Back To Book Club Perks

When was Mack and Tillie's first kiss?
-During the parlor games at the barn dance!

What did Deeanne do with her readers at the Getaway With Dee at Biltmore Estate?
-Play parlor games at a Gilded Age Party!

Join the fun! Host a Gilded Age Party with Parlor Games for your Book Club Encourage everyone to come dressed in Victorian costume.

Costumes can be as simple as a long skirt, a frilly blouse and a hat or pair of gloves. Add a wide sash and a brooch for sparkle.

Here are some parlor game ideas.

Balloons and Battledores

1. Place a line of crepe paper down the center of the room.

2. Have everyone divide into two teams, one on each side of the line.

3. Give everyone a paddle (Like a bidder's paddle at an auction. You can make them frompaint paddles and poster board.)

4. Explain that if the balloon drops on your side of the line, the other team gets a point. The team with the most points at the end of a minute wins a prize and the losing team will pay a forfeit.

5. Start the timer (one or two minutes is plenty)

6. Toss a balloon into the air between the teams. Wait a moment and toss another balloon or two in.

7. Track points as balloons drop to the floor.

8. When the time runs out, determine which team is the winner.

The forfeit is paid by the losing team.

1. The losing team pairs off.

2. Each pair sits facing each other, with a chair in between them.

3. Give each person a long handled wooden spoon.

4. On the chair between them is a bowl of dry cereal.

5. Explain they must feed each other the cereal -- while blindfolded.

6. Blindfold them and watch the fun!

This Is My Eye

1. One player starts the game by touching her eye and saying it is something else (like "This is my knee")

2. The next player touches the part named (knee) and calls it something else.

3. Continue around the circle quickly. One mistake is allowed. After the second mistake, aforfeit is due.

4. Stop and do the forfeit, then continue the game until at least one more forfeit.

Sample Forfeits:

1. Pull all the tissue out of a 200 count box in one minute with just onehand.

2. Capture an M&M with a straw and transfer it from one small cup to another. Repeat for 10 M&M's.

3. Shake ping pong balls out of a small box strapped to your fanny.

4. Say a tongue-twister three times quickly (e.g. Stupid Superstition -- Santa's short suit shrunk -- Willy's real rear wheel -- Frogfeet, flippers, swimfins)

Animal Sounds

1. Everyone sits with their chairs in a circle.

2. Do a "practice" by dividing the group into two teams. Tell them you will whisper to each team the name of an animal and when you say, "One, Two, Three, Go!" the team that can made the animal sound the loudest will get prizes, but this time it's just a practice run.

3. Go around the room and whisper "Rooster" to each person. Then say, "One, Two, Three, Go!" and they should all make loud crowing sounds. If they don't, then scold them and say, "One, Two, Three, Go!" again until they are shouting with abandon. Notice who is the most uninhibited (or who has been heckling you all along)

4. Then tell them that this time it will be the real thing.

5. Go around the room and whisper "Be silent" to each person except the one you chose. To that person, whisper "Cow."

6. Then say, "One, Two, Three, Go!"

7. Give that person a small prize for Mooing the loudest (to the great amusement of everyone else)

Here's a Word Search for Maid to Match you can give to book club members as a souvenir: