Bored of playing the same old games? How about you include some traditional German games in your list that promise a whole lot of fun? Here, we will give you exactly that, a mix of games for kids and adults.
If you’re just about done hosting the same old party games for every single party that you host, and you’d like nothing more than to bring about a change in that set pattern, then boy do we have the perfect option for you―3 words―German Party Games. This is the perfect excuse to borrow some fun from world culture and introduce it into your circle.
You see, traditional German games offer for some of the most exciting, fun-filled moments. Simple as they are, they can be played by just about anyone who wants to bring home some cheer and laughter. Kids, as we know, don’t really need an excuse for laughter or for having fun, but a change in their usual stack of staple games, ought to make it all the more exciting, and twice as fun. The following section will list out some of the best German kids games as well as German drinking games (because we haven’t forgotten the adults, no). Read, learn, enjoy.
German Games for Kids
The games listed under are bound to bring in insane amounts of raucous laughter and squealing contests, of that you can be sure. But, my goodness, the kids will have so, so much fun.
Hit the Pot
This traditional game goes by the name Topfschlagen. A small pot containing chocolates is placed on the floor. A kid is chosen (via chits) and is blindfolded. He is then handed a stick and placed in the center of the room. The objective of the game is to crawl on the floor, and using the stick, find and hit the pot. Once the kid has found the pot, he can claim the contents of the same as his own. The game can be continued to be played by re-filling the pot and having others have a go at it.
Eating Chocolates
This popular German game by the name Schokoladenessen is a rather fast-paced activity. As the name suggests, it does involve eating chocolates, but the way in which it is carried through is where the fun lies. A group of kids sit around a table―it has to be ensured that all the kids fit around the table. A chocolate bar is wrapped in several layers of newspapers, secured with a ribbon, and placed in the center of the table, along with other items that include a hat, scarf, mittens, fork, knife, and a dice.
The kid to roll the first round of dice is picked via chits, and he/she aims to get a 6. When a 6 is rolled, the kid has to wear the scarf, mittens, and hat and start unwrapping the layers of newspapers to get at the bar. Once he/she has reached the chocolate bar, he/she has to use the knife and fork and start eating the chocolate. While all this is happening, the other kids around the table have to continue rolling the dice in a counterclockwise motion. When any of the kids rolls a 6, he/she take over from the first kid (including donning the scarf et all) and starts eating the chocolate. The game continues till the bar is over. To make this already fast-paced game all the more interesting, you can set up teams across 3-4 tables and time them. Then give away first, second, third, and consolation prizes.
The Number Game
In German it’s called the ‘Ein, Zwei, Drei … Halt!’ (1, 2, 3… Halt!) game. A person who is tagged ‘it’ stands at a distance backing the others. Then he/she says ‘Ein, Zwei, Drei … in which time the kids have to run towards him. When he says ‘Halt’, he turns around and all the kids have to stop in the statue mode―they aren’t to move at all. If ‘it’ finds any of them moving, they’re out. The game continues till either all have been dismissed or one of the kids crosses the finish line.
Hiding Sardines
This German game is called ‘Sardinen’. A kid is chosen to hide while the others have to find him. They have to count, up to 30, in which time the kid hides. When anyone finds the kid, they have to hide with him. One by one the others join the first kid in the hiding place. This continues till the last one finds the hiding place. It’s a whole lot of fun if it is combined with dim lights so that the hide and seek game becomes even more challenging.
The Cat and Mouse
In Germany, this game is called ‘Katz (cat) and Maus'(mouse). Here, one of the players is the cat while the other the mouse, and the rest form a circle. The objective is that the cat has to catch the mouse. The mouse can run anywhere―into and out of the circle. There is an added element of fun introduced because the circle sometimes allows the mouse to enter and at other times blocks him. When the mouse is caught, there are chits drawn to decide who the next cat and mouse will be.
Packing a Suitcase
This game is known as Koffer packen in German. Get the kids to sit in a circle. The first kid starts by saying―’I packed a suitcase and I put a muffler in it’. The next kid continues with―’I packed a suitcase and I put a muffler and a shirt in it’. This continues with each kid repeating the previous items on the list and adding one of his own. Those who mess the sequence or omit any item are disqualified and the game continues till there is one kid remaining, he is declared the winner.
Traditional German Drinking Games
Beer and Germany are quite synonymous. And there is the concept of beer boots that is very popular in Germany. Beer boots are exactly how they sound―the glasses are in the shape of boots. Here are some traditional games that you can enjoy with this concept in mind and a few others without.
Beer Boot Pass
A very, very popular game played in Germany is the beer boot pass (Bier Boot). It is usually played to pin the next round of beers on a person. In this, a beer glass is filled to the brim and passed around in the group―there are some rules for this―it has to be tipped every time before it is passed and not a drop of beer must be spilled. The objective of the game is that the second-to-last person who finishes the beer must pay for the next round (or do an errand). The game then becomes all about judgment because either you drink the entire beer or have a sip and pass it on. You never know who the second to last person will be, so the suspense and excitement is quite rife.
Beer Crate-Running
This is a traditional game that is extremely popular in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, more popularly referred to as Kastenlauf. The game is similar to running a race, where a route is marked, ranging from anywhere between 5-12 km. Each participant brings a crate of beer (the size and quantity will be specified). The objective of the game is to finish the entire crate of beer before getting to the finish line. The first person who successfully completes this feat, wins.
Flunkyball
This outdoor game is played with one team being pitted against another, with equal numbers in both. The objective of the game is for the teams to finish all their beers. The teams stand on opposite sides of the ground in a file, with their beers lined before them. An empty bottle (filled with water so that it does not tumble with the wind) or a tin can is placed in the center and another object (used as an aim) is brought in, something like a tennis ball. Chits are drawn to determine which team will go first. The first team (A) hits the ball onto the target to tumble it. Once the bottle has tumbled, team A will start drinking their beers. Meanwhile, team B must run to the center, place the bottle upright, find the ball, and cross back into the line before yelling ‘Stop’. Team A then stops drinking and team B commences to throw the ball at the bottle and carrying forward the game. The game continues till one team has finished all their beer and they are declared winners.
One can make things a little harder by introducing rules in the game, like, if a team does not manage to hit the target in the first go, they have to forfeit the round or no team member can hit the target twice.
Drinking Relay
Divide the group into two teams and get them to stand in a line with beer boots placed in front of each member. At the blow of the whistle, the first person lifts the glass and starts drinking the beer. After he is done, he has to turn the glass over to show that there is no more beer in the glass. Then, the next person starts drinking and so on. The next in line can only drink when the first person has emptied his glass. The team whose last member empties the glass ahead of others, wins.
Herman the German
Even though this game seems simple, it is a lot of fun because of the antics that being drunk makes you do. It runs on the lines of ‘Who stole the cookie’. A person is chosen as ‘Herman the German’ (HTG) and he has to get the game running. The other members sit in a random manner and are given names, better if they are confusing names like China Port No.1, Rum Master Blaster, Roundy Dundy etc. The game starts with HTG saying―”HTG dropped a missile on China Port No. 1, sir’ and China Port No. 1 has to reply with―”It wasn’t me, sir”. Then HTG replies―”Who then, sir” and it goes on. The sentence has to end with ‘sir’ and if it doesn’t, then the player has to down a shot or a beer boot. Similarly, if at any point the players fumble, they have to do the same. The tension makes the players forget things and there’s a whole lot of beer flowing as a result.
With these games, there’s not a single party that won’t be just bursting with fun and enthusiasm. That’s for sure. So choose a good one and get that German-themed party rolling.
