Ten years ago, kissing games for teenage girls (and for boys) consisted of two main games. These games are still quite popular today and throughout different generations, though they have evolved somewhat.

The first game was “spin the bottle,” a game where a group of friends, or strangers, would spin a bottle. The participants, usually a group larger than seven people, would spin the bottle that was placed in the middle of them. The head, or spout, of the bottle would indicate the first participant of the game. The second person it landed on had to kiss the first. Generally rules were set up where a kiss had to occur between a boy and a girl, instead of by two people of the same gender. Of course, there were alternative rules such as the ability to kiss the other person on the cheek or lips, but the more daring of groups chose the latter. This game and the next were quite popular with children ages 12 and older as they began to learn about the differences between boys and girls.

The other game is called “Seven Minutes in Heaven.” This kissing game was more of a “make-out” game, which held an extra danger of mystery to it. Two kids, usually of opposite genders were chosen or put into lines so that no one but the host would know who entered the dark closet or room. Neither of the two participants was supposed to know who the other was and speaking was forbidden for the seven minutes. Instead, the two kids were instructed to kiss or make-out for seven minutes. They would usually discover the person’s identity after leaving the room or closet. There were times of course where neither participant would in reality move at all, just claiming with their friends that they actually did make-out with the other. This game is really more about keeping up your reputation with your peers. Depending on who you supposedly made-out with, that reputation could accordingly sink or rise. This game is a bit more hurtful than most because of that.

The game “Truth or Dare” could also turn into a kind of kissing game, depending on the dare given. Making games out of rather ordinary experiences, like drinking games or counting games seems like our societies’ main way to concur boredom for kids under 18. That was of course true until the xbox, computers, and Gameboys came out. Of course, with the online world taking over the world, kissing games for girls has taken on a whole new meaning. There are many “free” games online that allow girls to play simulated kissing games, which allow them to explore their fantasies from the comfort of their own home. Arguably, this hurts them with the lack of real physical interaction with their peers, but the safe feeling behind it definitely helps many kids with lower self-esteem. Even the games of “Spin the bottle” and “Seven Minutes in Heaven” have been incorporated into the online world.