Party games might sound like the stuff of six-year-olds birthdays, but why should kids have all the fun?

If you’re having a house party this New Year’s Eve, you don’t have to rely on drinking games to get everyone in the spirit (although we’re not judging if you throw in an odd one of those too).

There’s plenty of other options which don’t need a board game or even much preparation.

5 New Year’s Adult Party Games

Ice Cubes

Split everyone into two even teams. When you shout go, the first player of each picks up an ice cube and tries to melt it as quickly as they can. They can rub it between their hands or their clothes but they can’t put it in their mouths, stamp on it or use any equipment like a cigarette lighter on it.

The first team to melt the cubes in their tray wins.

Imagine I’m…

Take a pack of blank cards and number each from 1 to 40. Under each number, write down the name of an object, a food or animal. Ask each player to choose a card, keeping the cards are face down so they can see only the blank side.

Each player now has to talk about their ‘life’ as though they were whatever is on the card – without saying what it is. It’s up to everyone else to guess. The first person who does gets a point. The person with the most points wins.

The Malteser Game

Empty a bag of Maltesers into a bowl and place in the middle of the table. Give each player a straw or a pair of chopsticks, whichever’s easiest, and have them sit around it. Each player now has 30 seconds each to use their straw/chopsticks to transport them from the bowl into a glass. The player with the most at the end wins.

Balloon Bangers

Everyone is divided into pairs and must blow up 10 balloons per pair. They then have to try to pop as many balloons as they can within a set time using only each other’s chests. Other parts of the body (hands, feet, mouths) aren’t allowed. The couple who pops the most balloons wins.

Never Have I Ever

Get everyone to hold up 10 fingers. One person says something they’ve never done in their life, but thinks other players might have, by saying “Never have I ever …” For example, “Never have I ever seen Star Wars”.

Everyone who has seen it must lower a finger. The last player with fingers still raised wins.