Giant Jenga: The Swahili Word Hiding in the Tower

Jenga was created in the 1980s by Leslie Scott, who grew up in East Africa. The name comes from the Swahili word "kujenga," meaning "to build" — a small detail that captures the whole game: you build it up until, inevitably, someone brings it down.

Sized up to giant proportions, the physics get a lot more dramatic. Pulling a block from a knee-high tower turns every turn into a spectator event, and the crash at the end always gets a cheer.

It's a favorite because it scales to any crowd — a calm two-player duel or a rowdy group taking turns and heckling. Giant Jenga is $15 per event, and it's one of our most-booked games, so we keep two on hand.