From food and guest list to the actual board games, what will make your board game night the best one yet?
Decide who’s invited to your board game night
Before the what, you need to know the who! After all, you can’t have the event without people. Think about all of your friends, family members, colleagues from work and mutuals. Who are the ones that would love to contribute to your amazing board game night? Then you can make a list.
Understanding your possible invites to your board game night is crucial. Maybe some of them like harder and longer games, the others the calmer ones. So it's really important that you invite the mix of the people that would get along.
Also, where will the board game night be held? It is important to think about the place, so you know how much space you have. Based on that, you know how many and which people to invite.
Schedule the board game night early enough
When you’ve got your guest list in check, you can start thinking about when it will take place. It is important to schedule it early enough, so all or most of your guest list can come. How long would you like the board game night to last? A few hours or a whole afternoon?
We recommend you schedule it an hour before the start, as some of the guests will probably be late. When they come, they will probably talk to each other and before you know it, the hours are around. Before the board game night begins, it will take some time. Make sure you know that so you won’t be under pressure that the so anticipated event hadn’t started yet.
Provide food and drinks for your board game night
Who doesn’t like snacking and sipping some fresh cold drinks when gaming? You have to be careful about what food and drinks you should buy. Have in mind that all of you will be picking up different cards and props for the games. That is why the food shouldn’t be too greasy or in the way of the games. No one wants to have their fingers dirty when they play board games. Make sure the glasses are always full with water and other refreshing drinks your guests love.
We recommend you check Kathleen Hartin 6 game night snacks, that won’t leave any of your guests disappointed. Even the ones that maybe have some allergies or don’t like heavy food in the evenings will be satisfied for sure!
Choose amazing board games
There are 2 important things to consider when deciding what board games to play on your board game night. How many people are invited and their experience levels? Ask people about their levels of experience by asking what types of tabletop games they usually play.
Also, don’t forget to ask them whether they’ve played anything similar to what you’re planning to pick for your board game night. Remember, it’s important to offer something accessible for your guests to play, regardless of your own experience level.
Here is a list of 50 board game ideas by Julianne Hilmes Bartlett, that you should definitely check out. Our 3 top picks that are okay for any level of experience for you and your guests are: Solving a Jigsaw puzzle, Monopoly and Activity.
Make sure everyone at your board game night is having a great time
Taking care of all of the above will make you a great host. But don’t forget it also requires you to have a certain approach to things. Board games can also lead to unsociable behaviors if certain people are getting too frustrated.
As the host, you have the responsibility to make sure all your guests at your board game night are comfortable.
Board game nights should be a welcoming place where people feel safe and comfortable. This means you need to keep the peace when there are disagreements and generally encourage friendly interactions. Making sure that everyone is having a great time, also includes helping people to learn games. After all, board game nights are more fun when everyone is comfortable.
Our last advice
Now you’re ready. But remember, you can always host smaller board night games. You can invite fewer people or family members with which you want to strengthen your relationship. You can do some scrabble, play cards or put together a jigsaw puzzle. Those kinds of board game nights are actually our favorite!
Jigsaw puzzles are a great way for you to put your and your loved ones’ patience to the test while having so much fun. Check out our collection of unique wooden jigsaw puzzles here and choose your favorite. Enjoy! 😀
