Non-Drinking Party Games for Adults - 15 Ideas That Still Get Everyone Laughing
Author: Drinkify·
Not every night with friends has to revolve around drinks. Someone is driving, someone is pregnant, someone has a half marathon in the morning, someone is doing Dry January, and someone simply doesn't drink. The good news: the laughter at a party comes from the game, not the alcohol. The best party games work just as well with juice, tea or an alcohol-free beer.
We've put together 15 non-drinking party games for adults: word games to warm up, games about people and conversation, team challenges and quizzes. First, a few ways to replace drinking in games that usually come with it. At the end you'll find alcohol-free drink ideas and a plan for the night.
Contents
What to use instead of drinking in party games
Lots of party games have a simple rule: whoever loses or admits to something takes a drink. That rule is easy to swap out, and the game stays just as fun. A few options that work:
- Points or fingers. Everyone starts with ten fingers up and puts one down instead of drinking. The first person left with a fist loses.
- Gummy bears, chips or grapes. Instead of a sip, you eat one. It works the other way round too: whoever wins a round takes a sweet from the bowl.
- Forfeits. The loser hands over a small item (a watch, a hair tie, a sock) and buys it back with a dare at the end of the night.
- Mini dares. Sing a chorus, tell a joke, do ten squats, talk in an accent for a minute.
- Flavour roulette. Line up a few shot glasses with odd-tasting drinks (lemon juice, pickle juice, ginger shot). The loser rolls a die to see which one they get.
You can use the same rule in every game in this article and in every deck in the app. There's more about playing without alcohol in our drinking card games guide.
Word games to warm up
At the start of the night, the best games need quick thinking, not courage. They also pull in people who don't know anyone yet.
1. Taboo. You describe a word to your team without using a few forbidden words. Try explaining "pizza" without "cheese", "Italy" and "dough". It's loud, fast and needs no alcohol at all. Ready-made cards are in Taboo, and the rules are in Taboo - game rules.
2. Jinx. Two people hear a category and each say one word on "three". If they say the same word, they win. If not, they go again, starting from the two words they just said, until they match. Great as a warm-up and for couples. Jinx It gives you the categories.
3. One word story. The group tells a story, and each person adds just one word. After a few rounds it usually gets absurd, which is the point. Anyone who hesitates for more than three seconds gets a penalty point.
4. Categories against the clock. Someone names a category (car brands, fruit, cities), and players take turns naming items to a clapping rhythm. Repeat a word or freeze, and you're out of the round.
Games about people and conversation
These games get conversations going and make people find out things they would never have asked about. You really don't need alcohol here, just good questions.
5. Never have I ever with fingers. Someone says a sentence starting with "Never have I ever...", and everyone who has done it puts a finger down. The first person left with a fist loses and does a dare. The best part is the story behind each finger. Never Have I Ever Classic gives you the prompts, and you'll find a hundred examples in Never have I ever questions.
6. Truth or dare. A classic that has nothing to do with alcohol. Instead of "drink if you won't answer", use forfeits or a rule that refusing costs you two dares. Ready-made truths and dares are in Truth or Dare Classic.
7. Most likely to. Someone reads a line like "Who's most likely to lose their passport on holiday?", and on "three" everyone points at one person. Whoever gets the most fingers has to explain themselves or do a dare.
8. Two truths and a lie. Everyone says three things about themselves, one of them false. The others guess which. Each correct guess earns a point, and the storyteller gets a point for every player they fooled.
9. Would you rather? Two options, both hard: "Would you rather always tell the truth or never use your phone again?". Everyone picks and has to explain why. A simple game that can easily fill half an hour.
Team games and games that get you moving
Once everyone is warmed up, it's time for something louder. These games raise the energy without a single sip.
10. Who am I? Everyone has a sticky note with a character on their forehead and asks questions the others can only answer with "yes" or "no". The first to guess wins.
11. Mafia. A few players are secretly the mafia, the rest are villagers who try to unmask them during the "day". It works best with 7 or more people. It's a game about lying and deduction, so a clear head only helps.
12. Charades with a twist. Regular charades, but each round adds a rule: act with one hand, sitting down, with your back to the team, or in 30 seconds instead of a minute.
13. Minute challenges. Short timed tasks: stack six cups with one hand, move five sweets with a straw, get a cookie from your forehead to your mouth without hands. Teams compete, and the audience has the most fun.
Competition and quizzes
At the end of the night, it's good to play something with a score you can write down.
14. Team quiz. Prepare 4 rounds of 5 questions: general knowledge, music, "name the film from one frame" and questions about the guests ("How many countries has Sam been to?"). The last round is always the funniest.
15. Blind taste test. Put a few soft drinks or crisps from different brands on the table. Blindfolded players guess what they are. Surprisingly few people can tell one cola from another.
Alcohol-free drinks for the party
A sober party doesn't mean tap water. A nicely served drink means nobody feels they're on the "lesser menu":
- Virgin mojito: lime, mint, cane sugar, ice and sparkling water.
- Fruit lemonade: lemons, oranges, raspberries and rosemary in a big jug.
- Alcohol-free spritz: an alcohol-free aperitif, sparkling water and a slice of orange.
- 0% beer and wine: they're genuinely good these days and go well with table games.
- Nice glasses and lots of ice: the presentation does half the work.
Party games on your phone
No printing, no sticky notes. The Drinkify app has Never Have I Ever, Truth or Dare, Taboo and Jinx in one place, and every deck works without alcohol: instead of a sip, agree on a point, a forfeit or a dare.
Prefer the browser? All games work without installing anything, see all games.
A plan for a sober party night
- To start (15-20 minutes): Jinx or Categories against the clock, to get everyone going.
- After food: Never have I ever with fingers or Truth or dare, once people are chatting.
- Peak of the night: Taboo in teams, or Mafia with a bigger group.
- To finish: a team quiz with the winners announced.
More ideas for the whole night are in House party ideas.
Frequently asked questions
What party games can you play without alcohol? Almost all of them. Word games (Taboo, Jinx, charades), games about people (Never have I ever, Truth or dare, Most likely to) and team games (Mafia, quizzes) don't need alcohol at all, and in drinking games you just swap the sip for a point, a forfeit or a dare.
What can you use instead of drinks in Never have I ever? The easiest is fingers: everyone starts with ten and puts one down for every "yes". You can also use gummy bears, points on paper or a rule that the loser does a dare.
Can a party without alcohol be fun? Yes. Most of the laughter comes from good games and people who get into them. You also remember the night better, and the next day starts without a headache.
What are good non-drinking games for an office party? With colleagues, Taboo, a team quiz, Two truths and a lie and Minute challenges work best. They're fun, and nobody has to share anything too personal.
Does the Drinkify app work without alcohol? Yes. The decks contain questions and dares, and you decide what a player does instead of drinking. They work well at family gatherings, on trips and at get-togethers where nobody drinks.
Ready for a night with lots of laughter and no hangover? Get Drinkify on Google Play or the App Store and keep every party game in your pocket.
