Bar/Bat Mitzvah Games

Below are some of our favorite games to play at parties. There are fun games without props, exciting games with chairs, wild balloon games for all ages, or thrilling games with props. Each of these games are great at a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah or anywhere else people want to connect, bond, and have a great time, like a corporate function, school dance, or sometimes even a wedding. 

GAMES WITHOUT PROPS

Huggy Bear (good with “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge)

• Prizes: at least two

• Time: as long or short as needed

• Energy: medium

• The game starts once everyone is on the dance floor. The MC yells out a number and everyone must get into groups of that number.

• Anyone not in a group of that number is out.

Coke and Pepsi (good with upbeat music)

It is not recommended that a slippery surface or chairs be used as there is running involved and a slippery surface or chairs can be a liability.

• Time: 15 min to 45 min depending on number of players

• Energy: high

• Everyone partners-up and splits-up to either side of the floor. Facing their partner across the dance floor, one line is “Coke” and the other is “Pepsi.”

• When the DJ calls out either “Coke” or “Pepsi,” that line runs to the other side and sits on the knee of their partner.

• Players are eliminated when one partner is last to complete the race or completes the wrong action for the given trigger (see below).

• The last couple remaining is the winner.

• While there are hundreds of variations and many entertainers make them up on the fly, below are the most common triggers a DJ will call out that applies to both “Coke” and “Pepsi” lines.

  • Seven Up – both lines run to the middle and “High-Five” their partner.

  • Sprite – everyone has to freeze in their tracks

  • Dr. Pepper – both sides meet in the middle and lock arms back-to-back.

  • Name of the Guest of Honor is called out, everyone points at him/her, and yells, “You’re so money!”

• As the players start to thin out, I like to add in the following:

  • Star Trek – everyone raises their right hand up and yells “Beam me up, Scotty!”

  • Superman – both sides fly back and forth across the floor

  • Austin Powers – both sides yell “Groovy Baby Yeah” and make their sexiest Austin Powers pose.

  • Thriller – both sides dance to the center like Michael Jackson in Thriller

CHAIRS ARE REQUIRED FOR THESE GAMES

Musical Chairs (good with upbeat music)

• Prizes: at least two

• Time: 15 min to 45 min depending on number of players

• Energy: medium

• Played multiple ways with no wrong way to play.

• A common and fun way is to partner-up with whomever you’re comfortable, one person brings a chair to sit on, is assigned a number that is placed in a hat and sits facing out in a circle. Find one more person without a partner to join those remaining as they walk around the circle while the music plays. When the music stops, all must find a lap to sit on and the odd person is out. The person whose number is then drawn out of the hat is eliminated, along with his chair, and the game continues.

• The last couple left, wins.

Scavenger Hunt Musical Chairs (good with “Jessica” by The Allman Brothers)

• Prizes: at least two

• Time: 15 min to 45 min depending on number of players

• Energy: high

• All players come to the dance floor with a chair and sit facing out in a circle. As the music plays, guests rotate around the chairs until the music stops. The DJ then calls out an object like a man’s belt, a cell phone, or a nail file. As the players run to find the item, one chair is removed. The person left standing is out and items get harder to find as there are fewer and fewer contestants.

• Other examples are a specific kind of candy, spoon, ice cube, and so forth.

THESE GAMES REQUIRE BALLOONS

It is recommended that the client provide props or notify the DJ at least ONE WEEK prior to prepare for the event.

Balloon Stomp (good with “Get Ready 4 This” by 2 Unlimited)

• Prizes: one or two

• Time: five to 15 minutes depending on number of players

• Energy: high

• Everybody gets a balloon attached to a string that is tied to their ankle. The object is to pop the balloons of other people while protecting yours. Players must stay within arranged areas.

• Each time the music stops, everyone must freeze.

• The last person left with an un-popped balloon, wins.

Balloon Race (good with “Wipe Out” by The Surfaris or The Beach Boys)

• Prizes: five to ten

• Time: five to 15 minutes depending on number of players

• Energy: high

• Two teams of partners line up on the dancefloor with pairs facing each other.

• The first two partners on each team put a balloon between them wherever the DJ calls, i.e. hips, shoulders, stomach, etc.

• Holding the balloon between that point on their bodies, they race to the end of the line. The balloon is then passed back to the head of the line and the next two partners on each team go.

• The balloon must never be touched by hands or arms.

• If a balloon drops, the partners must pick it up, go back to the head of the line and start again.

• The team that goes around one cycle first, wins.

PROPS ARE REQUIRED FOR THESE GAMES

It is recommended that the client provide props or notify the DJ at least ONE WEEK prior to prepare for the event.

Thread the Needle (good with “Pick Up The Pieces” by The Average White Band)

• Props: one or two hula hoops.

• Prizes: one or ten depending on how you play

• Time: five to 15 minutes depending on number of players

• Energy: medium

• All players join hands in a circle with a hula hoop hanging from one person’s arm.

• Music starts, game begins

• Without breaking the hand-chain, player passes hoop to neighboring player. This continues until the music stops and whoever has the hula hoops is out.

• Play continues until only the winner is left.

• The game can also be played as a race with teams lined up with separate hoops. The quickest team to pass the hoop from the first person in line to the last, wins.

Mummy Wrap (good with “Monster Mash” by Bobby Boris Pickett)

• Props: at least four rolls of toilet paper (two per team)

• Prizes: at least two depending on number of players

• Time: about three to five minutes

• Energy: low

• Teams of at least two (better with five per team)

  • one mummy (mummies should be relatively equal size)

  • at least one wrapper

• Wrappers take turns running around the mummy.

• Switch when toilet paper rips.

• You win by finishing both rolls and covering the most body.

Other Prop Games

• Limbo Contest

• Hula Hoop Contest

• Indoor Volleyball – Using a large beach ball.

• Dance Contests (Twist, Free Style, Singles, Couples, Swing)

• Toothpick Lifesaver Pass

• Frozen T-Shirt Contest – A race to unfold and put on a frozen t-shirt.