Do you ever wish you could have a blast at a good old-fashioned party, playing games like hot potato, pin the tail on the donkey, and musical chairs? Take a step back in time and discover the best 1950s party games that will get the whole family having fun together.
By the end of this piece, you’ll know exactly how to host the most successful 1950s themed party, complete with classic games. These games will provide hours of quality entertainment, liven up any family gathering, and bring fond memories to both young and old.
So, gather the family and get ready to have some old-fashioned fun with the top 1950s party games.
Note: This post is an extension of “The Mini Guide to Hosting the Ultimate 1950’s Themed Party“. Inside this post, I talked about invites,decor, music, clothing and food, the essentials for a successful party. This article jumps into deeper into party games.
Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Note: If the item you clicked on is no longer available, just do a search for like items. There are loads of vintage items being added to Etsy and eBay daily!
Shopping for vintage games:ETSY has LOADS of vintage 1950s games that you can purchase for a really good deal. A couple I feature below but you should go and check out the site yourself and sang them up before they are gone.
Party Game Ideas for a 1950s Themed Party
Source: Etsy
Bubble Gum Blowing Contest
Rules: Biggest bubble & who can hold the bubble the longest.
Source: Etsy
Hula Hoop Contest
We did this for mother’s 60th Party and it was a hit!. Simple rules as well. Whoever can keep it going the longest wins.
Source: Considerable
Trivia Questions from the 1950s (we also did this at my mom’s party)
Now you can create your own, or you can head to Etsy to download someone else’s hard work, like the example below (just type in 1950s party games) . Totally up to you and the effort you want to put into your party planning.
Source: Etsy
Limbo Contest
Whoever can go under the lowest bar is the winner.
Bingo Card Game-1950s Song Titles
FEBRUARY 2024 UPDATE: The bingo game below is no longer available on Etsy. I have found a similar Bingo Game here.
This version below is from Etsy and is jam packed with fun (and a great price). Here is what the printable digital file contains:
• 50 unique bingo cards for printing (1 card per page, no cutting) • 75 Caller Slips (must be cut apart) • Simple instructions for play and preparing for your event • Sample Bingo Patterns • BONUS: Caller trivia cheat sheets! Includes the year each song hit the top of the charts and the song’s recording artist.
Source: Etsy
Name that Tune
Play songs from the 1950s and see who can name the song first.
If you are interested in purchasing the 1957 Milton Bradley NAME THAT TUNE GAME, Music Bingo Game it’s available on eBay HERE(at time of posting).
Source: eBay
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Once again simple rules for this game as well. Blind fold your guests, spin them around and have them pin the tail on the donkey. Closest wins!
Note: On Etsy there is a lot of original versions to be found just type in ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’ and pick what suits your parties needs.
Source: Etsy
You can also search Etsy or eBay for party planning books like the one below (avail as of April 30th, 2024). 1957 “Games and Parties Book”
The “What to do” Index of game ideas for different situations like…”What to do at a picnic” or at a “Wiener Roast”. So many fun ideas!
Throwing a 1950s-themed party is the perfect way to bring the decade of sock hops and drive-in movies back to life. Whether you are celebrating a birthday, having a family reunion or hosting a corporate event, a retro bash can be a great way to gather your friends and family together. With the right decorations and music, you can easily recreate the look and feel of the 1950s.
In this article, you will learn how to throw a 1950s-themed party that will transport your guests back in time. From decorations and menus to costumes and music, this step-by-step guide will help you plan an unforgettable event that is sure to be the “talk of the town.” So grab your poodle skirt, put on your dancing shoes, and let the good times roll!
I’m also super eager to hear if any of you lovely readers have ideas to add to make others parties perfect. Comment at the end of the post.
Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, Unique Vintage, RocknRomance Vintage are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Note: If the item you clicked on is no longer available, just do a search for like items. There are loads of vintage items being added to Etsy and eBay daily!
Mini Guide To Holding The Ultimate 1950’s Themed Party
NOTE: When I originally created this post it was because I had planned my mother’s 60th birthday and it was a 1950’s themed party. So I may make reference to this on and off throughout the post.
Online party stores (like Party City & even Amazon ).
2. Tiki Party/ Hawaiian Party
Many moon ago, the Toronto Vintage Society used to host fun Tiki Parties in Toronto. Here is an image of a past party.
Need a tablescape idea? Here is my recent May 2024 birthday party table decor that I put together using tiki mugs I had around the home. The flowers are from a craft store and the palm leaves from Amazon. It took me 15 mins to do. You can do it too!
Do you see the pineapple vase? I created that from looking a Pinterest. Message me if you need to know how to do it.
Tiki was HUGE in the 1950’s (learn about Tiki Culture here) and it’s a another décor idea that is really easy to come by at any party store or Dollar Store. I was recently part of a Tiki party in the summer time and most of the décor came from Dollarama. So go Tiki Crazy!
Tiki mugs make great decor pieces for this theme.
3. Sock Hop/ 1950’s Dance
4 girls decorating their gym with streamers for their highschool dance. Fun 1950s Fashions!
Balloons more balloons and lots of streamers is pretty much all you need for this décor idea (like the photo above is showcasing). However other items like…
records tapped to the walls or dangling from the ceiling;
a real Jukebox or some party stores (& online like ETSY) carry Jukebox Standees if your budget is limited.
All of these ideas will add a little extra to the party.
Looking for some fun dances to do? Check out my post on ” Vintage Dance Crazes” for ideas.
1950s vintage photo of a 1950s party with a large punch bowl in the middle while women in 1950s evening gowns and 1950s hairstyles stand around the bowl. Source: Archive.org
Low lighting, replace some of the lamps with coloured bulbs like blue or green. Setup your bar (create a bar) with vintage cocktail wears (or vintage looking) and make it the focal point of the party.
For the most authentic experience you need to serve 1950’s food. If you want recipes or ideas see if you can find some old 1950s cookbooks online or in used book stores, they will really help plan your menu. However if you are just stumped for time or looking thru a cookbook is foreign territory to you (like me), here is a small list of ideas:
French Fries
Hotdogs and Hamburgers
Celery & Cheese whiz
Devilled Eggs
Pineapple upside cake
Casserole…anything
Jello Mold!
Fondue
Fruit on Skewers
SPAM!
Roasts
Swedish Meatballs
Angel Food Cake
Pound Cake
Fruit Cup
Meat Pies
TV Dinners 🙂
Soufflé
Grilled cheese
Ice Cream/Banana splits
Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Soda/pop, Milk Shakes, Root beer floats etc.
Having a Tiki Themed Party? Here is a fun website to help with your Tiki Drinks, The Tiki Lounge Talk.
PARTY GAMES
The list is endless of all the fun games you can do, but here are some of my suggestions and make sure you check out my blog post ‘Party Game Ideas for a 1950s Themed Party‘
Twist
Hula Hoop Contest
Name that Tune
Name that 1950s TV Show
Bubble-gum blowing contest
Limbo Contest
Trivia Questions about the 1950s
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
1950s MUSIC
This is I think the easiest piece of the puzzle to make your party a success as there are so many CD’s (& Records) out there with “Best of the 1950s” and online radio stations playing that music, all you have to do is press Play.
For an extra fun add-on to the party check out “Rockabilly music”. Enjoy!
How to dress is totally going to depend on the 1950’s theme you are going with. If you are doing “Tiki” you are going to want your guests showing up in Hawaiian shirts, and dresses, leis etc.
If you are going with 1950’s diner, sock hop etc. then your options are pretty open to anything from circle skirts, poodle skirts, capris pants, saddle shoes to cardigans and slacks for men.
Here are some inspiration pictures to help….
Circle skirts, pencil skirts, poodle skirts, apron, a slim fitting sweater and pearls will get the job done nicely. Don’t forget the crinoline (keep it under the skirt and not peeking out).
Examples of styles on RocknRomance Vintage website (not vintage but vintage reproduction. AKA modern sizes).
Examples of vintage reproduction 1950s clothing at Unique Vintage:
Brick & Mortar Stores: In your hometown venture to your local Vintage Clothing store and ask the staff to help you. I have sometimes found that just because you don’t see it on the floor, does not mean that it does not exist. You can also get creative with modern clothes that you might already have in your closet (or can find in a store). Pencil skirt and cute blouse will work perfect every time.
Here you have it, the “Mini guide to the throwing the ultimate 1950s themed party”. I hope you got some great ideas and if you do throw a party I would LOVE to see what you did. Share your post or images.
Happy Planning!
To end, I had to share the below video because the music is just too good to not share. Add these as well to your party!
HOW TO HOST A VIRTUAL PARTY-1950S STYLE
Currently as of April 21st, 2020 we are not allowed to meet in groups for birthday parties and other celebrations. While this sucks, it is for the greater good and I understand that this needs to be done. BUT in the mean time people are celebrating milestones in their life and they want to have a bit of fun with it. I know my birthday is coming up on May 4th and I want to have a Tiki Themed party. So how do you go about this?
Host an online party & invite your friends to join in on the fun.
There are many tools you can go about to do this. You can use Zoom, Facebook Messenger Video Chat, Skype or Facetime on your iPhone (only works if everyone has iPhones). My preference as of late has been Facebook but that is only because all my friends are on there. I Skype with my parents.
Once you have decided on the tools you want to use, decide on the theme of your party. I have suggested several themes above and you can really pull them all of in the comforts of your own home. How? Here are some tips to get you thinking:
Tiki Party:
Decorate the room you are going to be video chatting in with tropical tiki decor. Ask your party guests to do the same (if they wish) in their own home. Ask everyone who is attending to dress up in Tropical/ Tiki Clothes. Make a tiki drink to enjoy (boozy or not) while chatting with your friends. Have some tropical music playing in the background (low so you can hear your guests). Put the Enchanted Tiki Room & Trader Sams “Tiki Room” window on loop. It even has music!
Virtual 1950s Cocktail Party:
Ask everyone to dress up in their best cocktail outfits and make themselves a drink (once again boozy or not). Put on some lounge music (as stated above) and dim the lights to create some ambiance. Have some finger foods on hand while chatting with guests, OR have a fondue cocktail party. If any of your friends have fondue pots, as, them to fire it up and join in on the fun.
As you can see from the ideas above you really can make your 1950s party into a virtual party. Drop me a line if you want some more ideas.
Next up! Send out a virtual invite (ecard). I mentioned some above but here is a reminder of what you can use:
Party Tip: Go with small groups, have multiple parties! One at 7pm, One at 9pm. Too many people on a call makes it’s hard to chat with others, so break up the parties. It’s your party do what you want!
So my friends, you really don’t have to fret that you can’t have an in person party. You can still make your virtual party just as fun. Enjoy!
