The If/Then game is a hilarious game any large group can play. It’s perfect for a family gathering. I’ve played this with my family at kids’ birthday parties, family dinners and with friends during visits. All you need to do to prepare is cut a bunch of slips of paper big enough to write half a sentence on, and gather some pens and pencils.
Pass out two slips of paper and a pen or pencil to each person. Pair little people with someone who can help them write.
On one piece of paper, everyone writes the first half of a sentence, starting with “IF”. For example: “If Sara eats too much cake….” or “If Grandpa falls asleep….”
One the second piece of paper, everyone finishes the sentence, starting with “THEN”, for example: “…then she will get a tummy ache.” or “then he will start snoring.”
Fold both papers in half. Place the “IF” papers in one bowl or sack, and the “THEN” papers in another bowl or sack. Pass around both bowls and have each person draw one piece of paper from the “IF” bowl and one piece of paper from the “THEN” bowl.
Now have everyone take turns reading their new sentence. In the examples above, two new sentences might read, “If Sara eats too much cake, then she will start snoring.” and “If Grandpa falls asleep, then she will get a tummy ache.” Of course pronouns won’t necessarily agree, and most sentences won’t make any sense, but that’s what makes this game so funny.
Tips: Keep the sentences on the short side, and encourage people to use the names of others in the room. After everyone’s played one round, go ahead and play another. Once people get the hang of what’s going on, they might get a little more creative.