Is a hen party without party games even a hen party?! If you're in the middle of planning the #besthenpartyever, and looking for the best games to play, we've got you covered. Within our ultimate list of hen party games, you’ll find tried and tested games for all types of hen parties, plus explanations on how to play them and even free printables to make playing so much easier. From classic ice-breaker games and competitive fun, to creative challenges and even some slightly naughty games to get everyone involved and laughing, we've got it all below!
Let’s be honest, a few hen games are essential as they add the touch of “hen” to the hen party. That said, we don't recommend really racy games unless you know your bride-to-be would enjoy them. Likewise, when it comes to party games like the Mr & Mrs game, it's a good idea to keep the tone light and limit the embarrassing questions, especially if the mum or mum-in-law are present. Both for their sake and the bride's. Most of these games require a little prep (but don't worry, not too much!) in order for them to run smoothly. So, pop on our hen party playlist and get stuck in!
Classic Hen Party Games
1. The Mr & Mrs | Mrs & Mrs | Mr & Mr Game
Break the ice on your hen weekend by kicking it off with this classic hen party game, which is guaranteed to get some laughs! The Mr and Mrs Quiz involves some prep, but you can find our handy guide to playing the game right here. If our suggested questions aren't to your liking, we've got a list of more offbeat and unusual questions here. Of course Mr & Mrs is the name of the game - but the same rules apply for a Mr & Mr or Mrs & Mrs Game!
2. How Well Do You Know The Bride?
This classic hen party game is a long-time favourite of ours, not only because it's easy to play, but because it always gets the good vibes flowing (and the bride LOLing)! You'll need to split the hens up into teams. Mix it up so each team has a good mix of people from different areas of the bride-to-be's life - this is a great way to encourage mingling! Hand out copies of our How Well do you Know the Bride? printable quiz (which you'll find below) - you need one for each guest, including the bride. Read out each question one by one, asking guests to shout out their answers. The winner gets the prize!
3. "Don't Say..."
If you’re looking for a fun game that will keep everyone on their toes, and can go on alongside other games, then "Don’t Say (insert chosen banned word here!)" is the perfect hen party game for you and your guests. This game is fun, simple (until you’ve had a few drinks) and doesn't have to cost much! All you need to do is think of a word that you know will be difficult to resist saying such as "wedding", "bride", "hen party" etc. and a forfeit for any time someone lets it slip into a sentence! If you’ve ever played a similar game, you’ll know how hard this is. Part of the fun is actually staying on high alert to make sure no hen gets away with slipping up! We're written a guide to playing Don't Say Bride.
4. True or False
This one's really easy to put together but oh-so-fun to play! You simply compile a list of statements about the bride, some of which are true, and some which are funny and false! Read them out loud and get the hens to guess whether they're true or false.
5. How Old Is The Bride?
For this, you'll need a photo board featuring various photos from the bride’s childhood and the aim of the game is to get guests to guess how old she was in each photo. The host (usually the Maid of Honour or bridesmaids) will then read out the correct answers while guests tally their score. The hen with the most correct guesses is the winner! This game can be done with photos of the bride's future spouse too and we have whole post with tips here.
6. What's In Your Handbag?
This interactive, bingo-style game is always a bit of fun! Before the game begins, make a list (or use our free printable to make things easier) of what objects you would typically find in a handbag, with a few unusual ones thrown in! Give each item on your list a certain number of points, ranging from low points for items such as a wallet, keys, lipstick, gum and higher points for more unusual items such as an umbrella, toothbrush or even a parking ticket! Tally up the points at the end and be sure to organise a prize for the winner. And remember to keep this game a surprise, so guests won't have the chance to add or remove any items! Check out our full rundown on how to play What's in Your Handbag and get access to our free printable here.
7. Guess The Celebrity Couple
For this game, make colour printouts of celebrity couples (but don’t make it too easy!) and ask guests to identify both people in the photo. The hen or team who gets the most correct guesses wins! This is a totally innocent hen party game option, so a great one to play when mum and mum-in-law-to-be are present!
8. Help The Bride Write Her Vows
For this game, you display a Mad Libs Vows printout (make your own, or find great options on Etsy) at each guest's place setting, instructing hens to write personalised vows for the bride-to-be. Read a few of the funniest responses out loud for giggles!
9. Would She Rather?
Test out who knows the bride-to-be the best with the Would She Rather? game. It’s a fun way to break the ice and get the competitive juices flowing. This hen party game is best played in teams of 2 to 4. All you need is a few printable game sheets (there's a handy free printable here) and some pens or pencils. Give each team five to 10 minutes to tick the choices they think the bride-to-be would make. When everyone’s finished, ask the bride-to-be what she’d actually pick and tally up your scores. The team with the most correct answers wins!
10. Who Am I?
In advance of the hen party or, when your hen guests arrive, ask them to write down (anonymously) their favourite or funniest memory with the bride or their first impressions of her. Later that evening, put the bride in the spotlight and have a bridesmaid read each answer out (so the bride can’t guess the handwriting!) The bride-to-be then has to decide which hen has written it. If the bride can't guess who wrote it, the hen wins a prize!
11. Once upon a time…
This game is a fun way to create a keepsake for the bride! At the top of a blank sheet of paper simply write, “Once upon a time, a girl named [Bride's Name] met a girl/boy called [Bride/Groom's Name]..." Pass the paper around to each of the hen party guests, and request that they each add a sentence to the story. Every person should fold the paper after they've written their sentence to make the story funnier and less predictable. Once the story has been passed around to everyone, finish it with “and they lived happily ever after” and read the entire story aloud. Give the story to the bride as a way to remember her hen party!
X-Rated Games
12. Never Have I Ever
Not only does this one get the party going, but it’s a great way to find out some naughty secrets about the other hens. The rules are simple; in turns, each guest tells the group about something they've never done, beginning the sentence with, "Never have I ever..." Anyone who has done the deed must take a sip of their drink! For a sophisticated version of the game, you can use racy prompt cards, like these ones by Bespoke Bride.
13. The Knicker Game
This one is a racier take on the Who Am I? game! Each hen will need to bring along a pair of underwear, (newly bought from Penneys or Primark if they prefer!), that best represents their personality, and discretely pop them into the designated "knickers box". The bride-to-be then has to match the pants to the person! You could also add a pair that you feel best represents the bride!
14. Pin The Penis
This one is like a risqué version of your childhood Pin The Donkey birthday party game. You can either make your own, DIY game, or purchase a handily pre-made one. Some bridesmaids like to use a picture of the groom for an extra dose of embarrassment! Alternatively, if you want to make this one more Mum-friendly, you can change it to pin the kiss on the groom, or pin the ring on the bride.
15. Nail Polish or Adult Film?
Topless and Barefoot; Tell me about it, Stud; Sugar Daddy; Bachelorette Bash; this guessing game is harder than you think! Divide everyone up in small groups and read out a list of names, which are either the titles of adult films or nail polish colours - Bespoke Bride have a handy printable list. You could even give the winning team some bottles of nail polish as an on-theme prize!
Creative Hen Party Games
16. Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Challenge
As cheesy as this game sounds, anyone who has played this game will tell you it’s usually a highlight of any hen party! You'll need lots of toilet rolls and tonnes of creative energy! Divide the hens into groups of 3 to 4 people and use toilet paper to create a wedding dress on one of the hens in the team. Give the teams about 15 mins to design and make their dresses, then they have to strut their stuff and show off their designs! The bride choses the winning group based on creativity and originality. Bonus points for veils, bouquets and accessories. We have a whole post on how to play here.
17. Play-Doh Body Parts Challenge
Give each hen some play-doh and ask them to mould various body parts - how risqué is up to you! You can up the competitive factor by adding a time limit or casting votes for the best shapes!
18. Guess The Dress
Challenge the hen party guests to guess the bride-to-be's dress! At every table place setting, provide guests with paper (or printouts) they can draw on. Encourage them to guess what the dress shape is, and the bride then picks her favourite or, the hen with the closest dress design. You can also provide prizes for the most creative, most hilarious, or to the hen who finished the quickest. We have a free downloadable printable here which you can use to play.
19. The Cocktail Making Challenge
For this challenge, set up a station with one or two types of alcohol (so there isn’t too much mixing going on!), various mixers (fizzy drinks, purees, fruit juices, tonics, etc.), and garnishes. Get as creative with garnishes as you like. We’re thinking fruit, sprinkles, lollipops, popping candy, candy floss, etc. Split the hens into teams and ready, steady... go! The teams can recreate classic cocktails or come up with their very own original creations inspired by the bride. The bride gets to choose the winning concoction!
Competitive Fun Hen Party Games
20. Prosecco Pong
You’ve probably heard of beer pong, but Prosecco Pong is a modern hen party game that's a little more sophisticated! Split your group into teams, pour some drinks into Prosecco glasses (plastic glasses are essential!) and try to get your ping pong ball into the opposite glass. Whoever lands their ball in the glass, wins that glass of Prosecco.
21. Find The Ring
This scavenger hunt hen party game works best for hen parties taking place in a space with lots of hiding spots! Buy some plastic rings, or ring pops, and hide them around the party area. Set a timer and lets the hens loose! Once the timer goes off, each hen must return to the host and count how many rings they collected. The hen with the most rings wins the game.
22. Pass the Balloon
This one is like Pass the Parcel, only slightly more difficult than you remember! To play, divide the hens into teams, and then line them up. Starting at the top, your hens must hold a balloon between their knees (no hands allowed!) and pass it down the line as quickly as possible. If you drop the balloon or burst it, you must start from the beginning. The first team to successfully reach the end of the line are the winners!
23. Hen Party Piñata
Everyone’s heard of a Piñata but we’re talking about a hen party Piñata! Start by sourcing a wedding-themed Piñata such as a ring, love heart, champagne bottle or tiara-shaped one, and then fill it with sweets, fancy dress accessories, confetti and even miniature bottles of booze! Don’t forget to blindfold everyone when it’s their turn. This one is particularly good to play after a few glasses of Prosecco!
For more top hen party planning tips ideas, check out our Hen Party section.
