Asking questions is one of the examples of oral communication skills that are crucial to succeed in life. The art of asking relevant and good questions is a skill that allows us to learn better about the people we interact with and the work we’re involved in. Kids are curious beings and are always asking questions. But adults tend to drop this habit as they grow up.
To brush up on this skill in a fun and light-hearted manner, there are a host of asking questions games, and activities in which adults can get involved. These play-based activities give adults a moment to shift focus from their hectic lives and enjoy some leisure time while building up an essential skill.
In addition to building questioning skills, these games and activities spark creativity, start conversations, and give people an opportunity to interact with one another at a deeper level. So, whether you are at an official gathering, your friend’s birthday party, or a community event, there is always scope for including question games and activities so adults can forget about their commitments for some time and connect with each other in fun, creative ways.
Interactive asking questions games and activities for adults to enjoy
1. Blindfold Game
The first game on our list is the blindfold game. Have all adults stand in a circle. Invite one of them to the center and blindfold them using a scarf. The person should now turn around a few times, point to a person standing in the circle, and ask a question.
The person who is pointed at must now give an answer, listening to which the blindfolded person should guess who the person is. If their guess is correct, they continue in the game, or else they are eliminated. The game continues with another person coming to the center and taking on the role of a questioner.
2. What’s The Question?
Question games usually involve one person asking a question and the other person giving the answer. Bringing a twist to this question-answer format is the game we call “What’s the Question?” This can be played as a partner or team game.
One participant from a team comes forward and shares an “answer.” For example, they could say, “Two.” Now the members of the other team must guess the question, whose answer is “two.” Questions like “How many ears do you have?” or “How many pets do you have?” can be relevant questions. Teams get three chances to guess the question and get a point if they get it correct. The game continues until one team scores 20 points to be declared the winner.
3. Beach Ball Questions
Buy an inexpensive inflatable beach ball and write the names of all game participants on it using a permanent marker. Everyone can either stand in a circle or spread out chairs to stay seated facing one another. The game begins when one player tosses the ball to another player. The toss continues until the music stops.
The person who has the ball checks whose name on the ball their thumb is pointing at. They can ask a question of their choice to the respective person who is mandated to give an answer. If they prefer not to give an answer, they are out of the game. The person who answers all the questions and remains after all other participants are eliminated wins the challenge.
4. 21 Questions
Here is a classic asking questions game you can play in any setting, like an office meetup, a family gathering, or any other social event. This game allows adults to get to know each other better and reflects on how people’s preferences and thoughts differ. Prepare a set of 21 questions and write them on Q-cards. Drop these cards in a box or jar and give them a nice mix. Have the participants gather in a circle.
One participant picks a card and reads out the question. Now all other participants must share their answers as quickly as possible, one after the other. Players will realize how answers vary for the simplest of questions, and that’s what makes every person different. Try to include questions that have a one-word answer so everyone can say their answers right away and there are no wait times. Some ideas include:
- What’s your favorite color?
- If you’re allowed to take one pet home, which one would you pick?
- Which vacation destination is at the top of your bucket list?
- If you could have only one superpower, what would it be?
- Which song can you listen to several times without getting bored?
5. Would You Rather
This is another fun question game that can spark conversations and turn a dull, boring meetup into a lively event. Would you rather involve asking questions that present the answerer with two alternatives, and they have to pick one of them? But mind you! The choices are not easy, so one has to really put thought into them before giving an answer.
You can have the names of players on cards and pull out two cards at a time to decide who will ask the question and who will give the answer. Or if you have fewer people, they can gather in a circle and spin a bottle to decide the two people who will exchange the question and answer. A couple of questions one can ask while playing this game are:
- Would you rather jump off a cliff or a bridge?
- Would you rather eat sticky food or slimy food?
- Would you rather lose your cell phone or your wallet?
- Would you rather lose your sense of touch or your sense of smell?
- Would you rather be the most intelligent person or the most attractive person on earth?
6. The Crossword Challenge
Crosswords are fun yet challenging word puzzles we find in newspapers and magazines. But in this asking-questions activity, participants create their own puzzles. Instead of having sentence clues to solve the puzzle, participants use questions as clues. To begin this partner activity, hand over a sheet of blank crossword puzzle template to each pair.
The pair will now write clues in the form of questions for the spaces present in the puzzle. The questions must be such that their answers fit precisely into the crossword puzzle. After every pair finishes creating question clues for the puzzle, they swap their sheets with another team, which then tries to solve the puzzle by finding answers to the questions and writing them down on the crossword.
7. Have You Ever
Here is an exciting and dynamic activity to get people off their chairs and start moving. If you’re in a large room or outdoors, designate one wall or side as ‘yes’ and the opposite wall or side as ‘no.’ Have the participants stand in a straight line equidistant from both walls.
The facilitator now asks “Have you ever…” questions to the participants. Participants whose answer is ‘yes’ run toward the ‘Yes’ wall or side, and those with the answer ‘no’ run toward the opposite side. As the activity continues, people get to know each other’s answers by observing which side they are running to. A few questions to add to your list of questions are:
- Have you ever lied about your age?
- Have you ever received a parking ticket?
- Have you ever forgotten your partner’s birthday?
- Have you ever taken up a job to be with your best friend?
- Have you ever been on a cruise?
8. Questions Bingo
Here’s an activity with a fun twist on traditional bingo. Create a bingo sheet with a variety of questions a day or two before the activity is scheduled. You can include a few gratitude icebreaker questions if you want.
Give a sheet to every participant, and let the activity begin! Participants must ask questions mentioned on the sheet to each other and strike off the questions they receive answers to. The activity ends when every person has struck off all the questions on their sheet. And by the end, all participants are a little more aware of one another’s personal and professional details. Question ideas to add to the bingo sheet are:
- Do you like to travel?
- What was your first job like?
- What is your source of motivation?
- What’s more important: family time or better compensation?
- If you could be an animal for a day, who would you like to be and why?
9. Picture Prompt Activity
It’s not easy to spot details in pictures that have a lot of things going on. Considering this fact, there is another activity you can do with a group of adults. Browse an image from the Internet that showcases a lot of things. It could be a picture of a busy street, a marketplace, or a carnival. Download and print the image in poster size and put it on a wall.
Call upon one adult and have them ask a question whose answer is present in the image. For example, they could ask, “What’s a sweet treat kids love to eat?” for the image of cotton candy present in the picture of a carnival. Other adults look through the picture to find the answer to the question. The person who raises their hand first gets a chance to answer. Continue the activity until every adult gets an opportunity to present a question to everyone.
10. Themes in a Box
Another partner activity for building communication skills that is suitable for any type of setting is Themes in a Box. Write the names of different themes on small square paper cards and put them in a box. You can include themes like family, friends, work, travel, spirituality, dreams, food, and more.
Partners sit comfortably, pick out cards one at a time, and ask each other questions based on the theme written on the card. They continue asking questions and giving answers until they have covered all the theme cards. Isn’t this a great activity to get to know different aspects of each other’s lives?
Wrapping up,
Games and activities are great means of encouraging playful interactions among adults. By getting involved in the act of posing and answering questions, adults not only enjoy playful interactions but also sharpen their communication skills, ignite their intrinsic curiosity, and develop stronger connections. So the next time you have an all-adult meetup, you know how to engage everyone and get conversations flowing.
You can add in some fun brain teasers along with a few activities we have mentioned above. It doesn’t matter which question game or activity you decide upon, people will surely have a good time and leave with a better understanding of one another, which will help strengthen their relationships now and in the future.
I am Priyanka Sonkushre, a writer and blogger. I am the person behind “One Loving Mama,” a mom blog. Equipped with a Bachelor’s degree along with an MBA, my healthcare background helps me deeply understand learning difficulties. I know how challenging it can be for parents to find the right resources to help their children excel in life. So, here I am to blend my healthcare expertise with my parenting experience to create valuable and helpful resources for parents and teachers supporting children with learning differences. If you wish, you can follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn.