Party Games and Themes: Adult Relay Races to Try

Relay races are one of the easiest ways to wake up a quiet party. Pick a game that fits your space (slow and tidy for small rooms, a bit wilder for the lawn), clear a lane, and protect the floors, the breakables and the dog.

This list of party games and themes for adults is organized by where you're playing. Each one comes with the layout detail that decides whether the game is fun or a trip to urgent care.

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How much space does a relay race need?

More than a hallway. A normal main walkway is about 36 inches wide, but a race lane is better at 48 to 60 inches so runners don't clip furniture. Look for the longest straight sightline in your home, often from the kitchen island to the living room wall.

Leave about three feet of stopping room before the turnaround wall, and check that nothing hangs at shoulder height along the route: sconces, floating shelves, framed art. Guests who are laughing and racing will not slow down for your gallery wall.

What should you do about rugs?

Roll up any valuable rug in the race zone. If a rug has to stay, use a felt-and-rubber pad cut about 1.5 inches smaller than the rug on every side. Thin waffle pads tend to slide under sideways force. Tape down curling corners with painter's tape.

Indoor party games for adults that don't need much room

In an apartment or a home with delicate finishes, choose dexterity and balance over speed. These indoor party games for adults protect your floors and your neighbors.

The coffee table book balance walk

Teams walk a path around dining chairs with a heavy coffee table book on their heads. Nobody can run, so it is safe on hardwood, and it is a good pick if your dog gets excited by sprinting.

The wine cork pass

Players move a cork from one end of the room to the other using only salad tongs or chopsticks, handing it to teammates at stations. Use sturdy side tables or stools as stations, not tippy pedestal tables. A dropped cork won't hurt a hardwood or tile floor.

The furniture assembly relay

This is the funniest of the funny party games for adults on this list. Buy two identical small flat-pack items, such as a shoe rack or stool. Player one sorts the hardware, player two attaches the legs, player three adds the top, and player four tightens everything with the Allen wrench as the baton. It turns energy into focus, so it suits small living rooms, and it keeps athletic and non-athletic guests on equal footing. Put down a drop cloth or flattened cardboard to protect the floor.

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A stationary option for studios

Seat guests in a line on the sofa and have them pass an object using only their feet. It needs almost no floor space. If you have downstairs neighbors, skip running and jumping games entirely and lay yoga mats along any walking path to soften footsteps.

Outdoor party games and themes for the yard

If you have a lawn, patio or courtyard, use it. Just match the game to the surface: hardscape (patio, deck) and softscape (grass) behave very differently under a runner.

Wheelbarrow race

Play it on the flattest part of the lawn only, never on pavers or a deck, because a fall onto stone is hard on wrists and knees. Mark lanes with landscape flags. Wet grass is slick, so wait until it's dry. On artificial turf, friction burns are possible, so suggest long pants or knee pads.

Waiter's tray dash

Racers carry a tray of plastic cups filled with water. Spills don't hurt a stone patio or pool deck, which makes it a good hardscape game. Use acrylic cups instead of glass, since broken glass between pavers or in garden beds is miserable to clean. Skip it on uneven flagstone and light the path evenly.

As an architect, I'd mark any step between patio and lawn with a bright outdoor rug or solar lights. Depth perception drops in the middle of a race, and steps are where people trip.

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Planning a bigger outdoor event? The lake party ideas post has more warm-weather setups.

How do you set up the props and drinks?

Game gear doesn't have to look like a gym class. Keep supplies in woven baskets or canvas bins at the starting line. Mark lanes with potted plants (in plastic nursery pots dropped into baskets) or weighted lanterns instead of orange cones. Smooth wooden dowels, painted in your party colors, make better batons than plastic tubes.

Put drinks near the finish line but out of the active zone. A bar cart with locked casters and a high-lipped tray contains bumps and spills. If you're styling one for the occasion, see these bar cart styling ideas.

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Which safety details matter most?

Light the room properly

Dim lighting is great for cocktails and poor for racing. Turn on overhead lights during the games, and use bulbs around 2700K to 3000K so the light is warm but clear. Shadows hide rug corners and floor vents.

Decide on shoes or socks

Socks on engineered hardwood or polished concrete are slippery. Pick a clear policy: shoes with rubber soles, or grippy socks for guests in a shoes-off home. I recommend deciding before the first game, not after the first fall.

Keep pets out of the race

Running people can trigger herding, nipping or chasing in some dogs. Set up a quiet room, like a guest bedroom or laundry room, with a bed, water, a long-lasting chew and some white noise to mask the shouting. Skip balloons: the pop can frighten pets and the scraps are a choking hazard. Use foam balls or bean bags. Outdoors, check your plants against the ASPCA toxic plant list, and ask your vet if you're unsure about anything in the yard.

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Pre-party checklist

• Walk the track yourself and swing your arms. Do you hit a lamp?
• Move fragile vases, sculptures and framed pieces off nearby consoles.
• Check rug pads and tape down curling corners.
• Test the dimmers and light the corners of the room.
• Stock the pet room with water and white noise.
• Set out water and towels near a cool-down spot.
• Push sofas to the walls so spectators have a front-row view.

If you want a theme to hang it all on, the circus decor for adults post pairs well with a race day, and the Squishmallow birthday party ideas are a good starting point if kids will be joining in.

Frequently asked questions