50 Social Challenges to Do Alone or With Friends

Ready to boost your social skills in a fun way? Try these challenges, ranging from beginner to advanced! Do them alone or with friends, too!

Are you ready to boost your social skills, build confidence, and have some fun along the way?

What is a social challenge (aka a social dare)?

A social challenge is a fun way to test yourself in different situations with people. Also known as a social dare, a social challenge is designed to get you out of your interpersonal comfort zone by talking to new people, trying new relationship ideas, and starting conversations you would not normally have. The goal of a social challenge is to make you more socially brave and confident.

Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, we’ve put together this list of 50 social challenges, ranging from beginner-friendly to advanced. You can tackle these solo or rope in some friends for extra accountability and fun.

Benefits of Social Challenges

While you don’t have to be a social butterfly, there are definitely some great benefits! Check these out:

1. Increased Confidence: Regularly stepping out of your comfort zone builds self-assurance.
2. Improved Social Skills: Practice makes perfect, and these challenges provide ample opportunity to hone your social abilities.
3. Expanded Network: Many challenges involve meeting new people, potentially leading to new friendships or professional connections.
4. Reduced Social Anxiety: Exposure therapy is a proven method for reducing anxiety, and these challenges provide controlled exposure to social situations.
5. Enhanced Emotional Intelligence: Interacting with diverse groups of people can improve your ability to read and respond to others’ emotions.

Beginner Level Social Challenges

Just starting out? We’ve got you covered. Try these starter challenges at your own pace and wherever you feel comfortable!

1. Make eye contact with a stranger. This might seem simple, but it’s a powerful way to connect with others.
2. Smile at a random person. Smiling is contagious and can brighten someone’s day. Notice how it makes you feel too—smiling can actually boost your own mood!
3. Leave a positive comment on a social media post. Spread some positivity online!
4. Send a text to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. Share a memory or ask about something they’ve been up to recently.
5. Ask a server or cashier how their day is going. It’s also a great way to practice initiating conversations.
6. Give a genuine compliment to someone. Be specific about what you’re complimenting—it makes it more meaningful. For example, “I love how you always have such creative ideas in our team meetings.”
7. Start a conversation with a neighbor you haven’t spoken to before. Perhaps you can bring up the new neighborhood dog park or a local farmer market this weekend. You might discover you have more in common than you thought!
8. Ask for directions, even if you don’t need them. This helps you practice approaching strangers and asking for help. It’s also a good way to learn more about your local area!

Fun Video: Check out this video of giving strangers directions they didn’t even ask for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b_feDOoQ8g

9. Strike up a conversation with someone in a waiting room or queue. You could comment on the weather, ask about their plans for the day, or discuss a current event.
10. Introduce yourself to someone new at work or school. Ask about their role or what classes they’re taking.

Intermediate Level Social Challenges

Ready to take it up a notch? These social challenges are great for introverts, ambiverts, and extroverts alike!

Pro Tip: Want to find out more about your own self and boost your people skills? Check out this goodie:

Struggling with awkward conversations in your life?

Get personalized advice available 24/7 from Vanessa’s Digital Twin

✓ Receive actionable scripts and strategies tailored to add warmth and emotion to your conversations. ✓ Chat, text, or call anytime you don’t know how to reply. ✓ Get a no-judgement partner to help you avoid digital and in-person miscommunication.

Talk to Vanessa for Free

Master Your People Skills

• Create a Memorable Presence
• Communicate with Confidence
• Achieve Your Goals

Join People School

Have a question about the presentation or People School? Email Science of People support.

11. Attend a local meetup (source) or event related to one of your interests. This puts you in a room with like-minded people, making conversations easier. You might even discover a new hobby or make new friends!
12. Offer to help a stranger (e.g., carry groceries, hold a door open). Acts of kindness not only help others but can also boost your own mood and confidence.
13. Share a personal story with a group of people. Vulnerability at appropriate times can create deeper connections!
14. Give a public compliment to someone in front of others. Make sure to be sincere and specific in your praise.
15. Ask someone you admire for advice on a topic they’re knowledgeable about. This can be a valuable learning opportunity, too!
16. Invite a colleague or classmate for coffee or lunch. Use this opportunity to get to know them better beyond work or school topics.
17. Start a conversation with someone wearing an interesting piece of clothing or accessory. This gives you an easy conversation starter and shows you’re observant.
18. Practice active listening in a conversation. This includes nodding, open body language, and asking follow-up questions.
19. Share an unpopular opinion (respectfully) in a group discussion. This can lead to interesting debates and show that you’re not afraid to stand up for your beliefs. Remember to be open to others’ perspectives too.
20. Volunteer for a local charity or community event. This is a great way to meet people who share your values while making a positive impact. It can also provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Advanced Level Social Challenges

Now we’re talking. These are for the more advanced-leveladvanced level socialites—if you’ve made it this far, congrats! Have fun and try these social challenges for even more confidence:

21. Give an impromptu speech on a topic you’re passionate about to a small group of friends. Think something that makes you passionate, like a hobby or industry topic.
22. Organize a social event and invite a mix of friends and acquaintances. It could be a board game meet, sports meet up, or just for networking. It’s also a great way to introduce different parts of your social circle to each other.
23. Approach someone you find attractive and strike up a conversation. This builds confidence and helps overcome fear of rejection. Remember, the worst they can say is no, and you’ll have gained valuable experience regardless of the outcome.
24. Attend a networking event and aim to exchange contact info with at least 3 new people. If you don’t hit 3, no worries! Give it a try and give yourself grace.
25. Take an improv class or workshop. Improv is excellent for thinking on your feet, being present in the moment, and collaborating with others. It’s also a lot of fun and can lead to plenty of laughs!
26. Host a dinner party for a group of people who don’t know each other. This challenges your hosting skills and ability to facilitate conversations among strangers. Prepare some icebreakers or conversation starters to keep things flowing.
27. Perform at an open mic night (comedy, music, poetry, etc.). This is a big step in overcoming stage fright and sharing your talents with others. Even if it doesn’t go perfectly, you’ll gain valuable experience and likely earn respect for your courage.
28. Teach a skill you’re good at to a group of people. Look for workshops and meetups like woodworking, sports, technology, etc.
29. Mediate a disagreement between two friends or colleagues. Don’t go looking for one, but if an opportunity arises, go for it!
30. Lead a group, whether it’s an after-school group trip or a church choir group. This shows initiative and helps you practice public speaking. Choose a topic you’re passionate about to make it easier and more engaging.
31. Host a conference on a topic you love and invite the public or people you admire for a whole-day learning event or private TED talk. This is the ultimate challenge, combining public speaking, event organization, and networking!

Solo Social Challenges

Want to go solo? These challenges are perfect for you:

31. Record a video of yourself talking about a topic you love and post it online. This helps you get comfortable seeing and hearing yourself on camera (you might be surprised at what you see!).
32. Practice telling your favorite jokes to others. Into dad jokes? Great. Love dry humor? Go for it. Make sure your audience is receptive or knows you’re practicing your jokes.
33. Write and send a heartfelt letter to someone who has positively impacted your life. This could be a parent, friend, acquaintance, coworker, or even a pet or fictional character.
34. Go to a movie or restaurant alone and fully enjoy the experience. This helps build confidence in being by yourself in public.
35. Start a blog or vlog about your social challenge journey. Documenting your experiences can help you reflect on your progress and potentially inspire others.
36. Practice facial expressions in the mirror to increase your emotional expressiveness. This can help you communicate more effectively in face-to-face interactions. Try expressing different emotions and see how they feel.
37. Set a goal to learn one new fact about a different coworker each day for two weeks. You might be surprised at what you learn!
38. Spend a day saying “yes” to every (safe and reasonable) social invitation or request. This pushes you out of your comfort zone and could lead to unexpected positive experiences.
39. Take yourself on a “self-date” to a place you’ve always wanted to go but haven’t yet. Treat yourself as you would a date—be attentive and enjoy the experience!
40. Practice storytelling by recording yourself telling an interesting anecdote from your life. This improves your narrative skills and helps you get comfortable hearing your own voice.

Group Social Challenges

These social challenges are perfect for friends! Invite your friends to play along either competitively or co-op.

41. Play a round of “Two Truths and a Lie” with a group of friends or colleagues. It’s also a great icebreaker for new groups.
42. Organize an _Impractical Jokers_https://www.trutv.com/shows/impractical-jokers -style game where your friends compete to do embarrassing (but harmless) acts. Think asking strangers for directions to a place that doesn’t exist, asking people to draw them, or giving people random post-it notes with compliments.
43. Organize a “Random Acts of Kindness” day with your friends, competing to do the most kind acts. Share your experiences at the end of the day to inspire each other.
44. Host a “No Phones Allowed” dinner party where everyone has to engage in face-to-face conversation.
45. Play the “Eye Contact Game” where you maintain eye contact with a partner for as long as possible. Discuss how it felt afterwards.
46. Have a “Compliment Circle” where each person compliments every other person in the group.
47. Organize a group volunteer day at a local charity or event. This can be anything from trash cleanup to volunteering at a festival.
48. Host a “Cultural Exchange” dinner where everyone brings a dish from a different culture and shares its story. Encourage people to choose cultures different from their own.
49. Play “Social Bingo” where each square represents a social task to complete at a party or event.
50. Have a “Debate Night” where pairs argue opposite sides of lighthearted topics. Choose topics that won’t cause real conflict.

Bonus: Rejection Therapy Challenges

Want to get really socially brave? Try one of these challenges. Rejection therapy’s goal is to overcome the fear of rejection through controlled, forced exposure—the key here is to expect rejection and not get attached to the outcome.

51. Request a song dedication. Go to a DJ or musician at a public event and ask if they can dedicate a song to you.
52. Ask to ride a police car. Approach a police officer and ask if you can sit in their car for a minute.
53. Request a recipe. At a restaurant, ask the chef if they would be willing to share the recipe for your favorite dish.
54. Ask for a speech. Go to a community event and ask if you can give a short impromptu speech.
55. Request a personalized song. Approach a street musician and ask if they can create a short song about you on the spot.
56. Ask to try on an employee’s uniform. In a store or restaurant, ask an employee if you can try on their uniform.
57. Request a dance: At a public place with music, ask a stranger to dance with you.
58. Ask for a behind-the-scenes tour. At a theater or cinema, ask if you can get a behind-the-scenes tour.
59. Request to teach a class. Go to a fitness class or workshop and ask if you can teach a small part of the session.
60. Ask for an autograph. Approach a random person and ask for their autograph, pretending they are famous.

Want more rejection therapy ideas? Check out Jia Jiang’s website and his journey of 100 days of rejection therapy (source).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Social Challenges

How often should I do these social challenges?

Aim to complete at least one challenge per week. Consistency is key in building social skills and confidence.

What if I fail a challenge?

There’s no such thing as failing these challenges. Every attempt is a learning experience. Reflect on what happened and try again when you feel ready.

Can I modify the challenges to suit my comfort level?

Absolutely! Feel free to adapt any challenge to better fit your personal circumstances or comfort level. The goal is growth, not discomfort.

How long will it take to see improvements in my social skills?

Everyone’s journey is different, but most people start noticing improvements within a few weeks of consistently completing challenges.

Are these challenges suitable for people with social anxiety?

Many of these challenges can be beneficial for people with social anxiety, but it’s important to start slowly and consult with a mental health professional if needed.

Can I do these challenges with a group?

Yes! Many of these challenges can be done with friends or a support group. Having others to share the experience with can make it more fun and provide accountability.

Remember, It’s a Journey!

Becoming more socially confident is a journey, not a destination. Each of these challenges is a step on that journey.

Some days will be easier than others, and that’s okay.The important thing is to keep pushing forward, one challenge at a time. For further reading and more challenges to be a nicer person, check out this article: 62 Unique Ideas to Be a Nicer Person, According to Science