Hen Party Games For At Home: 15 Ideas For A Low-Key Night In

A hen night in is the easier, cheaper and usually better option - a kitchen, a sofa and a group who can hear each other talk.

Fifteen games below, ordered by when in the evening they work, and none of them involve a sash.

Icebreakers, while people are still arriving

• Say it first - a fast word race that gets a room of half-strangers laughing before the first drink is finished. Nobody has to perform, and everyone plays at once.
• Two truths and a lie, but everything has to be about the bride.
• Guess the baby photo - everyone sends one to the organiser beforehand.
• Who said it? Quotes lifted from the group chat over the years.
• A name tag with a random word on it that you have to work into conversation.

After the first drink

• Mr and Mrs, capped at ten questions. Any longer and it drags.
• A blind prosecco tasting with scoring cards.
• Guess the dress - everyone sketches the wedding dress in two minutes.
• A hen do quiz about the couple, written by the maid of honour.
• Herd Mentality or Articulate in teams, for a group who'd rather not talk about weddings all night.

Late, when everyone's relaxed

• A murder mystery box, if you want the night to have a shape.
• Werewolf or a social deduction game with a candle in the middle.
• Karaoke on the telly, which happens with or without your permission.
• Bingo with the bride's catchphrases instead of numbers.

Gentle finishers

• Advice cards - one line each for the couple to read on their first anniversary.
• A memory jar filled while the kettle's on.

Shop party supplies

How to write it so it lands

• Ask the bride for her one absolute no before you plan anything.
• Keep the props to a minimum - the good bits are always conversation, not accessories.
• Have one game that needs no kit at all, for when something gets left behind.

Where to shop next

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• Best social deduction board games
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• Board games hub
• Free feel good tools
• Shop all cards
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• Wedding cards
• Wedding cards guide
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are good hen party games at home?

Start with a fast icebreaker like Say it first or guess the baby photo, then Mr and Mrs, a prosecco tasting and a quiz. Finish with advice cards for the couple.

What hen do games work when guests don't know each other?

Games where everyone plays at once rather than taking turns. A word race like Say it first, a team quiz or a blind tasting all get people talking without anyone performing alone.

How many games should a hen night have?

Three or four across an evening: one icebreaker, one about the bride, one team game and something gentle at the end.

How do you plan a low-key hen party?

Ask the bride what she'd hate, keep every game under thirty minutes, spend the budget on food rather than props, and have at least one game that needs nothing but people.

Do you sell board games?

No. We make greeting cards, art prints, pin badges and party bits in the UK, so the games here are simply what we'd recommend to a friend. Some links go to other shops and may earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you.