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If you’d like to connect to your relatives far away, then playing family games online is worth the effort. Unlike board games or games that need you to be in the same place, online games offer fun and excitement and foster social connections even when all of you are on different continents. They lighten the mood as efficiently as regular games. Moreover, the current technological advances push away the awkwardness and inhibitions and help every generation mingle effortlessly. These games are not only a fun way to keep yourself engaged but also foster communication and strengthen relationships among family members, regardless of their physical location. So, don’t let distance deter your family from spending a great time together and creating memories. Plunge into our list for some interesting family games.
Experts sayKey Pointers
- Virtual or online games let you play with your family and friends through a smartphone or computer with an internet connection.
- Switch on your webcams and go on a laughing riot with the classic acting game “Charades.”
- Have some fun time with “Pictionary” as they draw funny pictures to help you guess the name of the object or thing.
- Monopoly, Minute To Win, and Scavenger hunt are some other interactive online games to play with family and friends.
27 Family Games To Play Online
No matter where your family is, technology has brought everyone closer. A FaceTime or Zoom call can bring your family right into your living room. Each game listed below has been carefully selected to ensure it promotes family interaction and can be played easily among participants of all ages from home. We’ve categorized according to age groups and preferences, making it easier for families to choose the right game for their next virtual gathering.
1. Scavenger hunt
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Scavenger hunt is a classic game you can play both offline and online. It is an interesting game because it gets the players moving through their homes.
No. of players
Three or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Make a list of all the things you want the other players to hunt.
- You can screen share and ask the players to get the items within a specified time limit.
- You can also announce each item one by one and see which player gets it first.
- You can also use an online scavenger hunt app to play the game.
- The player who wins the game gets to host the next scavenger hunt.
- Include quirky items such as “hand-me-down,” or “something blue and sparkly.”
2. Monopoly
You can play this popular board game online with your extended family and friends. There are detailed instructions provided on the website so that even new players can participate.
No. of players:
Two to six
Age group:
Seven years and above
How to play:
- Just as in the board game, each player gets to toss the dice and move their piece over the virtual board.
- As they go around, they can buy, sell, or rent a property.
- The aim of the game is to bankrupt other players.
- You can play this game online with family and friends, offline with robots, on one phone with friends, and over Bluetooth and Facebook.
3. Name that tune
Image: Shutterstock
This is a perfect game to lighten the mood. No matter how old the players are, everyone loves music. And this game will bring a lot of laughter.
No. of players:
Three or more
Age group:
Six years and above
How to play:
- Play the opening music of a song for a few seconds.
- The other players have to guess the song.
- Make sure you consider the ages of all the players before playing this game. For example, if there are young players, you can exclude older songs.
4. Charades
This is another classic game that will engage all players. Just like the offline game, it is super fun to play and bond with each other.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Six years and above
How to play:
- Divide the players into two teams.
- Announce a category.
- A player from each team has to enact something or somebody from the category.
- The other team has to guess the answer.
5. Two truths and a lie
This is a popular game that can be played online with your family. If all the players are adults, you could turn it into a drinking game too.
No. of players:
Three or more
Age group:
Eight years and above
How to play:
- Each player says three things about themselves out of which two things are truths and one is a lie.
- The other players have to guess which one is a lie.
- If other players do not guess the lie, the player gets another turn. If the lie is spotted, the next player gets their turn.
6. Trivia
Image: IStock
Online trivia is one of the easiest and exciting activities you can play with your family. It is a game where everyone will have fun and learn something new.
No. of players:
Three or more
Age group:
Six years and above
How to play:
- Divide the players into teams.
- Ask trivia questions that range from family history to pop culture, and the team who answers correctly first wins a point. This not only tests knowledge but also sparks interesting conversations about shared family experiences.
- You could also use breakout rooms in Zoom and assign a Google Form to each team.
7. Family bingo
Most of you already play bingo in your minds every time a particular family member starts recounting an old anecdote. This time, everyone gets to join in the fun.
Quick factNo. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Eight years and above
How to play:
- Make a family bingo template with randomized options and share it with your family.
- Every player has to mark the squares when they see something written in the boxes.
- The person who crosses out the maximum boxes is the winner. If someone manages to cross out all boxes, they win the Full House.
8. Avo
Avo is an avocado who is all set to go out on an adventure. This is an interesting game, especially for kids. You can download this game on the App Store.
No. of players:
Two to Six players
Age group:
Four to eight years
How to play:
- Avo is the crime-fighting avocado who goes through different quests and solves puzzles.
- Each player gets to play with Avo and navigate the avocado through the game.
9. The alphabet game
Whether the players are young or old, they will surely enjoy this game. This game gives players a chance to improve their vocabulary.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Six years and above
How to play:
- Make a list of categories. Write each alphabet on a slip of paper and drop them in a bowl.
- Read out the category during the game before picking out one slip of paper. Read out the alphabet on it.
- The players have to name things from the category starting from the selected alphabet.
- You can also announce a category and go round from A to Z, letting each player name something from that category.
10. Minute to win it
Minute to win it
games require physical and mental exertion to win the challenge.
No. of players:
Three or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Make a list of different Minute to win It games. Use a combination of physical and mental exercises.
- Some examples of the games are Cookie Face, a game where the players have to place a cookie on their face and move it to their mouth without touching it or Fill the Bucket, a game where the players have to fill a bucket using plastic cups.
11. Pictionary
Pictionary is one of the easiest and most popular virtual games. You can play it with your family and extended family on game nights for endless fun.
No. of players:
Two or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Add all the players to a private room and start playing.
- Each player gets a turn to draw something.
- The others have to write their answers in the chatbox.
Trivia12. Most likely to
“Most likely to” is similar to bingo and is a great multiplayer game. It is often played as an offline game and can be played on online platforms too.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- One player reads out a prompt that starts with “Most Likely To…”
- The other players name the family member who matches the description.
- Some examples of the “Most Likely To…” prompts are:
- Play a prank
- Go to sleep mid-conversation
- Take the last slice of pizza
- Call you by the wrong name
- Confuse you with your sibling
13. Family Feud
“Family Feud” is a popular TV game that has held families in thrall. This fun game can be played with participants of all ages. If you have only adults, you may include 18+ questions, too.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Divide the players into two teams.
- One person is designated as the “leader” of the team.
- Ask a question. Every question will have multiple answers, each with different frequencies.
- The leader gives an answer.
- The team that gives the higher-ranking answer gets to give the rest of the answers.
- If a team is unable to give the remaining answers, the question is passed on to the other team.
14. Scattergories
This word game will have your family members upgrading their vocabulary immediately. This fun game is one of the best ways to make everyone exercise their gray cells.
No. of players:
Two or more
Age group:
Six years and above
How to play:
- Make a list of several categories. Some examples of categories are:
- Cities
- Foods
- Fruits
- Birds
- Movies
- Fictional protagonists
- Make slips with letters on them.
- Pick a letter, give a category, and start the timer. You can set the timer to three minutes.
- Every player must write as many words as possible in the category, starting with the letter.
- If there are young children among the players, you can give only categories and do away with the letters.
- Once the timer goes off, let the players read out their lists.
- The number of unique entries a player has made will be the number of points they get.
15. Escape rooms
For logic- and puzzle-lovers, escape rooms make a pleasant haven. They are filled with puzzles and traps to solve and escape.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
10 years and above
How to play:
- Sign in to an online escape room.
- Work as a team to solve puzzles and “escape” to the next room.
- The first team to escape the room gets the maximum points.
- All teams must try to escape before the final timer goes off.
16. Rhymes
This game is best for all the budding poets out there. This fun activity is also good for developing vocabulary in children.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Six years and above
How to play:
- The first person says a sentence.
- The second person must continue the sentence but end it with a word that rhymes with the last word of the previous sentence.
- This goes on until you have run out of rhyming words.
- You can also assign a person to add new words to the rhyming pool.
17. Five things
A game that makes the players both think and laugh. It is similar to Scattergories but with a tighter time limit.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Make a list of several categories.
- You call out a player name and a category.
- The player has to say five things related to the category within 20 seconds.
18. Sell it to me
“Sell it to me” is a fun game that will have everyone coming up with incredible pitches. This game goes above and beyond the standard pen.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
10 years and above
How to play:
- Keep a variety of objects near you or you can create a slideshow with images of different objects.
- Each player gets an object.
- They have to come up with a convincing pitch to sell it within a minute.
- If you particularly like specific pitches, you can award them points, too.
19. Heads up!
“Heads up!” is quite similar to charades. It is lots of fun and will have everyone rolling around with laughter.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Install an app that shows random words on your phone. Ask all the players to install the app.
- Each player should start the app, hold the phone to their forehead (screen out), and show the displayed word to the other players.
- The other players must act out the word while the player holding the phone tries to guess what is written on the screen.
- If you want a twist, the other players can give out clues, too.
- While playing the game, don’t forget to use a video conferencing software that allows you to temporarily hide your own webcam.
20. Reverse charades
If you thought charades was fun, reverse charades ups the ante several notches. It is a great game to play when there are a lot of people online.
No. of players:
Six or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Send a word to the team while excluding the volunteer.
- The team enacts the word and the volunteer tries to guess the word.
- You can also add a timer to make the game more exciting.
21. Family fact or fiction
Do you think you know your family well? Then this game is just perfect for you.
No. of players:
Six or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Make a list of statements about your family.
- Ask these questions to different teams.
- Let them explain why they think a statement is fact or fiction.
22. Make a story
If you are not looking for a competitive game but want some amazing entertainment, this game is perfect. Watch as the imaginations of your family members soar.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- You can divide the players into teams or let each player participate.
- If playing teamwise, you go around team by team.
- A player says a sentence. The next player says another sentence connected to it, and so on.
- You can also set a timer.
- Finish the “story” when it has a suitable ending.
- Then, the next player says the first sentence of the next story.
23. Card games
These classic games have been around since ancient times, even before computers were invented. These fun games can provide great entertainment to all family members, even virtually.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
10 years and above
How to play:
- Select an online platform to play a card game.
- Select a game from the variety offered on these platforms.
- Follow the rules of the game.
- You can also recreate other card games, such as Uno.
24. Tower power
Tower power is a game that is fun both in online and offline modes. The online mode offers more fun as the items used can be unexpected.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Five years and above
How to play:
- Start a timer. Set it to two minutes.
- Every player has to build a tower with any object available to them.
- At the end of the timer, every player measures the height of their tower.
- The highest tower wins.
25. Typing tornadoes
Typing out messages is a favorite pastime of many. Now, they can type out your messages and enjoy.
No. of players:
Four or more
Age group:
Eight years and above
How to play:
- Prepare a slideshow with several sentences. Select sentences with different punctuation marks and structures.
- When you display the sentence on the screen, the players should type the sentence in the chat box.
- The player who types the sentence first without a single mistake is the winner.
26. Battleship
This classic game never goes out of style. Whether you are sitting opposite each other or on opposite ends of the world, you can play this game.
No. of players:
Two
Age group:
Six years and above
How to play:
- Both players must have a paper and pencil with a grid drawn on it.
- Each player has battleships drawn on random areas on the grid, but the other player does not know the location.
- In turn, each player should speak out a location that the other player has to cross out on their grid.
- The aim is to capture maximum area on the opponent’s grid without stumbling on a battleship.
27. Memory game
This is an exciting game that never goes out of style. You can play with or without props.
No. of players:
Two and more
Age group:
Four years and above
How to play:
- If you are using props, hold them in front of the camera for 10 seconds so that all the other players can see the objects clearly.
- Then, remove the objects from the front of the camera and ask the players to list the objects they saw.
- If you are not using props, you can simply turn off your camera and ask them what was behind you or questions about the color of your wall.
- The player who makes the maximum correct guesses is the winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which family games online can help improve critical thinking skills?
Online family games that may help in improving critical thinking skills include ”Defend the indefensible” and ”Argument Tennis”. These two popular fun games also help build speaking and listening skills. You could also explore online game websites and pick the most suitable game as per your preference.
2. What are some benefits of playing family games online?
Some benefits of online family games are that they help strengthen the bond, are relaxing and fun, promote teamwork, and build trust among players. If you’re looking for ways on how to create family bonding, engaging in these games can be an effective approach. It also teaches skills such as turn-taking and patience.
Debs, a blogger and mother of three, plays Minecraft with her family. She says, “When we are playing together as a family, we usually choose to play in ‘Survival Mode’ and we turn off the ‘Player vs Player’ option to encourage cooperative play instead of competitive play. This makes the game much fun because we have to work together as a family to get through the game (i).”
3. How can families balance screen time and other activities while playing games online together?
Families can balance screen time and other activities during online gaming by promoting regular breaks for physical activities or other hobbies, enforcing limits on screen time, and participating in offline activities that encourage bonding and create shared experiences.
4. What are some tips for families new to playing games together online?
Here are some tips for families new to playing games together online:
- Take an interest in your child’s game preferences and ensure age-appropriate choices.
- Establish clear limits for playtime duration and frequency.
- Set boundaries for online interactions and encourage responsible digital behavior.
- Foster critical thinking about sharing personal information and engaging in appropriate gameplay.
5. What type of games can help with family bonding?
Games like scavenger hunts, trivia, and cooperative games are excellent for family bonding as they promote teamwork, communication, and shared decision-making. Engaging in these activities allows family members to work together, listen to one another, and solve challenges as a team, which strengthens relationships and builds trust. Focusing on shared goals and lighthearted competition can help family members connect and make lasting, joyful experiences together.
Family is the one entity that always has your back, and spending time with your family members and playing games with them is a great stress-buster. The online family games mentioned in this post can contribute to your recreation and entertainment and strengthen the bond between all of you. Monopoly, scavenger hunt, trivia, family bingo, and minute to win are some of the most popular games for family get together. They add lots of fun to your virtual digital gatherings. So, choose a game topic that caters to everyone’s interests and one that all family members are comfortable playing; this will make your virtual gathering even more memorable.
Infographic: Organizing Your Very Own Online Family Game
The advent of the internet and related technologies have brought together families scattered in different parts of the world. If you are planning a virtual family get-together, this infographic will help you organize online family games and have unlimited fun. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Illustration: Best Virtual Or Online Family Games To Play Together
Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team
Gather your family for some fun online activities! Check out this video for 10 unique virtual games that anyone can enjoy
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Video game family time: Minecraft;https://owlswellblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/08/video-game-family-time-minecraft/
References
- A Little Play Goes a Long Way: The Importance of Playing with Your Child
https://extension.usu.edu/relationships/faq/the-importance-of-playing-with-your-child
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