Every woman, and especially moms, needs a monthly night out with her friends to relax, recharge, and let her hair down a little. While playing Bunco or discussing Jodi Picoult’s latest book is a nice way to spend the evening, it becomes as routine as everything else in a mother’s life.
Looking for a new way to spend the night with your BFFs? Try something different each month and transform your Girls Night Out from run-of-the-mill to remarkable.
1 – All About Me Night – Get to know your friends better. Ask everyone to bring a baby picture of themselves and see if you can pick out your friends. Bring along your wedding albums and play a neighborhood version of Which Bridesmaids Wore it Best. Ask your friends to list three things that you don’t know about them and to guess who is who.
2 – Project Party – We all have those projects lying around the house that we just can’t find the time to do. The hosting house will provide tables and chairs, and the guests will bring their unfinished projects, like scrapbooks or Sunday School crafts. It is much easier to finish projects while surrounded by good friends and good conversation.
3 – Volunteer Night – Feeling blessed? Go out there and give back to others. Find a place that needs several helping hands – PADS, Ronald McDonald House, a food pantry, or an animal shelter. Ask everyone to bring something that will help the cause you are supporting, such as towels for the animals or canned goods for the food pantry.
4 – Dollar Tree Craft Night – TikTok and Pinterest are overflowing with Dollar Tree Craft ideas. Choose three seasonal crafts and set up stations with all the supplies and a finished sample. Divide your friends into three groups and rotate to complete the project at each table. Spend the night talking and crafting, and leave with three finished crafts.
5 – It’s New to Me – What do you do when you are tired of your old lamps, candlesticks, or knick-knacks? Instead of saving them for the garage sale that never happens, why not exchange them with your friends? For every item you bring, you can take one home. This also works for books or clothes for you or your children. Donate leftovers to charity.
6 – Yard Games Tournament – Enjoy the evening outdoors playing Bocce, Cornhole, Croquet, or pull out the volleyball net. Set up a few games around the yard and enjoy the night with a little friendly competition. Round out the evening with a potluck BBQ dinner.
7 -Wine Tasting – Ask the girls to bring their favorite bottle of wine and host a blind tasting. The hostess pours her guests a tasting from each bottle, and the women all make notes rating the wine on a 1 to 10 scale. When the tasting is done, ask for a show of hands to determine the most popular wine and reveal the wine bottles.
8 – Create a Meal Night – Make some ready-to-crockpot meals to freeze for later. Choose a few family-friendly recipes and spend the night chopping, bagging, and laughing with friends. Take home some new recipes for your family to try on a night when you are too busy to cook.
9 – Pajama Party – Ask the girls to come over in their pajamas and play games like Twister, Truth or Dare, or sing Karaoke. You can break out the 80’s tunes and have a dance party in the kitchen. Order a pizza and make plenty of popcorn. End the night with a chick flick and a good cry.
10 – Favorite Things Party – We all have our favorite things – a Starbucks latte, scented lotion, or an eyeliner we can’t live without. With a Favorite Things Party, you can share these things with your friends. Everyone brings three of the same favorite things. ($10 per item is a good price range.) Each item is assigned a number, and the guests pull three numbers to determine which things they take home.
11 – Cocktails and Cards – Ante up, ladies! Poker is not just for the guys. Set up a few tables, pull out the cards, and play Texas Hold ‘Em. To make the night more fun, have a western theme with Mexican food and margaritas. If poker is not your thing, but you still want to gamble, LCR is an easy dice game that can be played with a large group. Play with singles for the chance at a big pot.
12 – Monthly Theme Night – Everyone chooses a night to host with a theme. Holidays are easy, but some months need a little more creativity. Hostesses will create a menu, come up with a craft or game, and decorate their space to match their theme. If you are looking for help with seasonal themes for your group, check out the sidebar.
Pam Molnar is a writer and mother of three. She is the theme-night planner in her neighborhood and game creator at Pam’s Party Printables on Etsy.
