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Everyone is here, the music is on, and the room has split into little circles that are all talking about the commute.
Ask one short, silly question that has no wrong answer, and answer it yourself first. Then pass it to the next person. Choose something people can answer with half a second of thought.
Every question here comes from Lolo Cards - 5,200+ conversation cards for iPhone.
Which questions work when people stand in small circles?
Start with a circle of three or four. Keep answers short so anyone can join in without having to perform.
Pick questions that ask for a quick story or a one-word answer. Here are five to try while people are still looking for something to say:
- What’s your go-to party trick?
- What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever overheard at a party?
- If you had to be an emoji forever, which one would you choose?
- What’s the weirdest thing you’ve Googled recently?
- Which song should every party open with?
Read one out loud, give your own answer in ten seconds, then look at the person on your left. If a question flops, say “okay, next one” and move on.
Find more in our funny questions to ask collection, grouped by mood, so you can grab a few before guests arrive.
What do you ask someone you’ve just met?
One-on-one at a party usually starts with “so, how do you know the host?” If that topic runs out, try asking for a memory or a silly opinion. Their answer gives you something to react to.
- What’s the silliest thing that’s ever made you cry laughing?
- What’s the most ridiculous thing you believed as a kid?
- If you were a ghost, who would you haunt first?
- What’s the one snack a party can’t go without?
Michael Kardas and colleagues at Northwestern ran five studies with more than 1,000 participants, who talked with strangers face to face or by video call. People underestimated how much they would enjoy talking for longer, and the researchers wrote that “conversation remained replete with material for longer than participants imagined.” These were lab conversations, not parties. At a party, try going a little past the first awkward pause if the other person seems willing to keep talking.
How do you turn two circles into one group?
To bring two circles into the same conversation, try a round where everyone answers the same question and nobody has to explain their choice.
For “Who’s most likely to,” everyone points at someone in the group.
- Who’s most likely to be the last one standing at a party?
- Who’s most likely to throw the best party of the year?
- Who’s most likely to organize a surprise party?
Here is how to run it in about five minutes:
- Gather the nearest two circles and read the first question.
- Count to three and everyone points at the same time.
- Let the person with the most votes tell the story behind it, or just take a bow.
- Pass the phone or the card to that person, and let them read the next one.
Handing over the next question lets someone else take a turn as host while you grab a snack.
The Tripleseat events blog suggests attaching questions to Jenga blocks to give guests something to laugh about, and using Two Truths and a Lie at smaller events. Try giving people a task so they don’t have to invent a topic from nothing.
What if the circle just won’t loosen up?
Some rooms need ten more minutes. A few small fixes:
- Go first, and go small. A short, silly reply lets people know they can keep theirs short, too.
- Skip questions that might make someone feel judged. If “What’s your favorite book?” feels like a test, try “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve Googled?”
- Ask a specific person. Try “Sam, what’s your go-to party trick?” instead of throwing a question at the whole room.
- Keep it short. Five minutes of cards, then back to snacks. You can come back later.
If your guests are mostly close friends, the questions to ask friends collection goes a little further than these. And if the party is a sit-down meal, try the dinner party conversation starters article.
