Birthday Party Games for Adults: Ideas for 30th, 40th, 50th and Beyond

Adults at a birthday party rarely need organised fun, but they often welcome a little of it. A good game gives guests from different parts of someone's life, such as school friends, colleagues, family and neighbours, a reason to talk to each other. It also gives the guest of honour a moment in the spotlight that does not involve making a speech.

The key is choosing games that suit the room. A 30th in a flat calls for something different from a 70th lunch in a restaurant. This guide groups ideas by type, with notes on which parties they suit.

Before you choose: three questions

• Will guests be seated or standing? Printed games suit seated parties. Mingling games suit drinks parties.
• How well do guests know the birthday person? If most are close friends, personal trivia works. If there are many partners and colleagues, choose something everyone can play.
• Does the guest of honour enjoy attention? Some people love being the subject of a quiz. Others would rather sink into the floor. Ask, or ask their partner.

Trivia games

Trivia about the guest of honour

Ten to fifteen questions about the birthday person: where they grew up, their first car, their favourite holiday, the band they saw at their first concert. Guests play in teams at their tables. The person who writes it must check every answer with someone who knows, because a quiz with a wrong answer quickly falls apart.

Best for: close groups, milestone birthdays, surprise parties where a partner or sibling can supply facts.

The year they were born

Questions about the year the guest of honour was born: what was in the charts, which film won the big awards, the price of a pint or a loaf of bread. This works well for 40th, 50th and 60th birthdays and gets older guests reminiscing.

Use reliable sources for the answers and double-check anything you are unsure about. A quick note: for UK and US guests, choose questions that both will recognise, or split the quiz into rounds.

Best for: milestone birthdays, family parties, mixed ages.

General knowledge with a twist

If you would rather not focus on one person, a general knowledge quiz themed around the birthday person's interests, such as football, films, travel or food, keeps it personal without putting them on the spot.

Best for: larger parties, colleagues, pub venues.

Printable table games

Birthday bingo

Each guest gets a bingo card with words or phrases related to the party: "someone mentions the cake", "a toast is made", "someone arrives late", "a story from school is told". Guests mark squares as things happen during the evening. The first to complete a line wins.

It is light, runs in the background and needs no supervision.

Best for: drinks parties, milestone birthdays, groups who do not all know each other.

Word search

A word search with the birthday person's name, favourite places, hobbies and in-jokes hidden in the grid. Leave copies on tables for anyone who prefers a quieter game. It is also good for children at family parties.

Best for: family parties, lunches, mixed ages.

Who wrote it?

Ask guests to write a memory or fact about the birthday person on a card as they arrive. Later, read them out and the birthday person guesses who wrote each one. It is often funny and quietly moving.

Best for: milestone birthdays, close friends and family.

Icebreakers for mixed groups

Find the guest who

A card of prompts such as "Find the guest who has known the birthday person the longest", "...has been on holiday with them" or "...works with them". Guests mingle and write a name next to each prompt. It is one of the simplest ways to get groups talking.

Best for: drinks parties with friends from different parts of life.

Two truths and a lie, birthday edition

The birthday person writes down three statements about themselves, two true and one false. Guests vote on which is the lie. Repeat with a few volunteers if the room enjoys it.

Best for: groups of up to about 20.

Keepsake activities

Wish cards

Guests write a wish, a memory or advice for the year ahead on a card. The birthday person takes them home. These are especially meaningful for 50th, 60th and older birthdays.

Time capsule

Guests write predictions for the next ten years, or for the next milestone birthday. Seal them in an envelope labelled "Open on your next big birthday".

Games by type of party

• 30th at home or in a bar: bingo, find the guest who, a short trivia quiz in teams.
• 40th or 50th dinner: year-they-were-born trivia, who wrote it, wish cards.
• 60th, 70th or later lunch: a gentle trivia quiz, a word search on the tables and a memory card activity.
• Surprise party: trivia written by the organiser, with answers confirmed by family.
• Office celebration: general knowledge themed around the person's interests, kept light.

Running games smoothly

• Keep each game short. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough.
• Do not run more than two or three games. It is a party, not a tournament.
• Have a host. Someone confident to explain rules, collect sheets and announce winners.
• Prepare small prizes. A bottle of wine, chocolates, a candle or a novelty badge.
• Print on good paper. Games that match the invitations and decorations feel like part of the party.
• Keep answers separate. Give the answer sheet to the host, not to the guest of honour.

Avoiding awkward moments

Leave out questions about exes, money, weight or anything the birthday person would not want their colleagues or parents to hear. Jokes about age are fine if the birthday person makes them first. If in doubt, ask their partner or closest friend to look over the questions before you print.

Making your birthday games

PrintBloom Studio's birthday games print trivia from the questions and answers you supply, a word search with your words, and bingo with your own phrases or a ready-made set, with answer and caller sheets. The Party Pack prints all three with a sign, a scorecard, prize tags and birthday wish cards in A4 and US Letter. If you choose general questions instead of personal ones, the sheet says so, rather than pretending to know facts about the guest of honour.