5 Fun Icebreakers to Heat Up Your Dinner Party

While the focal point of any dinner party is usually the food, what your guests will remember the most is the “experience” they had in your home and with the other guests. 

A private dinner party isn’t just something where people show up, go to the table, eat, drink some coffee or tea, take in a nibble of dessert, say a few words and leave. It is an “opportunity” for a group of people to come together to have a good time, laugh, share a delicious meal and create some wonderful memories. 

“Getting the party started” can be a challenge especially if not everyone has met before. We have some ideas for you for fun icebreakers that can either get your dinner party off to a great start that can kick the energy up a notch after everyone has eaten a wonderful meal.

Jokes

Ask each guest to bring a memorized joke to the dinner party. Before your guests arrive, have a box where tiny pieces of paper are numbered.  There should be one piece of paper for each guest including yourself as the host. For example, if a total of eight people will be present, you will number the papers 1, 2, 3, and so on. As each guest arrives, they will pick a piece of paper from the box. The host gets the last piece remaining. While enjoying entrée menu, the guest who drew #1 will share their joke with the crowd. Throughout the night, the next person in line may be called upon by the host to share their joke.  Everyone loves a good laugh. A funny and well-delivered joke always lightens the mood.

This Is Me

Have each guest pick an item from a box of random items. Each guest must then explain to the group how the item best represents who they are and their personality.  Before your guests arrive, go around your house and place a variety of objects in a large bowl so people can view their options.  Make sure to have twice as many items as there are guests. The items can be anything from a paperclip to a spoon, feather and so on. When there is a lull in the party between dinner and dessert or after people have retired to the living room to relax and socialize, have each person pick one item from the bowl but do not tell them what it will be used for.  Then, after everyone has picked their item, explain to your guests that each person must now share with the group how the item they picked best represents who they believe themselves to be and why.  This icebreaker is a great way for people to get to know each other a little better.

Play That Funky Music

Have everyone choose a percussion instrument and play along with some music.  If your group of guests happens to be on the festive side, this activity will be a lot of fun! Before your dinner party, gather or purchase a variety of percussion instruments such as maracas, tambourine, a pair of castanets, djembe drums, bongos, washboard, and so forth.  Another alternative is to use pots, pans and cutlery as musical instruments! Make sure there is at least one instrument for each guest. Put on some music that has a great beat and lots of rhythm (Latin music is always fun!) and have everyone play along. When the next song comes on, switch! - to the right, so that everyone gets a chance to play another instrument. Your guests will be smiling and laughing and letting their inner musicians shine.

My Favorite Things

Before your guests arrive at your dinner party, print sheets of paper that list questions such as, “My favorite car is a…”  My favorite flower is a…”  “My favorite band is...” My favorite way to relax is…” and so on. When your guests arrive, have each one fill out a list, but they should not write their name. When there is a break in the socializing, shuffle the papers and let each guest pick one to read aloud. All the other guests then need to figure out who that list belongs to. There should be a vote before the author of the list reveals themselves. Not only is this fun but it is an interesting way to get an inside view into what people really enjoy.

Mark the Map

Get a map of the world and lay it out on a table.  Have each one of your guests use a different colored pen to put a dot next to every city they have traveled to or lived in. When everyone has marked their destinations, compare experiences. See if there is a city that everyone has been to or discuss why someone visited a far-away land that no one else had traveled to. This icebreaker is a terrific way to share memories and experiences and to discover common interests as well.

As the host of a private dinner party, it is your goal to make sure the food is terrific and also your hope and responsibility to help each guest feel comfortable welcomed and valued. By making use of one or many icebreakers, you can easily get everyone to participate in socializing. 

Icebreakers are meant to be fun and interesting so that all of your guests can enjoy themselves and so that at the end of the occasion, everyone feels not only happier but also more informed about the people they just shared their evening with.