Tips for holding a games night –

• Have a good selection of games for people to choose from, at least three or four. Monopoly, Scrabble and Pictionary are three good choices. You can always ask friends to bring their games so you have a bigger choice.
• Organise everyone to bring what they drink. It keeps the cost down for you, and people like to contribute.
• Don’t get caught out - read the instructions on the box. Do you need batteries, pens, special paper etc to play the game? Make a list and buy in advance. If you’re playing Pictionary on a white board, make sure the pens work and you have an eraser handy.
• Be prepared to change the game –this is a biggie. Sounds simple, but if you’ve got an over- eager guest, he can take over the night, and you’ll end up playing games that aren’t that much fun. Try changing the game to Yahtzee. It’s a game of chance so he can’t be quite as competitive.
• As soon as people start talking among themselves, you’ve lost their attention. Wrap up the existing game and start a new one, or have a break. Cluedo will keep everyone’s attention because they have to pay attention to the game.
• Don’t play games that will embarrass anyone. Playing word games, like Boggle or Scrabble, with people who aren’t confident about spelling, is just embarrassing. Change the game to Pictionary or Cluedo. You know your friends well, so think about their preferences before you offer the games.