British comedy panel shows are some of the most amazing places to pick up group game ideas. Just about any of them could be played in a social setting. The one we want to talk about today is called the ‘Late Arrivals Game’ which has its origins in a popular BBC Radio Show.
Features of the Late Arrivals Game
| ★ Game Name | Late Arrivals Game |
| ★ Group size | any |
| ★ Age | teens and adults |
| ★ Type | stationary |
| ★ Skill | acting |
| ★ Place | indoor |
| ★ Time | up to 5 – 15 min |
| ★ Preparation | no |
| ★ Materials | no |
Aim of the Game
In the Late Arrivals game, the person hosting the game will give a party theme. The idea is that the various groups competing in the game will come up with names of people that are a ‘late arrival’ to the party. These names will tie into the theme of the fake party.
Don’t worry. It is a lot simpler to play than it sounds!
Group Size and Age
While this is a game that could be feasibly played individually, it works a lot better as a group game. It is a talking game, after all. Coming up with names is a great way for people to bond. It also means that people do not feel ‘left out’ if they cannot come up with creative ideas, which can often happen when people are playing on their own.
This is a game that is mostly for teens and upwards. Children will not do that brilliantly on the Late Arrivals game as it can be difficult for them to come up with ideas.
Preparation and Needed Materials
The only ‘materials’ you need to play this icebreaker game is a creative mind. Although, there will need to be a small amount of preparation beforehand.
About thirty-minutes before you play the Late Arrivals game, you should separate people into their groups and give them the theme of the party. They can then start to come up with name ideas. If you don’t do this, the game will be dead in the water. It can be exceedingly hard to come up with names ‘on the fly’, even if you have people with incredibly creative minds in the group.
How to Play Late Arrivals Game
The host will need to come up with some ideas for the ‘fake event’. If you are struggling, then just watch some videos on YouTube. This is an incredibly popular game and there should be a few that you can enjoy. Each group can then be given their own event theme, or you can have one general event theme for every team to follow.
Each team will take it in turns to announce somebody arriving at this event (i.e. the late arrival). These names will need to fit in with the theme of the party. Let’s give an example. The announcement may sound something like this:
“Introducing Mr. and Mrs. (name) and their son (name)”
The idea is that if you combine their son’s name and the surname, it will sound similar to something related to the theme of the party. Perhaps the best way to explain it is to give an announcement example from the panel show this game is featured on.
The theme of this party was ‘Traveler’s Ball’ and some answers included:
- Mr ; Mrs. Laygent and their son Trevor (Trevor Laygent, or sounds similar to Travel Agent)
- Mr. ; Mrs. Waytickets and their Son Juan (Juan Waytickets, or One Way Tickets)
We are sure you get the idea. Just try to come up with something creative. It doesn’t matter what.
It is worth noting that this isn’t a game that can really be ‘won’. It just continues, and people have fun. If you want to make it competitive, then you can eliminate teams if they no longer have any creative names or maybe if the name doesn’t elicit a chuckle from you.
Although, there aren’t any rules. Just talk. We are sure you will have fun.