How to Play Truth or Dare

Last Updated: February 18, 2023

Truth or dare is a fun game to play with your friends, especially at sleepovers and during other times when you probably won’t be disturbed by siblings, parents, or pets. While things might get weird and sometimes uncomfortable, truth or dare is often really funny as well.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting Up the Game

1
Choose your players. The game requires at least three players, and more than seven or eight makes it take too long. Ask people to play that you know will get into the spirit of a game that can get embarrassing and weird! Now you can even play with your friends through apps - but it might not be as fun if you’re not face to face.
2
Make sure no one is uncomfortable before you begin. Explain the game and the kinds of things you do. Let people know it’s ok to decline to play. For those who are ok with it, gather the players into a circle. Sitting on the floor or at a table is a good way to get organized. Make sure you get comfortable.^{[1]
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3
Agree to a set of rules. Write them down so that you can refer back to them if there are questions. One popular rule lets players choose the same thing only twice in a row. For example, if they choose truth two times in a row, their next turn has to be dare. It’s important to have ground rules beforehand -- both what you should and shouldn’t do -- so that you don’t get held up discussing it once the game begins.
- What kinds of questions will be off-limits (if any)?
- Where can dares occur?
- Do people have to watch the person perform the dare?
- Can dares involve people not in the game?
- Can dares be done in the presence of adults?
- What kinds of limits will you place on the dares?
- Are we going to go around in a circle or spin the bottle so the player who is answering or doing the dare is chosen randomly?

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Coming Up with Questions and Dares

1
Make a list of questions. Each person needs to do this independently so they have a place to start when the game begins. Sometimes it’s hard to come up with good questions or dares while you’re in the middle of the game. Some possible truth questions might be:
- What is the most embarrassing thing to happen to you at school?
- Who do you have a crush on?
- If you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do?
- What is the most disgusting thing you have ever done?
- If you had to pick one parent to live and one to die, which would you pick?
2
Think of some fun dares. They need to be weird enough to make people pause before doing them, but not dangerous or harmful. Some good dare examples might be:
- Greet everyone you meet for the day with “I’ve got my eye on you. Aliens are watching.”
- Use indelible marker to put “makeup” on your face.
- Put your hands in another player’s pocket for 15 minutes and keep them there no matter what.
- Howl at the moon for 10 minutes in the front yard.
3
Work with the other players to come up with questions if you’re having trouble. If, when the game begins you don’t want to ask yours, you can ask for help from other players. You are able to cooperate with other people to think of a truth or dare, but you must ask the person being asked for their permission to consolidate. Remember you are the one to dare the person, not the other people.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Playing the Game

1
Choose a player to begin. If you’re going to move around in a circle, do it as follows: player 1 will ask the question to the person on his or her left, player 2. Or you can choose a person to ask the first question (player 1), then he or she spins the bottle in the middle. Whoever the bottle lands on (player 2) will have to be the one answering or doing the dare.The exchange should go something like this:^{[2]
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- Player 1: “Truth or dare?”
- Player 2: “Truth.”
- Player 1: “When was the last time you ate your own snot?”
- Player 2: “Um.. last Tuesday.”
- OR
- Player 1: “Truth or dare?”
- Player 2: “Dare.”
- Player 1: “OK. You need to eat a tablespoon of hot sauce in less than 30 seconds.”
- Player 2: “Yuck. OK, here goes.”
2
Move to the next player. This will be the person who just answered the question or dare. He or she asks the person next in the circle, or spins the bottle to find the next person. Question as before. Continue playing until you can't go any more!
3
Don’t let the dares go too far. Don't do anything illegal or life-threatening. If someone really doesn't want to do a dare, everyone in the game will pick a difficult dare of their own. The player then must choose one of the new dares. Choose wisely when electing to go to the alternate dares because they could be much worse. Remember, you don't have to do a dare if it's too much and surpasses the "limit" of what the group is playing for. Stay away these kind of dares:
- Physically hurting yourself, forcing someone to hurt themselves, or hurting someone else
- Breaking the law
- Taking drugs, forcing someone to take drugs, or giving drugs to someone else
- Property crimes/vandalism such as egging a house or spray painting a car

Community Q&A

Question

What do I say if someone asks me if I lied during a truth or dare game?

Community Answer

It's really up to you whether you confess or not. It's meant to be a game, not a police interrogation.
Question

Do you need to tell the truth when you say truth?

Community Answer

You do need to tell the truth, as the name implies, this game will be the most fun with an honest answer! However, if you don't feel comfortable answering certain questions, that's completely okay.
Question

What limits should I set on a game played at a sleep over?

Community Answer

Nothing involving drugs or alcohol, weapons, or sex. If someone refuses to do or tell something, that's OK. It is just a game, after all.

Warnings

Never do anything dangerous on a dare, or answer any question that is uncomfortable for you, regardless of how much your "friends" plead. If they cannot accept that you won't do it, then they may not be friends. Friends would never force you to do anything like take drugs or hurt yourself or others.

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