Staying connected with loved ones when you can’t be together in person can be challenging, but FaceTime and Zoom make it easier to bridge the distance. However, video calls can quickly turn stale—unless you spice them up with some engaging games!
As a former teacher and camp counselor, I know firsthand how games can bring people together, break the ice, and create unforgettable memories. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of 25 of the best games to play on FaceTime, Zoom, or any other video chat platform.
Whether you’re catching up with friends, entertaining kids, or having a virtual date night, these games are sure to keep everyone laughing and engaged.
From classic party games with a virtual twist to creative new challenges, these ideas will make your next FaceTime call so much more fun that you might just forget you’re miles apart. So grab your device, warm up your game face, and let’s dive into some screen-to-screen fun!
1. Charades
Charades is a fun and easy FaceTime game for all ages! Here’s how to play:
- Pick a Category: Choose People, Places, Things, or Actions.
- Select a Word or Phrase: Simple options for kids (e.g., “brushing teeth”), more complex for adults (e.g., “The Incredible Hulk”).
- Act It Out: Use gestures like mimicking a book for “book” or cranking an old movie camera for “movie.” Indicate word count with fingers.
- Guess and Score: Take turns acting while the other guesses. Keep track of points to see who wins!
Examples:
- People: Oprah Winfrey, Harry Potter
- Places: New York City, The North Pole
- Things: French Fries, Trombone
- Actions: Cooking pancakes, Surfing
Have fun and get creative!
2. Would You Rather?
Would You Rather is the perfect game for sparking discussions and laughter. It’s a fun way to get to know someone better by making them choose between two options—sometimes great, sometimes awful!
How to Play:
- Use your imagination or check out our list of “Would You Rather” questions.
- Choose age-appropriate questions if playing with kids.
Sample Questions:
- Thought-Provoking: “Would you rather live in a house shaped like a circle or a triangle?”
- Silly: “Would you rather always walk backwards or on all fours?”
- Gross: “Would you rather eat a slug or take a bath with a spider?”
Explore our full list for more fun questions!
3. Pictionary
Pictionary is a classic game that anyone can enjoy—no artistic skills required!
How to Play:
- Gather Materials: Each player needs a piece of paper and a dark marker.
- Pick a Word: Use a Random Word Generator or choose your own word or phrase.
- Set a Timer: Draw for 30-60 seconds without speaking.
- Guess: Your partner tries to guess your drawing. Then, switch roles!
Work together to see how many you can guess correctly. It’s all about having fun!
4. Truth or Dare
Truth or Dare is a fun way to learn more about someone, whether by sharing secrets or completing a silly challenge. Just remember, what goes around comes around!
How to Play:
- Ask: “Truth or Dare?”
- If Truth: They must answer any question honestly. Check out 100 Hilarious Truth or Dare Questions.
- If Dare: Challenge them to do something funny or embarrassing.
Example Truths:
- “What’s the last lie you told?”
- “Who’s the last person you stalked on social media?”
- “What’s your biggest regret?”
Example Dares:
- Do a freestyle rap for a minute.
- Talk in a British accent until your next turn.
- Dump out your bag and show what’s inside.
Safety Tip: Keep it fun and respectful. No dares should cause emotional or physical harm.
5. Two Truths & A Lie
Two Truths & A Lie is a great ice-breaker for any group—whether you’re getting to know new people or reconnecting with close friends.
How to Play:
- Write Down Three Statements: Two true facts and one lie about yourself. Make the lie believable and the truths surprising!
- Example:
- I’ve seen Beyoncé live three times.
- I’ve played piano since age seven.
- I can twirl a baton with my toes.
- Guess the Lie: Read your statements aloud and see if others can spot the lie. Score a point for each correct guess.
Play as many rounds as you’d like and enjoy discovering new things about each other!
6. Never Have I Ever
“Never Have I Ever” is a fun way to learn surprising things about friends—perfect for any group!
How to Play:
- Start: Everyone holds up 10 fingers.
- Take Turns: One player says, “Never have I ever…” followed by something they’ve never done (e.g., “swam in the ocean”).
- Put a Finger Down: If you’ve done it, put one finger down.
- Winning: The game ends when someone loses all their fingers. You can decide if the first person out or the last one standing is the winner!
Need ideas? Check out these 250 Never Have I Ever Questions.
7. Twenty Questions
Twenty Questions is a fun, no-materials-needed guessing game—perfect for FaceTime!
How to Play:
- Think of any person, place, or thing.
- Your partner has up to 20 yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is (e.g., “Is it an animal?”).
- Answer only with “Yes” or “No.”
See how quickly they can guess it!
8. Read My Lips
“Read My Lips” is a fun and easy game for all ages—no materials or setup needed!
How to Play:
- Mute yourself so your partner can’t hear you.
- Choose a word or phrase and say it 2-3 times.
- Your partner tries to guess what you’re saying by reading your lips.
It’s that simple—give it a try!
9. Hangman
You may remember playing Hangman in school as a child, and now you can play it with your long-distance buddy.
Hangman is similar to Wheel of Fortune, but with a twist—your partner has limited guesses before they lose!
How to Play:
- Choose a word and draw a dash for each letter (e.g., “friend” = _ _ _ _ _ _).
- Your partner guesses letters. If correct, write the letter in the blank spaces. If wrong, draw part of a gallows.
- Continue until they either guess the word or you complete the gallows.
It’s a fun challenge with a bit of suspense!
10. Build a Story
“Build A Story” is a quick-thinking game that guarantees laughter—all you need is your imagination!
How to Play:
- One player starts by saying just one word.
- The next player adds a single word to continue the story.
- Keep taking turns, adding one word at a time, to create a wacky tale together.
The challenge is sticking to just one word per turn—get ready for some hilarious results!
11. The Alphabet Game
The Alphabet Game is a road trip favorite that’s perfect for FaceTime! All ages can play, and no materials are needed.
How to Play:
- Option 1: Choose a category (e.g., animals, foods, countries). Each player names something in that category starting with the letter A, then B, and so on. Set a time limit for each turn. If you can’t think of a word in time, you’re out!
- Option 2: Choose a category, and take turns saying a word that starts with each letter of the alphabet in sequence (A, B, C, etc.).
Enjoy endless variations for hours of fun!
12. Clap The Song
“Clap The Song” is a fun challenge for music lovers, perfect for FaceTime or Skype!
How to Play:
- One player secretly picks a song and writes it down.
- Clap the rhythm of the song without singing or humming.
- The other player tries to guess the song based on the clapping.
If it’s too tricky, you can switch to humming. Enjoy the musical fun!
13. Rainbow Race
Rainbow Race is a fun and active game, perfect for kids!
How to Play:
- Choose a color (e.g., red, blue, green).
- On “3, 2, 1, go!”, race to find an object of that color. The first person to find one scores a point.
- You can also set a timer and see who finds the most objects in that color.
Play through all the colors and see who wins the most points!
14. What’s Missing?
“What’s Missing” is a fun memory game for all ages and requires minimal materials.
How to Play:
- Gather 8-10 small objects and display them on screen.
- Set a timer for 1 minute for your partner to memorize the items.
- Have them close their eyes, then remove one item.
- Ask them to guess what’s missing!
For an extra challenge, reduce the study time as you play.
15. Category Race
Category Race is a fun, fast-paced game similar to Scattergories, perfect for FaceTime or Zoom!
How to Play:
- Choose a category (e.g., Animals, Candy, Countries).
- Set a timer for 1 minute and write down as many words as you can in that category.
- Compare lists—if both players have the same word, cross it off. Score 1 point for each unique word.
Play multiple rounds and add up your points to see who wins!
16. Virtual Hide & Seek
Virtual Hide & Seek lets you play the classic game remotely!
How to Play:
- One player imagines a hiding spot in their home.
- The other player tries to “find” them by guessing locations (e.g., “Are you in the kitchen?”).
- Continue until they guess the correct spot.
This game is best played if both players are familiar with each other’s spaces. Happy hiding!
17. Storyteller Pass-Along
Storyteller Pass-Along is a fun, collaborative game for all ages—no materials needed!
How to Play:
- One player starts a story and talks for 1 minute. Use a timer to keep track.
- When the timer goes off, the next player continues the story for another minute.
- Keep passing the story along, creating a unique and wacky tale together!
Enjoy the creative fun!
18. Last Letter
Last Letter is a moderately challenging game to play. It’s good for ages 8 and up, and no materials are required.
Choose a Category: Examples include Boys’ Names, Vegetables, Colors, Fruits, or Musicians.
Start the Game: The first player says a word from the chosen category. The next player must say a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word.
- Example: If the category is “Fruits” and Player 1 says “Banana,” Player 2 could say “Apple” (Banana ends with “A” and Apple starts with “A”).
Elimination: Players who can’t think of a word are out. The last player standing wins!
19. Origami Competition
A friendly origami competition is a fun way to learn a new skill and bond with your long-distance friend—all you need is paper!
How to Play:
- Find a Tutorial: Search for a simple origami tutorial online, like “Easy Origami Flower” or “Simple Origami Animals.”
- Watch Together: Screen share and follow the tutorial, each creating your own version.
- Judge or Share: Have a third party judge the creations, or simply enjoy making them together. You can even mail your finished projects to each other!
Origami is best for kids aged 6 and up.
20. True or False
True or False is a simple game for all ages that tests your ability to spot the truth—no materials needed!
How to Play:
- One player makes a statement that is either true or false (e.g., “The inventor of the telephone was Alexander Graham Bell.”).
- The other player has 15 seconds to decide if it’s true or false.
- Switch roles and continue taking turns.
- The first person to get five answers wrong loses.
Enjoy the fun challenge of spotting the truth!
21. Rhyme Time
This easy game can be played by kids as young as five years old, and requires no materials.
Rhyme Time is a fun game for kids as young as five, and it requires no materials!
How to Play:
- One player says a word.
- The next player has 10 seconds to say a rhyming word.
- Keep taking turns until someone can’t think of a rhyme—they’re out!
Enjoy this simple and engaging wordplay game!
22. Boggle
Boggle is a fun word game that tests your concentration and vocabulary skills.
How to Play:
- Set Up: If you have a Boggle board, position it so both players can see it. You can also share your screen on Zoom.
- Find Words: Set a timer and find as many words as possible. Start with simple words like “is” or “he” and build from there.
- Score Points: Read your word lists aloud. If both players have the same word, cross it off. Score 1 point for each unique word.
- Win the Game: The player with the most points wins!
No board? Find an online version or order one easily!
23. Uno
Did you know you can actually play some card games virtually? It’s true! Hop on to Facetime with your buddy, and you can both download the Uno or Double Solitaire app to get started.
24. Trivial Pursuit
Think you can’t play board games over FaceTime? Think again! Trivial Pursuit is perfect for trivia lovers, and only one person needs the board.
How to Play:
- The host sets up the board and reads the questions.
- Players roll the die and move their pieces virtually.
- Answer questions to collect all 6 colored wedges. First to fill their game piece wins!
Enjoy testing your general knowledge and popular culture trivia skills!
25. Yahtzee
Yahtzee is an easy-to-learn dice game perfect for kids and adults alike!
How to Play:
- Each player needs five dice and a Yahtzee score sheet. If you don’t have them, use an online dice roller and scoresheet.
- Roll the dice on camera or ask the host to roll for you.
- Try to match combinations like Full House, Four of a Kind, or Yahtzee!
Keep track of your scores, and the player with the highest score wins!
And that’s it!
I hope this curated list of games adds extra fun to your FaceTime calls. Now go enjoy some quality time with your loved ones!
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Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
