Need a Unique Game Night? Try Singing Cards!

There is something about getting a group of friends together for a game night that never gets old. You get the snacks out, somebody takes control of the music, people start talking over each other, and sooner or later someone brings out a game. A little friendly competition gets going, personalities start coming out, and the night becomes a lot more interesting than everyone sitting around scrolling through their phones.

But after enough game nights, you can start running into the same problem. You've played Monopoly, trivia, charades and the usual favorites umpteen times. You already know who gets ridiculously competitive, who somehow knows every useless piece of trivia ever invented, and who will spend the next three hours trying to financially destroy everyone at the Monopoly board.

Maybe it's time to change things up a little.

How about singing?

Before you picture everyone standing awkwardly in the middle of the room waiting for their turn to perform, that's not what we're talking about. Singing can become part of the game itself, and once you mix music, challenges, quick thinking and a group of friends together, game night can go in directions you definitely weren't expecting.

And importantly, you don't have to be a great singer.

How to Make Your Next Game Night More Fun With Singing

Most game nights already have some kind of music happening in the background. You've probably got a playlist going, people requesting songs, somebody grabbing the phone to change what's playing, and at least one person complaining about somebody else's choice.

But singing changes the energy because now people aren't only listening to the entertainment. They're becoming part of it.

It can get people out of their shells. Someone inevitably surprises everybody. People remember songs they haven't heard in years. One person's song triggers somebody else's memory. Someone starts singing along, and suddenly half the room has joined in.

You might also discover things about your friends that you never knew. Somebody has a secret obsession with 2000s pop. Someone else somehow remembers every word to a song they supposedly hate. And your quietest friend may suddenly unleash a voice that has everybody staring at them.

That's part of the fun. Nobody really knows what's going to happen.

You Don't Need to Have a Group of Singers

You might think a singing game would only work if you happen to have a group of friends who can actually sing.

Nope.

You aren't putting together a vocal group, and nobody is handing out recording contracts at the end of the night. If someone can carry a tune, great. If someone sounds like they're singing three completely different notes at the same time, they can play too.

In fact, different personalities and different levels of singing ability can make the whole thing more entertaining. One person might really go for it. Someone else may barely get the notes out because they're laughing too hard. Another person might decide that enthusiasm is going to have to compensate for whatever they're lacking vocally.

The point isn't perfection. It's participation.

And if somebody is genuinely uncomfortable singing, don't pressure them. Let people warm up. Sometimes watching everyone else being completely ridiculous for a while is all it takes for a shy person to eventually decide, "Okay, fine. Give me a card."

Singing Games Can Bring Out a Side of Your Friends You Haven't Seen Before

One of the fun things about singing is how differently people can express themselves through it. Someone who is relatively quiet in everyday life might become incredibly expressive when they're singing. A friend who is usually serious may suddenly start throwing attitude into a song like they've been waiting their entire life for this particular moment.

Different music can bring different things out of people, too. Give somebody a rock song and suddenly they're performing for an imaginary stadium. Put on a dramatic ballad and somebody else is closing their eyes and giving the performance of their life.

And yes, somebody will probably start dancing.

That's one reason singing can work so well as a group activity. It isn't only about the voice. It's about personality, memories, humor, music and having the freedom to be a little ridiculous around people you're comfortable with.

Add Some Friendly Competition to Your Singing Game Night

Of course, we're still talking about game night, so we can't forget the competition.

There is something particularly funny about watching normally reasonable people become intensely determined to win something that has absolutely no effect on their lives whatsoever. Give people points, teams and a chance to beat their friends and suddenly things get serious.

Singing and music give you plenty of ways to play with that. You can challenge people's song knowledge, put their memory to work, make them think quickly or get them to sing something they weren't expecting.

You don't have to make the competition intense, either. The game can be as laid-back or competitive as your group wants it to be. Anything goes. And what makes a singing game even more fun is that it can be completely different each time around, unlike the usual Monopoly or trivia games (although those are fun, too). 

What Are Singing Cards, Anyway?

Instead of bringing out another traditional board game for your next get-together, imagine bringing out a deck of cards built around singing, music and challenges. Nobody has to prepare anything beforehand. You don't need a stage, microphone or karaoke machine. You have your friends, the cards and whatever happens next.

My name is Stella Jasmin, a motivational singing coach, and that's why I created The Singing Journey Party Card Game. 

I wanted to create a way for people to combine singing, music, challenges and fun into something they could actually play together. I love singing, obviously, but I also wanted the experience to be about more than simply taking turns performing songs.

The cards give your group something to react to. They can test you, surprise you, put you on the spot and create moments you couldn't really plan beforehand. And because you're playing with other people, every group is going to have a different experience with them. You're not just creating a fun time for your friends. You're creating actual memories.

How to Make Your Singing Game Night Even More Fun

You don't need to turn your home into a nightclub. Get some food everybody likes, put together a playlist, make sure people have somewhere comfortable to hang out and let the night develop naturally.

You can also make more of an event out of it. Choose a decade or music theme, split everyone into teams, come up with ridiculous prizes, or let everyone contribute songs to the night's playlist.

If some people are a little shy at first, give them time to warm up. Food, conversation and music beforehand can make a big difference. You probably don't want to announce the second everybody walks through the door that THEY WILL NOW BE SINGING.

That might not get quite the reaction you're hoping for. Unless of course, you pre-arranged it. 😀

So Try Something Different at Your Next Game Night

Game nights don't have to follow the same formula every time. Sometimes the best nights happen because somebody brings something different into the mix and nobody quite knows what to expect from it.

Singing has a funny way of doing that, and it's a unique way to bring people together. People come out of their shells. Someone surprises everybody. An old song brings back memories. People start singing along. Somebody gets competitive. Somebody else can't stop laughing. And for a while, nobody is staring at their phone wondering what else they could be doing.

If your group loves games, music, friendly competition and trying something they probably haven't played a dozen times already, The Singing Journey Party Card Game gives you a completely different kind of game night to try.

Grab some friends, bring out the snacks, shuffle the cards and see what happens. Each person takes a turn drawing a card and doing what it says before passing the turn to the next person. There are three awesome categories, with 10 cards in each: Cue the Chaos, Superstar Showdown and Duet Dares. And here's where it gets even more interesting: when someone's turn is over, the card goes back into the deck. If somebody else draws that same card later, they'll be doing something different with it, so you never quite know what's coming next. 

Just don't blame me when the quiet one turns out to be the biggest performer in the room. 

I have two different sets to choose from, Edition 1 and Edition 2.

PS: They're high-quality and beautiful.