Retirement parties are a wonderful way to bring people together to celebrate the retiree’s career and life journey so far as a send-off! Adding fun games to the mix helps break the ice, encourages guests to bond, and creates memories the retiree will treasure.
This post will cover a variety of games for all types of retirement parties—whether you’re celebrating with coworkers, family, a big or small group, outdoors or indoors!
Most Popular Retirement Party Games
Popular retirement games are a hit in any setting and provide a great way to involve everyone, no matter the setting and ages of the guests. Here are some to consider:
Who Knows the Retiree Best?
This trivia-style game challenges guests to answer fun questions about the retiree’s hobbies, favorite moments, or work history. The person with the most correct answers wins. Question ideas include:
- What’s their favorite color?
- What was their first job?
- How long have they been with the company?
- What is their favorite vacation destination?
- What’s their go-to lunch order?
- What hobby do they plan to spend the most time on during retirement?
Here’s a free printable for “Who Knows the Retiree Best”!
Guess That Year
Display photos from different periods of the retiree’s life or career, and have guests guess which year the photo was taken. This nostalgic (and free) game brings laughter and a trip down memory lane.
Retirement Mad Libs
Customize a Mad Libs game by creating a story about the retiree’s future plans. Guests fill in the blanks with random words, and the results are usually hilarious!
Here’s a cheap printable from Aspen Woods you can use to make it easy!
Free Icebreaker Ideas for Retirement Parties
Retirement Word Scramble
Print out sheets with scrambled retirement-related words like “pension,” “vacation,” or “relaxation.” The first person to unscramble all the words wins a prize.
You can make your own word scramble for free (or upgrade to a paid version) on Printable Creative.
Would the Retiree Rather?
This free printable has a game with options, and each person marks which one they think the retiree would “rather” do. At the end, whoever has the most correct wins!
Retirement Bingo
Turn the classic game into an interactive icebreaker as guests arrive! Create bingo cards with phrases like:
- Traveled with the retiree for work
- Worked with the retiree for over 10 years
- Attended a concert with the retiree
- Worked on the same project as the retiree
- Lives or has lived with the retiree
Guests mingle and have people initial the relevant squares as they find people who match each description. The first person to complete a row (or fill their card) shouts “Bingo!” and wins a prize. It’s a great way to get guests talking and sharing stories about the retiree.
Funny Retirement Party Games
Laughter is the best way to celebrate a new chapter in life, and these humorous games will have guests in stitches!
Pin the Mustache on the Retiree
This is a playful twist on the classic children’s game for fun-loving crowds! Print a large photo of the retiree and have guests blindfolded as they try to pin a mustache on the photo. The funniest placement wins.
You can make this game mostly free, minus printing costs, if you cut a mustache out of paper and color it in! Then use a bandana or a tie you or someone else already owns for a blindfold.
Retirement Roast
Encourage guests to share funny stories, “roast” the retiree, or perform light-hearted skits that poke fun at their quirks. This game is perfect for a retiree with a great sense of humor. Here are some tips to make it a hit:
- Set the Tone Early: Let guests know that the roast is meant to be light-hearted and fun. Ensure everyone understands it’s all in good spirits, so the jokes remain playful, not hurtful.
- Highlight Classic Work Moments: Encourage roasters to focus on funny or memorable moments from the retiree’s career—like mishaps in meetings, office catchphrases, or inside jokes.
- Include Props or Slideshows: Adding a slideshow of funny photos from the retiree’s career or props (like oversized glasses if they always lose theirs) adds visual humor.
- Incorporate Skits: Have a few brave volunteers act out famous moments from the retiree’s career, like an exaggerated version of a workday or a common scenario they were known for.
- Keep It Short & Sweet: Encourage participants to keep their roasts to 2-3 minutes, so it stays fast-paced and everyone gets a chance to share.
- End on a Positive Note: After the roast, it’s a great idea to end with heartfelt toasts or a speech thanking the retiree for their contributions, balancing the humor with appreciation.
Bucket List Charades
Create a list of activities or adventures the retiree has on their bucket list, and have guests act them out without speaking. Everyone tries to guess what the activity is.
Directions for this game: Put each idea on a small piece of paper and fold it, then put all the pieces of paper into a bowl. Divide the group into two teams. For each turn, a person chooses a piece of paper and someone sets a timer for 30 seconds or so.
The person acts out what’s on the paper as their team tries to guess. Someone keeps score, and at the end, whichever team has the most guesses within the time limit wins!
Group Pictionary
Divide guests into teams and have them draw retirement-related phrases, like “hitting the beach,” “golfing,” or “traveling the world.” The other team tries to guess the phrase within a time limit. You can use a white board or paper for this game, or use the “Pictionary” game set.
This “Retirement Emoji Pictionary” cheap printable is another way to do this game that works well for larger groups too!
Musical Chairs
Musical chairs is a classic game that works for multiple sizes and types of groups, from coworkers to family. Use upbeat, retirement-themed music and have guests scramble for seats when the music stops. The last person standing wins.
Retirement Party Games for Coworkers/The Office
Games for an office retirement party can focus on the retiree’s work memories and professional accomplishments. These can work for in-person parties or virtual retirement parties!
Office Trivia
Prepare questions about the retiree’s time at the company. Questions can range from “How long did they work here?” to “What was their first project?” Teams compete to answer the most correctly.
Career Charades
Have guests act out funny or memorable moments from the retiree’s career, such as important meetings, office parties, or common work-related phrases.
Workplace Superlatives
Guests vote on funny awards like “Best Dressed,” “Most Likely to Drink All the Coffee,” or “Best Office Prankster.” Present these with light-hearted speeches.
Retirement Party Games for Families
Many games mentioned work well with families, but here are even more Family-focused games that allow guests to share personal memories while celebrating the retiree’s life beyond the office:
Memory Lane
Family members take turns sharing memories of the retiree, whether it’s vacations, special moments, or achievements. This can be combined with a slideshow or video montage to make it even more special and memorable.
To take it a step further, gather these shared memories and create a Collaborative Retirement Memory Book as a lasting keepsake. Encourage family members to write down their stories and include photos, letters, and even photos of fun mementos.
After the event, compile everything into a beautifully designed book that the retiree can cherish for years to come.
Family Feud: Retirement Edition
Split the family members and any others who are at the party into two teams. Each team takes turns answering retirement-related questions, like “What will grandpa do with his free time?” or “What’s a popular retirement hobby?” The goal is to guess the most popular answers.
- Face-Off Round: One player from each team buzzes in to answer the question. The team with the higher-ranked answer gains control.
- Team Turn: The winning team guesses the remaining answers. If they get three wrong guesses, the other team has a chance to steal.
- Scoring: Points are awarded based on the popularity of the answers. The team with the most points wins.
Make it even more personal by adding specific questions about the retiree’s life and career!
Scavenger Hunt
Create a fun scavenger hunt where family members search for clues related to the retiree’s favorite activities, travels, or hobbies. Here are some ideas for what to include:
- Find a photo of the retiree on a vacation to a specific country or city.
- Locate a souvenir the retiree brought back from a favorite trip.
- Find a hobby-related item, like a golf ball, knitting needles, or fishing lure.
- Find a book the retiree has read or a movie they love.
- Spot a framed certificate or award from their career.
- Find an item in the house that represents one of the retiree’s favorite pastimes, such as gardening gloves or a travel guide.
- Locate a family photo taken at a memorable event the retiree attended.
- Find a favorite snack or drink the retiree always enjoys.
Depending on the number of people present, there can be an individual winner or you can split the participants up into groups or pairs!
Outdoor/Indoor Retirement Party Games
These games can be played outdoors or moved indoors if needed, depending on the venue and weather:
Cornhole
A classic outdoor game where guests take turns tossing bean bags into holes on a board. You can customize your own cornhole boards with the retiree’s name, initials, photo or interests for a personal touch.
Giant Jenga
For both indoor and outdoor settings, the Giant Jenga game is a hit for all ages. Guests take turns pulling blocks from a giant tower, and whoever causes it to fall is out.
Retirement Jeopardy
Set up a Jeopardy-style board with retirement-related categories, like “Career Highlights,” “Hobbies,” and “Future Adventures.” Guests compete to answer trivia questions for points. You can make your own Jeopardy game online and use a computer or TV screen, too.
Retirement Party Games for Teachers
For a retiring teacher, games that reflect their profession and classroom experiences are perfect:
Classroom Bingo
Create bingo cards with fun classroom-related events or quotes from the teacher. Examples can include “Taught for 30+ years,” “Favorite subject is math,” or “Always says ‘be on time!’”
Pop Quiz
Organize a fun quiz where guests answer questions about the retiree’s teaching career, such as the number of students they taught, their favorite school events, or memorable field trips.
Teacher Superlatives
Hand out humorous awards like “Most Likely to Give Extra Homework” or “Best Dressed Teacher” to add some fun and laughter to the celebration.
More Tips for the Perfect Retirement Celebration
When it comes to retirement party games and more things for the celebration, make sure you also consider and plan the following:
Play Their Favorite Game
Find out if the retiree has a game they love—whether it’s cards, cornhole, charades, or something else—and make sure to include it in the party!
Timing the Games
Organize the games at different points throughout the party for the best flow. For example:
- Start with a game as people arrive, like a scavenger hunt or interactive bingo.
- Use an icebreaker game, like “Who Knows the Retiree Best?” to officially kick off the event once most people have arrived.
- Play a lively game in the middle, such as “Family Feud” or “Pictionary,” to keep the energy up when it starts to wane.
- End with a relaxed, heartfelt activity like sharing memories or a roast.
Capture the Moments
Hire a photographer or designate someone to take photos throughout the event. You can also set up a fun photo booth with props related to the retiree’s career or hobbies for another fun game element!
Create a Memory Station
Set up a table where guests can write down memories, sign a guest book or other keepsake item,, or contribute to a memory book. Provide fun pens and props, or even a Polaroid camera for guests to take instant photos that can be added to the book.
Curate a Personalized Playlist
Curate a playlist of the retiree’s favorite songs or music from the era of their career. This helps set a celebratory vibe and adds another layer of personalization, and can really come in handy to play during games like musical chairs!
Dress the Retiree as the VIP
Make the retiree feel extra special by giving them something fun to wear that highlights their status as the guest of honor. You can use items like a tiara and sash, a funny hat, a custom pin, or even a “Retirement Royalty” crown to match their personality and add some humor.
Plan Party Essentials
Don’t forget to consider the key elements including food and drinks, venue, budget, invitations, and decorations. These details help set the tone for the event, so make sure to plan ahead and create a welcoming atmosphere. Consider themed decorations or custom party favors that celebrate the retiree’s career or hobbies.
Continue Planning
We have a guide with even more details for planning the perfect retirement celebration with ideas on venue, invitations, budgeting and more!
