What better way to kiss your work life goodbye than to throw an awesome party? A retirement party filled with all your friends, family, and colleagues is the best way to say hello to the next chapter of your life! While a retirement party can be a great way to get everyone in your life together to celebrate this new milestone, no party is complete without its fair share of games. But what are the best games to play at a retirement party?
Here, we’ll go over the 10 best retirement party games to really get that party started!
PERSONAL TRIVIA GAME
Find out who knows the retiree best by playing the Personal Trivia Game! This game will have colleague pitted against colleague or family member against family member as each player battles to win the title of the person who knows the retiree best!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Paper
- Pens
HOW TO PLAY
Before the party begins, the host must ask the retiree a selected list of questions and write down the answers on a separate piece of paper. Examples of questions include:
- If I could have one person play me in a film about my life, who would it be?
- How many years did I work at my current and last company?
- What did I want to be when I grew up?
- What was my first job?
Then to start the game, hand each player a piece of paper and a pen. Ask the questions out loud one by one as each player attempts to write down the answers on their paper. Make sure to number all the answers so it doesn’t get confusing.
Once all the questions have been asked and all players have written down the answers, reveal the answers. The player with the most correct answers wins the game!
MEMORY BANK
Memory Bank is a fun way to reminisce about the good old days. When a new chapter is beginning in the honoree’s life, it’s a fitting thing to look back to some treasured memories. This game (and the memories it brings up) makes a milestone like this all the more special!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Index cards
- Pens
- Bowl or container
HOW TO PLAY
Give each player an index card and pen. The players must write a memory of the retiree. This can be a funny memory, a treasured memory, a habit of the retiree, or something else. Once written, the index cards must be folded and put into a bowl or container to be mixed up. Each guest must then pick up a random card from the bowl to read out loud one by one. As each card is read out loud, the retiree must try to guess who wrote the memory.
RETIREMENT BUCKET LIST
Help the guest of honor figure out what to do with the ample time they’ve now got on their hands as a retiree! Retirement Bucket List is sure to give them a whole bunch of ideas they’ve never thought of or maybe provide them with that extra motivation to do something new.
WHAT YOU NEED
- Nothing needed
HOW TO PLAY
Everyone sits in a circle. Once seated, have everyone go around in a circle to share one thing on their bucket list. Along with what’s on their bucket list, each player must state the reason why they want to do it.
After everyone has stated an item on their bucket list, the retiree gets a chance to share the items in their own bucket list – and perhaps some new bucket list items, too, now that they’ve heard ideas!
RETIREMENT GAME BINGO
Who doesn’t love a game of bingo? And if you’re looking for ideas on what to play at a retirement party, Retirement Bingo is a surefire way to get the party started and is a fun way for everyone at the party to get to know one another as well. Anyone can play this game – no matter how young or how old!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Bingo cards for each player
- Pen
- Miscellaneous prizes
HOW TO PLAY
Before the party, create a bunch of bingo cards. Just like normal bingo, each card must be varied and be slightly different from one another. In traditional bingo, you would have numbers to put in each square, but in Retirement Bingo, write statements that relate to the retiree or normal bucket list items people complete throughout their lives. Examples include:
- Has known retiree for at least 10 years
- Has been to another country
- Has been to the retiree’s home
- Is older than the retiree
- Has or has owned a cat
- Has the retiree’s phone number
The bingo card is normally 5×5, so you’ll need 24 statements to put in each square plus 1 free spot in the middle.
Print out these unique bingo cards and distribute them to each of the players.
To play the game, all players must go around the room talking to everyone in an attempt to mark off the boxes one by one. Players can only mark off a box if they meet another player that satisfies the box’s requirement. The first player to cross out five boxes in a row, whether vertically, horizontally, or diagonally wins! You can offer fun prizes to bingo winners, such as chocolates or gift cards.
DRAW ON THE RETIREE
If you want to play a game that is sure to get everyone rolling around in laughter, try Draw On the Retiree! This game will cater to the creative side of every guest in the room. But even if you’re not particularly creative, this game is bound to be heaps of fun.
WHAT YOU NEED
- Printed pictures of the retiree
- Scissors
- Glue
- Paper
- Pens
- Coloring pencils
- Colored markers
HOW TO PLAY
Print out pictures of the retiree – one per player. Then, distribute the images to each player at the beginning of the game. In this game, each player gets the opportunity to tap into their creative side and create a whole new look for the retiree. Players must cut out their picture of the retiree and glue it onto their paper, and then they can start creating! Ideas of what can be drawn include:
- Retiree with a fun hobby
- Retiree with a new job
- Retiree with a new pet
- Retiree trying something new
Show off all of the new artwork once everyone is done! The retiree may choose their favorite one, and the person that drew and decorated that is the winner.
THE RETIREMENT ROAST
Depending on the sense of humor of the guest of honor, one game you could consider playing is The Retirement Roast. As you can imagine, this game is sure to get everyone laughing as they roast the person of the evening!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Nothing needed
HOW TO PLAY
Although no materials are needed for this game, it’s a good idea to warn everyone before the party starts that there will be a roast. That way, all players can prepare a roast or two for the game.
In the roast, players make fun of the retiree in a lighthearted manner. Each player gets a turn at roasting the retiree. But to make things fair, after everyone has had a turn, the retiree also gets a turn at roasting each of their guests! If you want to make things competitive, the retiree can also choose the best roast!
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE: RETIREMENT GAME EDITION
This classic game can be played at any party, but put a tiny twist to it and make it Two Truths And A Lie: Retirement Edition. In this game, you’ll get to know the guest of honor in ways you’ll never have imagined. Get ready to be shocked to the core about the things you don’t know about the retiree!
WHAT YOU NEED
- None needed
HOW TO PLAY
Players take turns telling three distinct stories or statements involving the retiree. Two of these must be true, while the other must be false. Examples of stories/statements include:
- The retiree once declared that “Beyonce is overrated”.
- The retiree has never turned on the AC in their own home.
- The retiree played a football game and sprained both ankles at once.
Once the player has told all three stories, everyone else in the party must decide which of these stories or facts is true or false. At the count of three, all players in the room must put their fingers up corresponding to which statement or story they believe to be a lie. For example, if they believe the first statement is false, the player would put just one finger up.
The player must then announce which of the stories or statements is false. The next player then gets a turn at telling two truths and a lie.
Although there isn’t traditionally a winner in this game, you can also decide a winner by counting the number of people who get the answers wrong at each player’s turn. The player that manages to fool the most people wins!
WOULD YOU RATHER
Would You Rather poses some interesting questions that will get the retiree and their guests thinking. While a simple game in theory, it requires some creativity to come up with the interesting questions and scenarios that everyone will need to compare and consider their pros and cons.
WHAT YOU NEED
- None needed
HOW TO PLAY
All players must sit in a circle. Choose the retiree to go first in this game. The first player must pose a “would you rather” question or scenario that everyone else will need to choose from. Examples of “would you rather” questions/scenarios include:
- Would you rather meet an alien or go to space?
- Would you rather talk to animals or speak every language?
- Would you rather be in Antarctica with no clothes or in the Sahara in the middle of the day with winter gear?
Once the player has voiced the question, every player must take turns to answer which of two scenarios they would prefer and why. After everyone has had a chance to answer, the second player then poses a “Would you rather” question. And so on.
This game is a great way to start discussions and debates!
CAPTION THE PHOTO
Caption The Photo is the perfect game to play throughout a retirement party. This game is laugh-out-loud funny and will challenge the guests’ creativity. Spark funny moments and exciting conversations with this simple but effective game!
WHAT YOU NEED
- 5-10 different photos of the retiree
- Tape
- Post-it notes
- Pens
HOW TO PLAY
Print out 5-10 photos of the retiree. Make sure the photos are varied in order to keep the game interesting! Then, stick the printed images on a wall with tape.
Then lay out some Post-it notes and pens by the wall. Players must write funny captions to go with each of the photos on the Post-it notes and stick them underneath the photos. The player that writes the best caption for a photo wins a point. The player with the most points (or has the most “best captions”) wins the game!
NAME THAT BEER OR WINE
Test everyone’s booze knowledge with a game of Name That Beer Or Wine! What’s a retirement party without a tiny bit of alcohol thrown into the mix? It’s a celebration, after all! You’ll be surprised at how many people struggle to identify the types of beer or wine even after decades of drinking.
WHAT YOU NEED
- 5 types of beer or wine
- Blindfolds
- Cups
HOW TO PLAY
Before the game begins, decide whether you want to organize a beer-tasting test or a wine-tasting test. You will need at least 5 different types of beer/wine, depending on what you choose. Here are recommendations of what you can use:
Beer: IPA, lager, sour, stout, cider, and/or pilsner
Wine: Pinot noir, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, syrah, merlot, and/or riesling.
Pour 3-ounce servings of each of the 5 types of beer/wine you will be serving the players. All players participating must be blindfolded! The blindfolded players must taste the 5 drinks one by one and try to guess them. The player that correctly guesses the most types of beer/wine wins the game.
For an added twist, ask guests also to try and guess the brand of the beer/wine.
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