The 3 Easy Steps to Planning an Epic Board Game Night

Having a board game night is a very fun way to spend time with your friends or family. It’s all about planning well, having fun, and being fair. So, here are three easy steps you can do to ensure everyone has a memorable night.

Step 1: Plan the Date and Time

When will you have the board game night? Because of work and school, many people choose Friday nights or Saturday nights. If you have a break coming up, you may have more available times. Contact your friends and talk to your family about any times that may work for them. Try to schedule the board game night at least two weeks in advance so you can have time to plan and collect RSVPs.

You will also want to decide on a time. If it’s an all-nighter, then you’ll just have to decide what time to start, such as 8pm. Everyone else will just leave when they want the next morning. If it’s not an all-nighter, then you have to find a time to start and end, such as 6pm and 12am.

Once you’ve officially scheduled a day and time, you can continue on to step two before inviting everyone.

Step 2: Decide on the Board Games

This may be the easiest step for some people, or the hardest step for others. Deciding on the right board games to play depends much on the people attending. There are a few different types of parties, and each one would have a different way to determine which board games to player. Here are the types:

Bring-Your-Own

In this type of party, everyone brings their own board games. This is great if you don’t have many board games, or if nobody can agree on the games to play. With this type of party, we are assuming that you plan on playing more than one game. In order to get everyone to bring board games, include in your invitation that it is a bring-your-own board game night.

Mixed Game

Perhaps you already have a lot of games, and you want to play several of your games with your friends. That’s great! It’s also the easiest for deciding: everyone can decide on games to play when they get to the party. You’ll want to take into account any long games that you have. To account for those games, place a time limit on game sessions, such as allowing no more than 75 minutes per game.

Single Game

This type of party is where serious board gamers focus on one board game to play. They might play long political games, or other extensive games such as Monopoly. If you and your friends are serious board gamers, then you should decide on one board game to play. If not, then you might want to choose a different type of board game party for your board game night. Assuming you are, you should send out a request in your invitation email so everyone can decide on the game. If they can’t agree, then it is your job as the host to decide on a game which you think everyone will like.

Don’t have many games? Here are the top 11 board games on the market right now:

1. Monopoly Classic Game
2. Clue
3. Connect Four
4. Operation
5. Risk
6. Uno
7. Aggravation
8. Apples to Apples
9. Sorry
10. The Game of Life
11. Battleship

Once you know the party type and have decided on the games, its now time to focus on accommodating everyone.

Step 3: Make Accommodations

Making accommodations is the last step in planning a board game night. Having good arrangements, snacks, and other entertainment are key in being a good host when accommodating your friends and family.

Arrangements

Make sure everyone has a comfortable place to sit. Wherever you play the games, whether on a coffee table, a dining table, or a kitchen counter, everyone needs to be able to sit around or near the board. Arrange chairs, couches, and tables in a way where everything is easily accessible.

Snacks

Snacks are a great way to keep everyone happy and satisfied. When it comes to snacks, try to stay away from super sugary drinks and foods. A little sugar is fine, but too much results in drowsiness and energy crashes. Instead, eat carbs and protein throughout the night, and drink plenty of water. Try to keep it simple. Chips are great, and fruits and raw veggies are even better. Have something that everyone can eat, regardless of alergies, so that no one will feel left out.

Other Entertainment

If you think it is going to be a long night if board games are the only form of entertainment, then feel free to plan for other entertainment. Have some movies or TV shows prepared in case anyone gets bored. Maybe you can bust out some video games. Remember, board game nights are more about having fun than focusing on playing board games. Have a good time!

Did you like this article? Check out our Hosting a Fun Video Gaming Night article – you’ll find it interesting. We have a wide variety of articles, from house organizing and schoolwork, to event planning and hobbies.