Hand one person the answer key, split everyone else into mixed-age teams and give each team a pencil and scrap paper. Six questions are enough for a first game after dinner. For Trivia Day on January 4, let the youngest player choose a team name and announce the opening round.

Holiday dates for planning

Observance20262027202820292030
National Trivia DaySunday, January 4, 2026Monday, January 4, 2027Tuesday, January 4, 2028Thursday, January 4, 2029Friday, January 4, 2030

National Trivia Day date reference

Run a ten-minute round

Read one question twice. Give teams about thirty seconds to discuss it quietly and write a single answer. A younger player can whisper an idea to the writer, draw the answer or ask the host to read again. Switch writers after question three so one person doesn’t decide every answer.

  1. What number comes next in the pattern 1, 2, 4, 8 if you double each time?
  2. Unscramble the letters TRAES to name something that can run down your cheeks.
  3. Which shape has six sides?
  4. A relay has three runners per team. How many runners are on four full teams?
  5. Which direction is opposite southwest?
  6. Start with the word plane. Which letter can you remove to make a word for a narrow road?

Host answers: 16, tears, hexagon, 12, northeast, and P (lane). Read the answers in order and give one point per correct response. For the word puzzle, have someone show how the remaining letters make lane. For the number puzzle, invite a player to explain the doubling rule.

Break a tie without a race to shout

Ask tied teams to estimate how many minutes are in three days. Have them write answers and reveal them together. The closest guess wins: 3 × 24 × 60 = 4,320. If guesses are equally close, share the win.

For a second game, let each team write two questions and the answers on a folded sheet for the host. Give the other team first try at those questions. A family with only two players can alternate host duties and keep a joint score instead.

A printable for this activity

Host-Your-Own Trivia Night Kit has forty questions across four rounds, separate answers, team sheets, a scoreboard and tie-breakers.

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Optional supplies

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White cardstock makes sturdy reusable team signs and folded answer cards for the table.