is quite an interesting self-introduction game! In addition to a regular self-introduction, you add a sentence that starts with “Actually,” to draw out deeper conversation.
With that “Actually,” part, people’s impression of you might change—it’s a little scary, but it’s a thrilling game, isn’t it?
Name Bingo
Here’s a recreation game that’s guaranteed to be a hit at welcome parties: Name Bingo.
Normally, bingo is played with numbers, but for a welcome party, try using the names of the new members instead! When someone is called at random, they give a self-introduction—so everyone learns their name and profile while the energy rises.
It’s a fun, two-birds-with-one-stone activity!
Birthday line
A birthday line sorted by birthdates using gestures only.
Without speaking, everyone uses their hands to show their birthdate to those around them and lines up in order from the earliest birthday to the latest.
If you end up in the correct order, you clear the game! At welcome events for new students or new hires, it can take courage to start a conversation.
But with this game, you can communicate at close range without speaking and even learn each other’s birthdays, making it a great icebreaker that brings people closer.
It’s perfect for onboarding events, as it naturally leads to smoother communication afterward.
Team-based drawing game
Split into groups and create two or more teams.
You’ll draw pictures based on a prompt, but in team matches the basic rule is one stroke per person! Work together with all your members to complete the picture for the prompt.
It’s fun to choose universally known characters like Doraemon or Anpanman as the prompt.
This game can also be played individually.
In a solo match, it could be interesting to increase the difficulty—such as by drawing while blindfolded!
Minority Game
A minority game where anyone who gives a minority answer is eliminated! You’ll be asked questions that can be answered with two choices, like “Are you a bread person or a rice person for breakfast?” Instead of giving your own opinion, you try to predict what the majority will say and answer accordingly.
Everyone answers at once, and if you end up in the minority, you’re out! It’s extremely hard to gauge others’ answers in a setting where people barely know each other, but it’s guaranteed to hype things up right after everyone reveals their choices.
And it’ll likely spark follow-up conversations like, “That’s not what I’d really pick, though.”
Speaking of 〇〇, games
This is the classic “What comes to mind when you think of ___?” game, where everyone must unite their answers—team cohesion is the key.
For example, the challenge is to see whether everyone can give the same answer to a prompt like “What’s an animal popular with children?” It’s also fun to tailor or tweak the questions to fit a welcome party.
Stand-up game
Stand-Up Game: guess how many people will stand up! The rule is super simple: you clear the round if the number you call matches the number of people who stand.
When you make your call, you can either stand up or stay seated.
Even in places like restaurants where seats are fixed, you can enjoy it right where you are without moving.
It’s quick to start, so it’s great as a filler while you set up the next game.
Remembering games like this that require no props and no moving around can be really useful at all kinds of events.