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STAY CONNECTED WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS WINTER

Make your winter video calls the most fun you’ve had in a long time!

We’ve curated fun online games you can use during your online get-togethers to bring back some of the fun in life that builds our important relationships and add to our memories. Scroll down to see some options. 

KARAOKE

Some people love to sing. Others just need the right opportunity to give it a chance. Whether singing holiday tunes all together or a heart-felt solo, there are hits from any genre to choose from. Let your vocal cords loose! 

How to play

Let the most tech savvy group member be the DJ. The DJ should open a browser tab and navigate to the Zoom Karaoke YouTube channel linked below. Zoom has tips on how to share a YouTube if you need.

Once someone in your group chooses a song, the DJ can share their screen so all participants can see the lyrics and each other. Use the chat function to send the DJ your song choices!

DRAW IT

This is a fun, fast-paced drawing and guessing game. It is a lot like the game Pictionary, but some would say even more fun. The faster a player answers correctly, the more points they receive. Players take turns “drawing” (using their computer mouse and on-screen pallet) so everyone gets a chance. There is an option to show the number of characters the word has to help players narrow down their guesses. 

How to play

Go to Brightful Meeting Games linked below. There you’ll see the option to “host a game” or “join a game.” Click host. Now you have access to lots of game options, including Draw It. Copy the “game room ID” and use the chat function of your virtual meeting space to share it with your group.

Once everyone copies and pastes the game room ID from the chat into their browser (really, it is very easy!), you can begin playing.

Try the other Brightful games too, like Trivia, Hearts, Rummy, and Spot My Lie!

ESCAPE ROOMS

Virtual escape rooms consist of a series of riddles and puzzles that need to be solved before moving on to the next room for more puzzles, and to ultimately escape! Some escape rooms are timed, but others simply require an answer to move on. Virtual escape rooms vary in visual quality and can be either free or cost quite a bit of money for the most impressive ones out there. Find our favorites by clicking the buttons below.

How to play

Before your group meeting, spend some time trying these links to see which one seems like the most fun and age appropriate for your group. Have your most tech savvy group member navigate to the link that is best for your group. Then, share the screen so everyone can see!

 

TRIVIA

Trivia is a crowd-pleasing favorite. Create teams or battle solo!

How to play

Choose a gamemaster to host. A lot of trivia websites share the same questions and you don’t want others to see the answers accidentally! The host must sacrifice some fun and not play. Or you can elect the most honest person to keep score on a pad of paper or with this onscreen scorekeeper.

The host should open multiple tabs in a browser and paste the links you’ll find here for each level of play in the tabs. Toggle between tabs to ask the right level of question for the player who is taking a turn. 

Remind everyone that it is cheating to use their phone or computer to find the answers. We see you!

Each correctly answered question is worth one point. If a player who is “on the spot” cannot or does not answer correctly, another player or team can earn an extra point, but the play continues from where it left off so everyone keeps their turn in line.   

 

GONOODLE

GoNoodle is provides a list of activities that are movement based and make moving SO MUCH FUN. Their short, interactive videos are a great way to pep up your day. GoNoodle is wonderful for everyone, but kids LOVE it and that is the audience it is geared towards. 

How to play

Tell everyone to move to a space where they can see the screen but still have room to move. Have the group leader open GoNoodle and share the screen for everyone to see. Select a video and get everyone moving. Three favorites are linked below!

POPPIN BUBBLES

Great for young kids.

ROUND IT UP ROUND IT DOWN

Dance and learn math!

HAND FOOT CHALLENGE

Slow tempo for all ages.

SUPPLY KIT GAMES YOU CAN PLAY AT A DISTANCE

SCATTERGORIES

This is a great game that can keep a group entertained. The object is to think of an item that begins with a chosen letter for each of 12 items on a list. You’ll get a point for each answer, as long as no other players’ answer match yours! 

How to play

Each person needs paper and pencil. The host can use the game generator linked below to compile list of topics and generate a random letter that all answers will need to start with. Once the list is created, the host can share the screen so everyone can see. Keep score on paper or use this app to keep score.

Watch this video if you need to refresh players of the rules. Yes, this video is for the physical game which you won’t have, but it lets you know how the game works! Find lists in our supply kit too!

MARTINETTI

This game uses the Martinelli game board you’ll find in your kit- plus 3 of your dice, or use the pdf below as your guide. Try to be the first player to climb up to 12 and back to start!

How to play

Use a stone or coin as a marker. Each player chooses a side of the board. On their turn they throw the dice and move forward on the board in order, according to the numbers on their dice.

A player must roll a 1 in order to move forward to the first space. They may continue moving forward if they also roll a 2, and then a 3. If they can move forward on their turn, they get to roll the dice again. If not, their turn is over and play moves to the next player.

Players can use the numbers shown in a throw individually or by adding them. For example a roll of a 1, 1, 1 can become a 1 and a 2 (1+1=2). Play now turns over to the next player.

Notes

  • All three dice are rolled at the same time.
  • Numbers can only be used once per roll.
  • 2 or 3 numbers can be added. So a roll of 5-4-3 can be used as 12.
  • Once a player reaches 12, they turn around and advance back down the board. When they reach 1, they win!

CHARADES

This classic game can be played mostly the same online as in person. Divide into two teams and decide on the number of rounds you want to play. Four rounds (each team guesses once in a round) is a great way to test how well it is going. Play for ten rounds if your group loves it. 

How to play 

Use this game word generator below. This generator also has varying levels so you can start off on easy and work your way up to “really hard.” Each person should bring up the generator on their own computer so that only they can see the word. Act it out. If your team guesses right, your team gets a point. 

BATTLESHIP

Each player needs 1 battleship page with 2 grids. Use the bottom grid to represent your own hidden ships. Use the top grid to mark your hits and misses as you play. Use the game boards in your kit, print them using the pdf below, or use the pdf as a guide to draw your own!

Each player’s fleet consists of the following ships:

  • 1 Aircraft carrier – 5 squares
  • 1 Battleship – 4 squares
  • 1 Cruiser—3 squares
  • 2 Destroyers – 2 squares each
  • 2 Submarines – 1 square each

Don’t let your opponent see your grid! Each player “hides” their ships on their top grid by drawing rectangles over the squares to show where their ships are hidden, like shown above.

How to Play

Players take turns “taking a shot” at the opponent’s ships, by calling out the coordinates of a square where you think a ship might be hidden, for example B3. The opponent responds with “hit” if it hits a ship or “miss” if it misses. In the example above D2 is a hit, J10 is a miss. When one player hits the last remaining square of a ship, the opponent must announce the name of the ship; “Oh no! You sank my battleship!!”. During play, each player should record their opponent’s shots on the bottom grid, and their shots on the top grid, using “X” for a hit and “O” for a miss. This helps you keep track of the coordinates you already guessed!

The first player to find (and sink) all of their opponent’s ships wins the game!

15 MINUTE WORKOUT

Get fit with friends this winter! Meet up online, do the short workout, then drink some water and chat. There are a lot of videos on YouTube, so search for the ones that are right for you and your group. Remind everyone: Progress not perfection! 

How to play

Tell everyone to move to a space they can see the screen but still have room to move. Share the screen. Feel free to try one of the videos below. 

This is a good video for beginners because it is not too hard, but it can be if you push yourselves. The workout starts at 1:34, so you can skip ahead to avoid the talking intro. 

This 15 minute workout is for teens and adults. It creeps up in intensity so prepare to sweat and take it easy if you need to. However, it is really fun and rewarding. 

This is a low intensity stretching video. Flexibility is key to avoiding injury and feeling healthy.

HOMEMADE DICE MOVEMENT GAME

Or play a homemade movement game. Find the cardstock sheet with 2 flattened cubes printed onto it in your supply kit, or see the pdf below. Cut the cubs out – fold them up – and apply glue or tape to the closing tabs.

Add movement words to one die, add numbers to the other.

Movements: jumping jacks, cartwheels, high marches, ninja kicks, squats, fairy twirls, invisible hula hoop hip circles…  What else can you come up with?

Numbers: Roman numerals, number dots, numbers in Spanish or other language, number equations… What else can you come up with?

How to play

Roll your new dice together. Everyone has to do the movement that landed on top the number of times shown on the top of the other die!

MORE IDEAS

Maybe games and working out are not what you and your group are in the mood for. There are still good ways to connect that involve us sharing ourselves and interests. Using the share screen function, navigate to cool things you and your loved ones find fascinating. We have some suggestions below!

LOOK AT PHOTOS

Look at photographs of places you would like to visit. Or, of past family or friends events. Kids can share pics of their friends and tell you about them. 

FASHION FUN

Watch a runway fashion show. You can also have a home runway show. Don’t forget the music as you and your group strut down the hallway catwalk.

SHOW AND TELL

Show-and-tell. Try to have everyone ready before the Zoom call and share your stories. This is a great way to talk about family, especially if it is something passed down from a relative. Also, if anyone saved anything from their childhood, why, and what does it mean to the person?

EXPLORE A FUN WEBSITE

Explore the website The Kids Should See This. After, talk about it. 

LEARN TO DRAW

Do a drawing tutorial. Grab some paper and bring up a drawing tutorial on YouTube. Compare your drawings with everyone else.

READ TOGETHER

Read a book together aloud using Hoopla Digital. Use your library card for access.  Share the screen to decide which book and take turns reading together.

IF YOUR LOOKING FOR MORE CARD OR DICE GAMES TO TRY AT HOME WITH YOUR KIT…