At New York Improv Theater, we know laughter is a powerful learning tool, and improv games are a fantastic way to energize any classroom. We often partner with educators, sharing techniques that not only make lessons more engaging but also build essential life skills. This collection of ten improv guessing games is perfect for sharpening observation, developing characters, and encouraging quick thinking. These are the same fun, effective exercises we use in our corporate training and professional development workshops for teachers and staff. Get ready to watch your participants enhance focus and presence, boost communication and connection, and foster a lighthearted atmosphere—all through the joy of play! Have fun!
1. Press Conference
One player is the “Expert” at a press conference, secretly given a ridiculous or obscure area of expertise (e.g., “Expert in competitive thumb wrestling,” “The world’s leading authority on breadcrumbs,” “The inventor of the spork”). The other players are reporters asking questions. The Expert must answer every question truthfully within their given expertise, without ever directly stating what their expertise is. The reporters try to deduce the Expert’s field. This game greatly enhances focus and presence on maintaining a consistent character and boosts communication and connection through detailed questioning and answering.
- REMEMBER THIS LITTLE SECRET TO GUESSING GAMES
YOU, THE ACTOR, HAVE NO CLUE WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO GUESS, HOWEVER, YOUR CHARACTER KNOWS EXTACTLY WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DID, WHO THEY DID IT WITH, HOW THEY GOT TO AND FROM A PLACE OR WHAT EVER ITIS YOU HAVE TO GUESS. - ALSO, THIS IS AN ENTERTAINMENT. THE GOAL IS NOT TO GUES CORRECTLY. HOW YOU GUESS IS THE ENTERTAINMENT. PLAY THE CHARACTERS. HAVE FUN!
2. Interrogation
This game puts the “victim” in the hot seat! One player is the “Suspect,” and two or three other players are “Interrogators.” The Suspect is secretly given a ridiculous secret (e.g., “You stole all the spoons from the cafeteria,” “You believe you can fly but only when no one is looking,” “You just bought a pet octopus”). The Interrogators question the Suspect, who must maintain their composure and respond truthfully to their secret, while the Interrogators try to deduce what the secret is. This game is fantastic for enhancing focus and presence under pressure and boosting communication and connection through sharp questioning and committed character work.
3. Curfew
This guessing game centers on a secret action. One player is secretly given a specific activity they must try to accomplish within the scene (e.g., “You must try to get everyone to sing,” “You must try to get someone to give you their hat,” “You must try to convince everyone that it’s midnight”). The other players are aware that someone has a “curfew” task but don’t know what it is. They must try to figure out what the secret activity is before it’s successfully completed. This game enhances focus and presence through observation and strategic action, and fosters a lighthearted atmosphere through the playful attempts to complete or foil the secret task.
We use these games almost daily to teach k12 students improv comedy, but more importantly, simply playing these games develops listening, focus, self-confidence, creativity, critical thinking, public speaking, community, leadership & more! This summer we have 8 teaching artists delivering daily classes via residencies at schools & summer camps. Meanwhile other casts are popping in for a day of shows & workshops DC to Boston. Bring these programs to your community! EMAIL for more information!
4. Crime Boss
Similar to Interrogation, but with a power dynamic twist. One player is the “Crime Boss” who has committed a secret “crime” (e.g., “You painted the mayor’s car pink,” “You replaced all the coffee with decaf,” “You secretly bought a llama farm”). The other players are their loyal (or not-so-loyal) henchmen, who try to guess what the Crime Boss did by asking questions. The Crime Boss can only answer with short, gruff, and evasive responses. This game boosts communication and connection through implied relationships and enhances focus and presence as players try to extract information from limited responses.
5. Party Quirks
This classic game is excellent for character development and reacting to given information within a scene. One player is the “Host” of a party. The other players are “Guests,” each secretly given a quirky character trait or identity (e.g., “You believe you’re a cat,” “You think everyone is trying to sell you something,” “You only speak in rhymes”). The Host interacts with the Guests, trying to guess their quirks. This game heavily relies on observation and commitment, significantly enhancing focus and presence, boosting communication and connection through playful interaction, and creating a wonderfully lighthearted atmosphere.
6. Dating Game
Inspired by the classic TV show, this game features one “Bachelorette” or “Bachelor” and three “Contestants,” all in character. The audience or facilitator secretly gives each of the three contestants a distinct secret identity or profession (e.g., “You are a professional wrestler,” “You are a time traveler from the future,” “You are desperately trying to sell a product”). The Bachelorette/Bachelor asks the contestants a series of questions, and the contestants must answer in character, revealing clues to their secret identity without directly stating it. The Bachelorette/Bachelor then tries to guess who each contestant is. This game truly boosts communication and connection through character play and enhances focus and presence for both the guesser and the performers.
Why should the kids have all the fun? Improvisation is a powerful tool for corporate groups. We daily use improv to teach team building, leadership, sales and service skills. Bring your teams to our Times Square Theater or bring our teaching artists to you offices or other venue of choice. EMAIL for more information!
7. What’s in My Pocket?
This silly and fast-paced game is purely for fun and quick association. One player steps forward. The audience or facilitator secretly gives them a random, everyday object that they must pretend is “in their pocket” (e.g., “a toaster,” “a rubber duck,” “a houseplant”). The other players ask yes/no questions to try and guess what the object is, with the “owner” responding truthfully as if the object were in their pocket. This game is excellent for fostering a lighthearted atmosphere and boosting communication and connection through creative questioning.
8. Famous Last Words
This game uses context clues to guess a famous person or character. Two players step into a scene. One player is secretly given the identity of a famous historical figure or fictional character. The other player begins a scene that leads to the first player’s “famous last words” or a very well-known quote. The goal of the second player is to say the “famous last words” in context, and the first player then guesses who they are. This game enhances focus and presence on cultural knowledge and context, and boosts communication and connection through shared references.
9. The Fortune Teller
This engaging guessing game combines endowment and performance, putting a magical twist on observation! One player covers their ears while the rest of the group secretly gathers “predictions” from the audience, with one unique prediction given to each of the other players (e.g., “You will win the lottery,” “You will meet a talking dog,” “You will accidentally dye your hair green”). The first player then becomes a fortune teller who must intuitively reveal these secret predictions. The other players “endow” the fortune teller by subtly guiding them through their reactions, comments, and interactions, subtly nudging them towards discovering each specific prediction. For a fun variation, off-stage players can “possess” (like as ghosts) the fortune teller, offering them cryptic or humorous “tips” to help them get closer to the hidden predictions. This game is excellent for enhancing focus and presence through careful listening and subtle giving/receiving, boosting communication and connection through non-verbal cues and collaborative storytelling, and fostering a lighthearted atmosphere through its mystical theme and playful guessing.
10. Prom Date, The Musical Guessing Game
This musical guessing game is both fun and challenging! Two players are the “Prom Dates.” One of them is secretly given a quirky character trait or problem (e.g., “You’re allergic to the prom music,” “You’re constantly checking your phone for celebrity gossip,” “You think your date is a vampire”). The other Prom Date and the audience don’t know the secret. The scene unfolds as a musical, with the character’s secret influencing their improvised songs and movements. The other Prom Date and audience try to guess the secret. This game fosters a lighthearted atmosphere and enhances focus and presence on integrating character and music.
Join us for weekly shows, classes and jams. We daily host corporate teams and student groups at our Times Square NYC theater as well as tour schools, community centers, and private events DC to Boston to Pittsburg and beyond! CLICK HERE for upcoming public shows. CLICK HERE for upcoming classes & jams. EMAIL for information regarding private shows & group sales.
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