Ages decide which of these 4 games wins: the youngest player sets the difficulty, and the straw-and-ping-pong-ball race is the one I’d pick for a mixed crowd, since a child’s lungs can compete with an adult’s.
The list runs from a single package of cookies for Face the Cookie to a table of plastic cups, ping pong balls and marshmallows, so all of it costs little and cleans up fast.
Tips for engaging the family, a short materials list and a few festive touches fill in the rest of the evening.
1. Face the Cookie
A chocolate sandwich cookie balanced on the forehead, and the only rule is that hands stay out of it. Players tilt the head back and work the cookie down toward the mouth using face muscles alone.
Kids find this hilarious, and it needs nothing but a package of cookies. I’d set out a few extras, since cookies will crumble and some will end up on the floor.
Play it as a head-to-head race, with a winner for the first cookie eaten.
2. Cup and Ping Pong Ball Game
Colored plastic cups on a coffee table, ping pong balls, and a family sitting around it: that is the whole setup. Players bounce balls toward the cups and try to land them inside.
A coffee table keeps the game low, so small kids can reach everything without a chair. I like mixing 2 cup colors so each team claims its own color, which settles who scored what without arguing.
Buy a pack of ping pong balls and a sleeve of cups. Cost stays low, and cleanup is a quick scoop.
3. Blindfolded Marshmallow Scoop Game
Blindfolds change a simple scoop into a guessing game. Each player holds a cup or bowl, and marshmallows are scattered across the table for them to find by touch.
Soft marshmallows are a good pick for kids of mixed ages because nothing here can hurt anyone. I’d give each player the same number to hunt for, then count who gathered the most in a set time.
Keep a bowl of spare marshmallows nearby, since a few always get snacked on.
4. Straw and Ping Pong Ball Race
Blowing through a straw sends a ping pong ball rolling, and the aim is to steer it into a row of plastic cups. Players line up on one side of a table and race the ball across.
A smooth tabletop works best, since the ball rolls straight. Give each player a straw and their own ball, and call the winner as the first ball to drop into a cup.
I’d pick this one for a mix of ages: a child’s lungs can compete with an adult’s, and a handicap is easy to add by moving the cups farther away.
Tips for Engaging Family Games
Keep every round short enough that nobody has time to get bored. A game that takes 2 minutes to explain will lose the youngest players and the tired grown-ups, so pick ones where a single demonstration covers all the rules.
Board and card games work well between the active ones.
For a mixed-age crowd, Five Second Rule is an easy pick: players have to name 3 things in a category before time runs out, and a 6-year-old can keep up with a grandparent.
Herd Mentality takes about a minute to explain, and it still works with 12 or more people, since everyone answers at once. Beat That and Double Ditto both play well in teams.
For louder energy, 6 Second Scribbles is frantic drawing, and Twister Ultimate gets everyone moving. Mixing a seated game with a physical one keeps the evening from stalling.
Materials for Games
Most of what these games need is already in a kitchen drawer or a party-supply aisle: balloons, cups, and candy cover a lot of ground.
Gather everything into one box before the day so setup is a matter of setting it on a table.
Buy extra of anything that gets used up or popped. Balloons burst and candy gets eaten before it reaches a game, so a spare bag of each saves a late trip to the store.
Sort supplies by game rather than by type. A labeled bag per game means you can hand one over and move on.
Creating a Festive Atmosphere
Stick to silver, gold, and black for decorations, since that is the look people expect on December 31. Balloons, streamers, and tablecloths in those colors set the mood cheaply, and they double as game supplies.
A disco ball piñata is a fun centerpiece.
Fill it with candy for a family crowd, and let kids take turns swinging with plenty of space cleared around them. Adult prizes like cash or gift cards can go in too, if grown-ups are playing.
Add music you can leave running in the background, and set out snacks that match the theme, such as anything in gold or silver wrappers.
If you and your family prefer to keep things cozy for New Year’s Eve, an at-home game night will make staying in just as exciting as going out (and a lot more comfortable, too!).
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you do on New Year’s Eve with family?
Play games that fit every age, such as a head-to-head cookie race or a ping pong ball toss into cups, and set out snacks in silver or gold wrappers.
A balloon countdown stretches the day nicely: fill 12 balloons with slips naming small activities, like a dance-off, a snack challenge or a family trivia round, then pop one each hour so something happens until midnight.
Short rounds keep kids and tired grown-ups from drifting off.
What games can you play on New Year’s Eve?
For a mixed-age crowd, try Face the Cookie, a ping pong ball toss into cups, or a straw race where players blow a ball into a row of cups.
Board and card games like Five Second Rule and Herd Mentality fill the gaps between active rounds. Charades, trivia, and Minute to Win It style challenges are also popular picks.
What are some funny games to play at a family party?
Face the Cookie is the funniest: a chocolate sandwich cookie sits on each forehead, and players tilt their heads back and use only face muscles to work it into the mouth.
First one to eat the cookie wins. The blindfolded marshmallow scoop is another good one, since players hunt for soft marshmallows by touch and nothing can hurt anyone.
