How To Play 7 Minutes In Heaven? – A Party Game Where Nothing Is Surprising!

Let’s go for 7 minutes in Heaven, shall we? 

7 Minutes In Heaven is a game played by party people! Even though researchers say that this game started in the early 1950s, we may say that the origin of this party game comes from Mike O’Brien, a writer who is in 2011, every Sunday night initiated some kind of a comedy routine called “7 Minutes In Heaven with Mike O’Brien”. It’s pretty clear where the name came from, right?

But, why are that ‘7 minutes’ in the name? Well, two people get chosen to hide/lock themselves in a closet, corner, dark space, or any specific location, and they’re free to do different stuff for that amount of time, or simply do nothing! The supreme thing is that everyone should respect each other’s limits, so no one has to do or talk about something in case they don’t want to! 

• Setting up the game:

• Finding a good location;
• Choosing the players;
• Defining & explaining the rules;
• The timer;
• Gameplay;

• Stories told about 7 Minutes In Heaven;
• Similar games to 7 Minutes To Heaven;
• What should we keep in mind while playing this game?

Setting Up The Game

Before diving into the game, it is surprisingly important to set the game correctly, so there isn’t any misunderstanding later! 

Wait, Where’s The Location?

We highly recommend you all agree on a location before selecting the players, so, it doesn’t feel like you’re setting the location and rules just for those 2 players, you know what I mean? Here are some location ideas you may use: 

• A closet anywhere in your room;
• The bathroom;
• An empty (dark) room;
• The laundry room;
• The garage;

While setting up the place, here are some tips you can follow:

• Most importantly, you should remove things that could be dangerous or could cause any damage to any of the players;
• The game goes better if the place is dark, in case none of the players isn’t nyctophobic;
• If the game takes place in a room, you can use some chairs, pillows, blankets, or anything to make it as comfortable as possible;
• For a better experience, remove any time teller (such as phones, clocks, watches) from that location.

Choosing The ‘Lucky’ Players!

Foremost, the game works best if more than 6 people are playing, nonetheless, the game can be played with as few – and as many people as you wish. If you have any other ideas, you’re completely free to use them. Anyways, based on our experience and what we’ve heard, we came up with 2 ways of selecting the players for the round. Again, it’s all up to you!

Use a bottle. This is how you’ll choose 2 players each time. Someone spins the bottle, and wherever the neck and the base of the bottle are pointed to, these 2 players have to play the game together. 

Make a ‘papers lottery’. Simply, write the names of all players on some small pieces of paper, and put them in a hat or any other container. Everyone picks a paper, and whoever name they have is their ‘teammate’!

If you want to always have a girl and a boy in the room, make sure you spin the bottle for the girls and the boys separately and whoever the bottle points to is sent to the room. You can also make two different containers ( or use papers of 2 colors) if you’re using the second method. 

Defining The Rules

Now that we defined the location and the players, it’s time for the rules. Here’s what you can do: 

• 2 players should go first in the room. They can be selected randomly, by the alphabetic order, or any other idea you have;
• The first 2 players go to the location, and close the door!;
• The main priority of every player should be that none of them should make the other one feel uncomfortable or insecure;
• The two of them will be out after 7 minutes;
• What happens inside the room, will stay inside the room!

You may also add your own rules, or house rules, as we like to call them. They can be anything y’all want, in case they make sense. We’ll give you some ideas:

• No phones allowed in the room;
• Turn off (or on) the lights;
• No kissing! (This will be like a funny punishment for the couples);
• You can use something called ‘special knock’, so, anytime someone gets bothered, they can use it as an alert to get out, or even ask for more time.

The Timer

The time, specifically 7 minutes, is the main rule of the game. As we mentioned, if you think it’s needed, you may ask for less or more time. We’d recommend you use any timer that has a loud volume, could be a phone, alarm clock, or any other option. It must be noisy enough for the players in the room to hear. 

If you want to catch them by surprise, you can also use something very quiet, just for you and the other players in the waiting line to hear it, and go take the players out, without them knowing it’s the time. This is quite fun!  

The Gameplay

Taking turns, all the players go 2 by 2 into the specific location. They should follow the rules set by all of them together. Everyone is allowed to do anything they want in the room/closet, in case both of the players are okay with it. 

There may be a new friendship/relationship started, who knows? We’d say you first ask the other player if they agree to you holding their hand, kissing them, hugging, or anything else. If you’ve asked him/her something, and they’re struggling to answer, don’t put pressure on them.

Anytime you feel cramped, it’s better to say that stuff out. If you’re not okay with them being too close to you, holding your hand, not respecting your personal space, or anything similar, it would be finer to let them know.

It may happen that you’ll be in a room with people you don’t know at all, and if at any point you don’t feel safe, don’t be embarrassed to knock on the door or ask to go out. 

On the other hand, after 7 minutes, if it’s going well and you’d want more time with that person, go for it, you have the chance, make the other players wait, who cares!  

Stories Told About 7 Minutes In Heaven: What Do People Say?

Apart from our experience with this party game, we’ve also heard and read about some interesting game experiences. Here are our favorite ones:

“We didn’t even realize how fast those 3 minutes went by. It was only after the lights came on and after hearing several knocks on the door that we decided to head out. Everyone in the house gave us this flirty smirk (like everyone knew what we did in there). Well, they thought darn right.” – Story found on POPxo;

“We discussed the interior of the closet for 7 minutes. Saw a shelf we never knew was there.” – Story found on Reddit;

“Played a few times when I was around 13, but everyone was too awkward to do anything so we’d just sit there and talk for 7 minutes/cuddle (as friends). Or mess up our clothes/hair and get people to think stuff happened there lmao. At 16 I was dared to play with my then-boyfriend and we had our first kiss. It was nice. People usually make out/hook up while playing.” – Story found on Reddit;

“That party was not only super duper fun, but it also made me meet my boyfriend in the most unexpected way possible. From 7 minutes of passion to 7 years of dating, I’m in love with this guy from the bottom of my heart. A piece of advice for all those girls looking for love, let it find you.“ – Story found on POPxo. 

Similar Party Games To 7 Minutes In Heaven

Spin The Bottle:

When talking about adult party games, of course, Spin The Bottle doesn’t miss! It is quite simple, and it makes you create stronger bonds with your people. The idea is that someone spins the bottle (usually the player who played last), and whoever it points to, the other player who’s directed to the bottom of the bottle, has to ask him/her a question or make them complete a dare. 

Never Have I Ever 

How could we forget Never Have I Ever? A cool game where everyone will tell lots about themselves, even if they don’t want to (whoopsies)! There will be some questions asked, or specifically some statements, and all of you have to answer with ‘I Have’ or ‘I Have Never. This could simply be turned into a drinking game, if you’re all 21+, you know that already! 

Suck And Blow

You probably saw people playing this game in movies, haven’t you? Well, it’s pretty risky tho’. If you’re shy, this game isn’t the best for you! The point of the game is that everyone should pass the card, paper, or any other object from mouth to mouth, one player to another. You may make your own rules, ex. if the card drops, both the players have to drink, complete a challenge. Anyways, the main challenge is that they’d already kissed… 

What Should We Keep In Mind While Playing This Game?

We’re gonna repeat it once again: don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable! The point of the game is of course to light up your party, but, you set your limits. If you’re okay with the extremes, go for it, it’s all up to you! 

As you’ve heard, many people kiss or make out during the game, when both are okay with it. If you don’t want to, you can just talk for a while, say some things out loud, or just stay quiet for 7 minutes straight.

Even though 7 minutes may sound too short, sometimes, all you need is 7 minutes to change things… It works perfectly fine with both sexes, and you can choose the players however y’all want to. Don’t forget to include this game while hosting a game night, teenagers and adults love it! 

What are you waiting for? Go make your party the best party ever!