If you’re looking for a party game that’s hilarious, unpredictable, and only slightly terrifying, the What’s in the Bag game is your new go-to. It’s a guessing game with a twist—no visuals, just blind hands and wild imaginations.
Whether you’re hosting a birthday, house party, or casual gathering, this game guarantees belly laughs, weird guesses, and a few shrieks of panic.
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What is the What’s in the Bag Game?
What’s in the Bag is a sensory guessing game where players must identify mystery objects using only their sense of touch. Each round, someone reaches blindly into a bag filled with strange or surprising items and tries to figure out what they’re holding. It’s simple, social, and gets funnier the longer it goes.
How Many People Can Play?
You can play with as few as three players, but the game gets better with five or more. There’s no real upper limit, so long as you have enough items and time for everyone to take a turn.
What Do You Need?
To play the What’s in the Bag game, you’ll need:
- One large, opaque bag like a tote, backpack, pillowcase, or even a bin liner
- 10 to 20 unusual or everyday items
- A blindfold (or a trustworthy group who won’t cheat)
- A timer (optional)
- A notepad or phone to keep score
Setting Up the Game
Assign one person as the Bag Master. Their job is to fill the bag with mystery items and manage the game. They’ll also be the one handing each item to the guessing player.
Make sure no one sees what’s in the bag beforehand. Items should be clean, safe, and, if you’re feeling devious, slightly unsettling.
How to Play What’s in the Bag
- The Bag Master calls a player to take a turn.
- The player closes their eyes or puts on a blindfold.
- The Bag Master hands the player one item from the bag.
- The player has 15 seconds to touch, squeeze, sniff, and silently panic while trying to guess what it is.
- After 15 seconds, the player must say their guess out loud.
- If they guess correctly, they earn one point.
- If they’re wrong, the Bag Master reveals the item and the group moves on to the next player.
Optional twist: Let the rest of the group ask misleading or ridiculous questions while the player is guessing. For example, “Would you eat that on toast?” when it’s clearly a shoehorn.
The Drinking Game Version
If your party is more adult-themed, turn it into a drinking game:
- Wrong guess: take a drink
- Hilariously wrong guess: double drink
- Refuse to touch the item: drink the entire cup
This version works best with groups who are comfortable with each other and willing to laugh at their own dramatic overreactions.
Good Items for the Bag
Here’s a mix of fun, weird, and slightly gross ideas to keep things interesting:
Mild
- Toothbrush
- Pine cone
- Bar of soap
- Ball of string
Weird
- Cold spaghetti
- Slinky
- Dog toy
- Potato
Gross (but safe)
- Peeled grape
- Used teabag
- Wet sponge
- Cooked pasta
To make it more challenging, try theming your bag. You could do “Kitchen Junk,” “Bathroom Surprises,” or “Things I Found in My Shed.”
How to Win
There are several ways to declare a winner in the What’s in the Bag game:
- First player to earn 5 correct guesses wins
- Everyone gets the same number of turns and the highest score wins
- Or play just for laughs and skip scoring altogether
In the end, the real prize is watching your friend scream because they thought a kiwi fruit was a tarantula.
Why This Game Works
The What’s in the Bag game is great because it’s easy to set up, hilarious to play, and adaptable for any group size or age range. It encourages creativity, curiosity, and a little bit of courage.
It’s also perfect for breaking the ice at parties, bonding with friends, or just filling the room with contagious laughter.
Final Thoughts
What’s in the Bag is a low-effort, high-reward game that anyone can play. All you need is a sense of humor, a weird collection of objects, and a group of people ready to guess their way through confusion and chaos.
The next time you’re planning a party, skip the overcomplicated games and go with something that guarantees fun every single round. Set up your bag, invite your mates, and let the guessing begin.
