So much of our communication these days is via technology.
At least once a day, we chat with family. Sometimes we let the kids send messages to their friends. And lately, we are having game nights with groups of friends, that make for fun date nights.
It’s especially helpful to have virtual family games to play, because honestly, we don’t have much to catch up on with each other.
“What are you up to?”
“Not much.”
“Doing anything today?”
“Just hanging out around the house.”
You know the drill.
What virtual games make for family fun on video calling?
We’re starting to accumulate a list! These are virtual family fun games to play on Zoom, or any video calling app or device: FaceTime, Facebook Portal, WhatsApp, or Amazon Echo Show to name a few. They’re good for couples, too!
These are my favorites so far, but you can bookmark this page to see what new and creative games you can play on video call with family.
They are mostly low-prep, and have minimal supplies needed, because you don’t always have the same items to share. Some are inspired by games played on popular TV shows.
For games where you need random word ideas (like for Pictionary or Charades), use this fantastic word generator from the Game Gal! It also lets you select which level, so you can make it easier with a younger crowd, or more difficult if needed.
Be sure to consider: when playing these games on video chat, consider generational differences in the characters, words, quotes, song lyrics, etc, that you pick to play with.
I’m also including affiliate links for supplies you can order directly to your house if you need. (Affiliate links mean that when you click and/or purchase, this site receives an advertising commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support in the ongoing production of this blog!)
If you already have the supplies, so much the better!
Apples to Apples (with a Twist!)
Supplies: Apples to Apples the board game (one person needs to have); paper and pen to keep score (optional)
How to Play: The host picks one random green apple card and five random red apple cards. One player will be “It”. The host shows all the cards to all the players. The person who is “It” will choose a red card they feel best matches the green card, but won’t tell the rest of the group which one. All other players decide amongst themselves which one they think “It” has chosen.
At the end, “It” will reveal their choice, and the other players will gain a point for the answer they guessed correctly, or lose a point for the answer they guessed incorrectly. The player/s with the most points win. You can play as many rounds as you like.
Ask Alexa (Or Siri or Google – you get the picture)
Supplies: Each player needs a phone or a device that answers questions for you, like Alexa Echo; random word generator (free online, optional)
How to Play: Similar to Taboo – each player must try to get their device to say the word they are thinking of, without actually using the word or any part of it.
This is borrowed from a Tonight Show game – here’s an example of how to play. (Start at 22:29.)
Charades
Supplies: random word generator (free online, optional); pen and paper (optional)
How to Play: A classic game where each player will take a given word and try to act it out for the other players to guess. You can set a timer and see how many words one person, or the whole group, can get through before time is up.
Hot Topic
(the best name I can come up with until further notice, ha)
Supplies: paper and pen for each player or team; timer
How to play: Come up with a category – could be anything from “10 Letter Words” to “Major League Baseball Teams” to “Characters from [a TV show]” to “State Capitols”. On your mark, get set, go! Set the timer and have everyone write down as many answers as they can think of before time is up. The one with the most answers wins!
Mad Libs (Original or with a Twist!)
Supplies: online versions of Mad Libs or “Mad Takes“, or a Mad Libs book like “The Best of Mad Libs”
How to Play: Classic – Players will take turns giving answers for the blank spaces (different parts of speech), and then the host will read the whole story at the end, with the blanks filled with given answers.
Twist – Add Charades into the mix. Players will be assigned words that they have to fill the blanks for, but won’t tell the group. The host will tell the story and stop at the blank, and each player will have to act out their word for the group to guess. (It would be even funnier if the host didn’t tell the players that they will have to act their words out.)
Mute Challenge
Supplies: random word generator (free online, optional); pen and paper (optional)
How to Play: One player will pick a random or selected celebrity or famous character. (Alternatively, you could use movie quotes or song lyrics.) They will mute their microphone, and say the name (or quote or song lyric) to the rest of the players. The other players must figure out what word/s they are saying. Harder than it sounds!
This is borrowed from a Tonight Show game – here’s an example of how to play with songs.
Pictionary
Supplies: paper and pens for all players; Pictionary the board game (optional); random word generator (free online, optional)
How to Play: One person is “It”. “It” has to draw as many images as possible within a certain time frame (1 minute works well), while all the other players watch and guess. You gain a point for the ones you guess correctly, and the goal is to get as many points as possible as a group.
Party Quirks
Supplies: none
How to Play: A laugh-out-loud theatre game. One player is chosen to be the “host of the party”. They have to turn off their sound while others discuss. The other players will come up with individual characters (either real people, fictional characters, or a regular person with a unique quirk). When characters are decided, the “host” will turn on their sound and proceed to chat with their “party guests”. They have to try to figure out who each person is, or identify their quirk.
Press Conference
Supplies: random word generator (free online, optional) set to “Individuals” for characters and celebrities
How to Play: First Way – Have one player pick a celebrity or famous character (randomly or selected), but keep it a secret from the rest of the group. The other players must then ask questions, press conference style, which the player will answer in character as much as they want/are able. (Accents, mannerisms optional.) The group has to guess the celebrity or character.
Second Way: Have one player turn off their sound while the rest of the group confers to choose a celebrity or character for that player to be. When you’re ready, have that player turn their sound back on. The rest of the group will ask the person in the hot seat questions, press conference style, that will give the hot seat player clues to deduce which character or celebrity they are.
Scattergories
Supplies: Scattergories the board game (one person needs to have, the rest can follow along); paper and pens for all players
How to Play: The host (with the board game) sends photos of the category lists to each player. The host then rolls the letter die to pick one letter for the whole group, and flips the timer. (It’s helpful for players to turn their microphone off at this point to discuss.)
Players must come up with one word for each category that starts with the chosen letter. When the timer is up, all players will compare answers. You will get one point for each unique answer. If someone else has the same answer, both answers are canceled and neither player gets a point for that answer.
Screen of Lies
Supplies: random objects around the house; or alternatively, the Box of Lies board game (I don’t have it, so not sure how well this translates to video calling, but the concept is the same)
How to Play: (Works best with couples or groups of players, rather than individuals) One member of each team is “It”, who will keep their eyes closed during the next part. The host will designate a room of the house, and a different member of each team will go collect three random objects from that room, and then arrange them in front of their “It” member, but out of sight from the camera.
“It” will open their eyes, and face off against an “It” from another team. One at a time, they will either describe the objects before them, or completely make up what is in front of them. The player on the other side of the screen will have to deduce whether or not the first person is telling the truth. One point for every answer you guess correctly. After as many rounds as you’d like, the team with the most points wins.
This game is borrowed from the Tonight Show – see an example here.
Simon Says
Supplies: none
How to play: Classic game, original rules. One person is “Simon”. They direct the other players to do something by saying, “Simon says…” If they give a command without saying “Simon says,” first, and a player follows the direction, that player is out.
Two Truths and a Lie
Supplies: none
How to play: Each player must come up with three pieces of information: two factual things about them (or something that they’ve done), and one false. Taking turns, each player tells the others the three pieces of information, and everyone else has to decide (or maybe vote) on which one they believe to be the lie.
Switch it up: Incorporate questioning in the mix. You are allowed to interrogate the person to see if they can slip up and somehow reveal which answer is the lie.
Word Association
Supplies: none
How to Play: Set an order for each player of the group to take a turn. One person will start by typing a word in the chat box, any word. The next person will type the first word they think of when they read the first word. Take turns all the way down the line.
Switch it up: Have one person type, the next person act out the word they are thinking, the following person type the word they think of, and so on.
Would You Rather?
Supplies: ideas for “Would You Rather” questions (free online, optional) – or make up your own!
How to Play: Ask “Would You Rather” questions and learn a bit more about the people you’re playing with. They can range from insightful to gross to hilarious.
How about you?
How do you connect online? What ideas do you have for family game nights on Zoom, or another calling app or device? (I’d love to share your idea and give you credit!)
Photo Credit:
1 – Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
3 – You X Ventures on Unsplash
Wow! This is quite the list! We’ve been hosting a FB Live game night every week for our friends and family. We may have to utilize some of these great ideas!
My family loves Game of Phones. It would be perfect to do virtually.
I’ve never heard of that! How does it work? It sounds funny already 🙂