DIY Game Night Party: Monopoly Banner, Candy Medals & Tater Tot Skewers

I threw together a game night party and wanted to share how I did it. Everything here is cheap and easy—you can set this up in an afternoon.

• Monopoly money (I got a pack on Amazon for about $6)
• String or twine
• Tape or hot glue
• Scissors
• 3 candy bars (different sizes)
• Ribbon
• Sharpie paint pen
• Twister mat (to use as a tablecloth)
• Assorted board games
• Pop soda bottles, vanilla ice cream, milk bottles or mason jars
• Tater tots, cake pop sticks, brownies

This is the easiest banner you'll ever make.

1. Sort your money by color so you have one of each bill. This gives the banner a nice pattern when you hang it.
2. Cut the edges of each bill into a triangle shape. Leave the top inch or so uncut—that's where you'll fold it over the string.
3. Lay out your string, tuck the bill underneath, fold the top over, and tape it down. Hot glue works too, but tape is faster and holds fine.

I made two of these and hung them up. Cost me basically nothing since I already had the string.

These double as both prizes and decorations.

1. Choose three candy bars in different sizes. I used Reese's cups because I like them, but pick whatever.
2. Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to go around someone's neck. Hold it up to yourself first to check the length.
3. Hot glue the ribbon to the back of the candy bar.
4. Number them 1, 2, and 3 with a Sharpie paint pen. The biggest candy bar gets first place.

Hang them on the wall behind your banner so they're part of the decor. When someone wins a game, they get to take theirs down.

Use a Twister mat as your tablecloth. It's a Pinterest hack and it actually works—the mat covers the table perfectly and sets the game night vibe immediately.

Hang your Monopoly banner above the table. Put the candy medals in the center behind the banner.

For games, grab the classics: Monopoly, Twister, Jenga, Uno. And if you haven't played Exploding Kittens, get it. It's the best game for game nights.

Set out bottles of root beer, cola, cream soda, and whatever other pop you want. Next to them, put milk bottles or mason jars filled with vanilla ice cream.

People pick their soda, scoop in ice cream, and make their own float. It's cheap, easy, and everyone loves it.

Cook a batch of tater tots. Stick them on cake pop sticks—three or four per skewer. Put out ketchup for dipping.

I also set out fresh brownies because why not. That's it. Simple finger food that people can eat while playing games.

That's the whole setup. Cost me maybe $30 total and took a couple hours to put together. Perfect for any age group and works year-round.