Bar/Bat Mitzvah Games And Descriptions

Below are some of the most common games for Mitzvah celebrations. Anywhere from 2 – 5 games are typical for the event, depending on your child’s likes and dislikes. We encourage you to discuss this with your child as some children like more games, while others like more time for dancing. Feel free to suggest other games you may have seen or played at other events. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Smartphone Trivia
Smartphone Trivia is a fun and interactive trivia game for all ages. Using a free downloadable app, When a question is asked, each player will have an opportunity to be the first to ring in (locking out the other players) and provide the correct answer. If a correct answer is given, the player will receive points. If not, the other players will have an opportunity to ring in, and so on. If nobody gets the question right, we’ll call on people in the audience. First person to answer 5 questions correctly, will be the winner for that round. 

Coke and Pepsi
This is one of our most popular games because it’s simple and everyone old and young can play. Players form 2 lines on opposite ends of the dance floor, one side is Coke and the other is Pepsi. When one name is called, that side runs to the other side and sits on the knee of their partner. Last ones to make it there are out. Call out Dr. Pepper and Both Lines run to the middle and high 10 their partners, saying the guest of honors name out loud, and then run back to starting positions. Call out Sprite and nobody runs. If they do, they’re out.

The Limbo
All we need for this game is two Adults to hold the limbo stick while the contestants line up to go under it. This always seems to be a crowd pleaser and you can have more than one winner (a girl and a guy, different age groups, etc). This can also be played with couples or teams with more than one going under at the same time.

Pass and Guess
This is a good game for the dinner hour. A jar is filled with any type of candy (wrapped or not) and is passed around to all of the tables. Each person must write on a piece of paper their name and their guess of how many pieces are in the jar. The DJ will collect the papers and the person who gets the closest to the actual number wins the jar and candy. (Client provides the candy filled jar as well as the number of candies inside.)

Scavenger Hunt Musical Chairs
This is a great interactive, game involving the kids as well as the adults. It works best sometime after dinner while the adults are still at their tables. You can have as many people as you like play this game. Have the players come to the dance floor with a chair. Everyone must sit. The DJ calls out something out like a “Man’s Belt”, a “Cell phone,” or a “Visa card”. The players run to find the item. While they are gone, we remove one chair (or more, depending on number of players). Items tend to get harder to find as there are fewer and fewer contestants. The person(s) who comes back and can’t find a seat is out. The last one with a chair is the winner. This is one of our most popular games!!

Stuff-It (T-Shirt Balloon Stuff)
Teams are formed. 1 adult and 4 – 6 kids per team (up to 6 teams). Each team is given an oversized “Stuff-it” Shirt (with an elastic band around the bottom of the shirt) that the adult puts on. Each team is also given balloons and when told to start, the kids will blow up the balloons as fast as they can (to a minimum predetermined size) and tie them off. The object is to stuff as many balloons into the shirt as possible in “X” amount of time. Then, one at a time, each teams balloons are released, popped and counted out loud (to get the crowd involved). The team with the most balloons in the shirt at the end of time wins. A crowd favorite !!

Balloon Stomp
A very high energy game. Everybody gets a balloon attached to a string that is tied to their ankle. The object is to pop everyone else’s balloon while protecting yours. Players must stay within pre-arranged areas. This can be spiced up by adding a freeze portion to the game. When the music stops, everyone must stop. The last person standing with an un-popped balloon is the winner.

Hula Hoops Pass (a.k.a. Thread the Needle)
All players join hands in a circle with a hula hoop hanging from one person’s arm. When the music starts, play begins, the person with the hoop must step though it and pass it to a neighboring player without letting go of that person’s hands. The next player then does the same thing. Whoever has the hoop when the music stops is “out.” Play continues like “Musical Chairs” until only one person is left—the winner.

Trivia Quiz
How well do your guests know the Guest of Honor? To play this game, we will need 15 questions and answers from you. We sit the Mitzvah child on a chair on the dance floor during dinner and have all the kids sit on the floor around him/her. The questions are, for example…..What’s my favorite food? What is my favorite sport? What is my pet dog’s name? Each correct answer wins a prize (prizes for this game should be minimal in value). This is very good while the adults are still eating and the kids have finished their food.

Marshmallow Run
This is a team game with equal players on each team (4-6 players per team). The players form up on one end of the dance floor and an empty glass is placed at the other end (one glass for each team). Each person the team has a straw and marshmallows are provided for each team. On cue, 1 player at a time needs to suck up 1 marshmallow and carry it across the dance floor and drop it into the glass. Then run back and slap the hand of the next person in line. The first team to get one marshmallow in the glass for each player wins.

Frozen T-Shirt Contest
Teams are formed with 2-4 players each. The contestants are given a T-shirt that has been folded like a brick and frozen solid (The shirts are quite stiff, but not like a block of ice). On cue, each team must do whatever it takes to thaw out their shirt by sitting on it, throwing it on the ground, hugging it, etc. (while remaining on the dance floor, and NO water is allowed to be poured on the shirt) The first to unfold the shirt and place in one team member is the winner. This can be a chilling experience 🙂 A very popular game. Advance notice is required if you plan to play this game (so that we can prepare the shirts).

Stack-It Twenty-One
Teams of 5 people each, form a line on one side of the dance floor. On the opposite side for each team there are 21 large plastic or Styrofoam cups. In the middle of the dance floor, taped in front of each team is an “X.” One at a time, a player from each team races to their cups, carries one to the “X” and forms a pyramid (6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1). When a player has placed their cup, they go to the end of their line and the next player does the same thing. If the pyramid falls down during the building process, the team member on the dance floor has to set up the whole thing again before their team can proceed. The team that finishes their pyramid first, wins.

Balloon Pop
Four people per team, two poppers and two blowers. The object is simple, two people blow up the balloons and two people pop them. But they must be popped by holding the balloon between the two people and not using the hands. First team to pop all their balloons is the winner.

Sock-it-to-Me Tug-O-War
All you need is one long piece of rope and some strong people. 2 teams, one on each end of the rope. The rope is centered over the “line”. On “Go, each team must pull the other over the “center line”. Socks must be worn by all contestants, less traction equals more fun!! This can be spiced up by making the teams do it backwards. This game is great for young and old as well.

Mummy Wrap
Teams of four, one “mummy” and three “wrappers.” Two rolls of toilet paper are used for each team. “Wrappers” run around and wrap the “mummy.” Each time the paper breaks, they must switch “wrappers.” First team to finish both rolls, wins. (Optional) You can also include bows, ribbons, garland or whatever.

Freeze Dance
DJ plays a fast song and when the music stops, all must freeze. Changing songs and telling people things to do like put your hands in the air, down on one knee, etc. will add spice to the game.

Toothpick Lifesaver Pass
Teams are made to stand in lines, (boy/girl/boy/girl) positioned so they are most visible to the audience. Everyone is given a toothpick. The first person in line receives a lifesaver candy and places it on his toothpick which he holds in his mouth. On signal, the lifesaver is passed from team member to team member, toothpick to toothpick. No hands are allowed. If the lifesaver drops, a new one is supplied and play continues. The first team to pass their lifesaver to the last person in line wins.

Balloon Pass #1
Teams are made up of two lines facing each other. The first two people put balloons between them where ever the DJ calls, (hips, shoulders, stomach) and they hold the balloon at that point on their bodies (no Hands) and go to the end of the line where the balloon is passed back to the head of the line and the next couple go.

Balloon Pass #2
A fast and fun game, you make three lines of ten people each. The first person in line passes a balloon over their head to the person behind them, who in turn passes the balloon between their legs to the person behind them, who passes the balloon over their head and so on. When the balloon gets to the end of the line, that person runs to the front of the line and starts all over. The line that gets the starting person all the way to the back wins

Long Balloon Pass
The DJ has everyone get into a circle. Use a long balloon and have guests pass it around the circle between their legs and not using their hands. When the music stops, who ever is touching or holding the balloon is out.

​Huggy Bear
A good game to include all the kids, no partners needed, hugs are fun!! The DJ calls out a number, “Huggy Bear says…” and they have to form a group of that number. Anybody not in a group with the right amount is eliminated. The object is to have two players left. It is fun to watch who migrates to each other when the DJ gets down to low numbers.

You may want to consider prizes for the games that will be played throughout the event. For games that have multiple winners, small prizes like candy bars, trinkets, etc are suggested. For all other games, Cd’s, Mugs, Movie Tickets and gift cards (such as, Target, Walmart, Itunes and mall cards) in denominations of $5 -$15 are common.