Society and colony function plan

For: 50 to 200 residents of all ages
Length: Two to three hours, on a lawn or in a hall
Games: 6

A large function cannot be run as one game for everybody. The method that works is to split by age group and run several things at once: a stage for games with an audience, a races area, and a few "stall" games that people can try whenever they like. With a volunteer in charge of each, the anchor only has to keep the timetable.

The running order

Time	Game	Notes for the host
0 to 20 min	Break or activity	Arrival: stall games open. Coin in the Tumbler, Stick the Bindi and Cup Pyramid each run by one volunteer, with a small prize for the best score of the day.
20 to 40 min	Kokla Chhapaki	Under-eights on the lawn, with Poshampa to follow. Two volunteers.
40 to 60 min	Dog and the Bone	Ages 8 to 14, in house or block teams.
60 to 75 min	Hanging Jalebi Race	Heats by age group, including a senior citizens' heat. The crowd gathers for this.
75 to 95 min	Newspaper Dance	On stage: couples and parent-child pairs.
95 to 115 min	Hum That Tune	On stage: block against block, with the audience allowed to shout a bonus answer.
115 to 130 min	Seated Balloon Volleyball	Senior citizens against the committee.
130 to 145 min	Break or activity	Prize distribution and a group photograph.

Timings are a guide. Stop any game while people still want more, and drop one if you are running late.

What to get ready

A volunteer for every game and one for first aid
A microphone and speaker
A printed timetable at the gate
Chalk lines, rope and soft cloths
A rope and jalebis for forty
Newspapers, balloons, song slips
Prizes sorted and labelled by game
Drinking water, shade and chairs for elders

Organising a crowd

Register on arrival. A sticker of a different colour for each age group makes heats easy to call.
Run two things at once, never five. People cannot watch everything.
Block or wing teams give neighbours a side to cheer for.
Senior citizens first. Seat them near the stage and give them their own events early.
Safety: a first-aid box, water, shade, and a marked boundary for running games away from the stalls.
Prizes: many small ones are better than a few large ones.

The games in this plan

On the day

Keep the party timer and the scoreboard open on your phone, and prepare chits with the chit maker. First time as host? Read how to host party games. See all party plans.