Red Rover
10–30 players 10–20 min No equipment needed
Two teams form lines facing each other about 30 feet apart, holding hands firmly. One team calls "Red Rover, Red Rover, send [name] right over!" The named player runs and tries…
66 games
No-Equipment Games for 30 People
Thirty people and no equipment sounds like the worst case. It is actually easier than thirty people with equipment, because the equipment is usually what takes the time — handing it out, collecting it, replacing the piece that broke.
The rules here are simple. Anything you explain has to survive being half-heard at the back of a hall, so keep it to two sentences and demonstrate it. Anything that eliminates players has to bring them back quickly, or you will have twenty people standing around. And anything requiring teams should form them by something visible — where people are standing, what they are wearing — rather than by counting off, which takes several minutes at this size.
Most of what works here is large-group classics that have survived precisely because they need nothing.
Ordered so the games built for crowds come first.
Last reviewed:
Opposites
6–30 players 10–15 min No equipment needed
The goal of this game is for guests to do the opposite of what they are told. When you say, "put your right foot out," they put their left foot out. When you say, "look up," the…
Grouped by Numbers
20+ players 20–30 min No equipment needed
In an open space, a large group moves around. The game leader shouts out a number, and everyone must quickly form groups of that size. Anyone who can't find a group gets elimina…
Birdie on a Perch
12+ players 15–30 min No equipment needed
Players should pair off into partners (girls with girls and guys with guys is usually better). One player will be the birdie and the other will be the perch. All of the perches…
Human Relay
12+ players 10–30 min No equipment needed
Each team forms a straight line behind the start line. When the relay starts, the first team member carries the second team member to the finish line. Once they arrive, the pers…
Rock Paper Dragon
12+ players 30–60 min No equipment needed
First, everyone finds someone and plays basic "Rock-Paper-Scissors" with them. Then the loser attaches themselves onto the winners by grabbing their shoulders like a "train". We…
Crab in a circle
11+ players 15–20 min No equipment needed
Large group forming a circle. One participant stands in the center in a quadripedal position. The participants who make up the circle shake hands and squat. The one in the cente…
Mr. Freeze
11+ players 10–20 min No equipment needed
Pick one person to be Mr. Freeze. Have everyone playing the game move around the party as usual. When that person freezes, though, everyone else must freeze too. Whoever freezes…
Campers and tents
10+ players 10–30 min No equipment needed
Players pair up: one is the camper (usually the smaller partner), the other is the tent. Form a circle with the tents standing arms-raised like a roof and the campers sitting cr…
Caterpillar Race
10+ players 15–30 min No equipment needed
Divide into two teams. Both teams divide again into two lines and then sit with their feet touching one another. Number each pair. When a number is called, those two must run ar…
Commando
10+ players 20–30 min No equipment needed
Commando is basically hide and seek meets red light green light. Choose a counter (preferably a leader/staff member). Their job is to regulate the game and call people out. Pick…
Giant Knot
10+ players 10–20 min No equipment needed
Make teams. Teams stand in a circle and join hands randomly with two different team members across the circle to form a giant knot. On "Go!", teams must unwind so that they are…
Hi Ha Hu
10+ players 10–15 min No equipment needed
Everyone stands in a circle. First player says "HI" and with joined palms waves from the top of the head down towards someone. That person then says "HA" and does the same movem…
Jockeys up
10+ players 10–30 min No equipment needed
Players pair up with someone of similar size and decide who is the horse and who is the jockey. The horses walk in a small circle in the middle, one behind the other; the jockey…
Lap Sit
10+ players 5–10 min No equipment needed
The group stands in a tight circle, everyone facing the back of the person in front, toes nearly touching heels. On the count of three, all players slowly sit down at the same m…
Mix and Mingle
10+ players 30–60 min No equipment needed
Get the group to stand in the middle of a hall area. The leader of the game will stand at the front of the hall, facing towards the group of people. The game leader will call ou…
Ninja
10+ players 15–20 min No equipment needed
Players start in a tight circle, and on a shared countdown everyone leaps backward into a frozen ninja pose. The game is turn-based: on your turn you make one swift movement — a…
Rainstorm
10+ players 5–10 min No equipment needed
The group creates a thunderstorm with their hands, no talking allowed. The leader starts an action and each section of the room copies it as the leader turns toward them, in wav…
Screamer
10+ players 30–40 min No equipment needed
Screamer is an exciting, high-energy game perfect for large groups. Get the group to stand in a circle facing inwards. Choose one player to stand in the center of the circle. Th…
Slappers
10+ players 5–10 min No equipment needed
Slappers, Best played at night. One player is "it". They cover their eyes and count down from 15. All players have to "slap" them and then hide. The player uncovers their eyes a…
Squirrels
10+ players 20–30 min No equipment needed
Everyone gets into groups of three. Two people stand facing each other and join hands to create an arch they are the tree, the third person crouches underneath it and becomes th…
The fruits
10+ players 15–25 min No equipment needed
The Fruits is an exciting game where each participant joins a group and embodies a fruit. They either stand in a straight line or lie down. When the announcer calls out a fruit,…
Walk Together
10+ players 15–20 min No equipment needed
Let's start by making a big circle between everyone. When I shout "STOP", everyone should start walking in a circle in a clockwise direction. When I shout "WALK", you stop walki…
Band-Aid Tag
8+ players 10–20 min No equipment needed
Everyone is "it" at the same time. When you get tagged, you must place a hand — a "band-aid" — on the spot where you were touched, and keep playing. The second tag adds your sec…
British Bulldog
8+ players 15–30 min No equipment needed
One or two players are bulldogs standing in the middle of the play area, and the rest line up on one side. On the call of "Bulldog!" everyone charges to the other side while the…
Cheerleader Rock Paper Scissors
8+ players 10–20 min No equipment needed
Rock Paper Scissors tournament with winner decided by best of 3 matches. Losers become cheerleaders for the players who beat them. They continue to follow them and cheer at all…
Evolution (Egg, Chicken, Dinosaur)
8+ players 10–15 min No equipment needed
Everyone starts as an egg, waddling in a crouch. Find another egg and play rock-paper-scissors: the winner evolves into a chicken (strut and flap), the loser stays an egg. Chick…
Octopus
8+ players 15–20 min No equipment needed
Tag game where players must avoid being tagged. Once you've been tagged your arms and legs can be used to tag other people, except your bottom must remain on the floor. The last…
60 Seconds Objects
6+ players 5–10 min No equipment needed
In this game small groups form an object like breakfast, a car, a washing machine, a fire, etc. They have only 60 seconds to work as a team to replicate the item. You can modify…
Amoeba tag
6+ players 25–30 min No equipment needed
Start off the game by choosing 1 person to be 'it' and have a designated tag area for the game to run in, preferably a large open area (so the other youth can't hide behind, or…