Do you need suggestions of fun family games amid COVID-19? This article has all the answers you need.
Family games, whether old-fashioned or new school, are a very effective way to bond as a family.
Thanks to technological advancement, families, irrespective of their home space, can now use smart devices to enjoy time together.
Interestingly, there are at least a hundred interactive family games. A majority of them are presented as apps that would help families have quality and fun time together.
Your search is over if you’ve been looking for indoor and/or outdoor games to keep body and soul together, banish boredom, and keep that family bond silky.
No matter the size of your family, be it 2, 4, or 10 members, there are ranges of fun-filled activities and ideas that your whole family can put to use.
Mom, dad, brothers, and sisters – there is something for everyone.
Indoor Games
Whether in the home or in specially constructed indoor facilities, indoor games typically refer to any game which must be played inside, away from the possibility of interference due to weather (rain, wind, etc.)
These games are usually done in a very small play area, often times the floor a single tabletop. Examples of indoor games include:
1. Ludo
This is one of the most popular games for family fun today.
It is a classic game that has been updated for smart devices.
Ludo is well known for providing excitement and knowledge of numbers and smarter ways of dealing with situations to the players, as well as remind them, ever so subtly, that the odds being in a person’s favour is not always due to smartness or hard work.
Initially, this game was played on a board.
Today, it can be played on smartphones and tablets as well, and very well can be enjoyed by members of the family, usually 2-4 persons at a time.
2. Draw Your Swords
You’ve got:
Bibles according to the number of players.
Players; the more, the merrier.
A pen, pencil or marker.
A sheet of paper to draw lines and record scores.
The idea “Draw Your Sword” comes from Hebrews 4:12a- “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.”
This game is relatively simple to play.
The concept is to improve familiarization with the Bible and speed in looking passages up.
Someone in the group would call out a chapter or verse in the bible and the first to find it and start reading would be the winner and would get to call out the next verse.
That’s it! You can choose to add some type of reward to make it even hotter.
3. Draw Something
This is a modern family game for smart devices that was adapted from a classic.
Draw Something allows family members to challenge each other to draw items based on descriptions.
It is not difficult to understand and play as well.
Furthermore, your family can share the fun with people across the globe.
This is possible through an Internet sharing portal.
The game requires that participants take turns at drawing.
They can then enjoy tallying up the points to find out who is the winner.
This game is available on Google Play Store for Android devices and it can be downloaded free of charge.
4. Scrabble
An ancient game, now also available in the digital form, Scrabble is a top-rated fun time game that educates and entertains simultaneously.
Scrabble allows family members to take turns in creating words.
The objective is to earn high points by creatively matching words, to emerge, winner.
Highly interactive, this game is best played on a tablet device.
Also, the game has been shown to ignite interest in words for little kids.
The digital version is very alluring, thanks to all that aesthetic visual effect.
5. Hot Potato
This game will have everyone giggling in excitement.
Have the participants sit on the floor in a circle, turn on some music and have them pass the potato (or a small ball) around the circle as fast as they can.
When the music stops, the player holding the potato leaves the circle.
Keep going until only one player is left and wins the game.
6. Indoor Basketball
This is one super fun indoor family game suitable for all family members; either too young or too old.
For this one, you’d need a bucket and a rolled-up sock (or a small ball).
Each player takes a turn at throwing the sock-ball into the bucket.
When a player scores a bucket, he or she takes a step back and throws it again until missing.
The player who shoots the ball in the bucket from the farthest distance wins. Viola!
Outdoor (Or If You Have A Large Living Room) Games
Outdoor games typically refer to any game which must be played outside, or otherwise requires a large play area.
Shotput, Badminton, Soccer, etc. Other examples of fun family games that families can play together in some outdoor space include:
1. Treasure hunt
Say “it is treasure hunt time” and see how the kids will run up to you, giggling. Get creative.
Write out your clues on pieces of paper. Place the first clue somewhere easy to find, like inside your child’s cereal bowl.
Then leave as many clues as you like around the house, making a trail to the final clue.
Winning something pricey at the end of a treasure hunt session is pure bliss.
2. Our Family Photoshoot
Thanks to coronavirus aka miss Rona, gone are the days of going to a photo studio or hiring a pricey photographer for your family photoshoots.
Get the most out of this enforced holiday by participating in fun games families can play together.
Put your camera/ smartphone to use and run your own family photoshoot.
Make it more fun by making funny remarks while taking the pictures, or letting yourself get caught taking selfies while everyone else has been switching poses for the camera.
An activity as simple as capturing the happiest moments of your family can be a great fun time for all now, and even several years to come.
3. Tug of War
For this one, you need is a strong rope and a team of 2 or more on each side of the rope. Both teams tug the rope with the aim of pulling the other to their side.
The team that successfully pulls the other wins!
Note, Tug of War is ideal for ages 6 and up. It is a super fun game family can play together to smoke out boredom while tightening the bond.
4. The 3-Legged Pair Race
This is an upgraded and more family-focused version of the popular 3-legged race.
Basically, a pair of trousers or pantyhose is required to play the game.
However, instead of tying one’s leg to the leg of their partner, both partners wear one leg of the pantyhose or trousers and race!
Each team is made up of 2 partners each, preferably of the same height. If you’re using a pantyhose, remember to cut off the toes of the pantyhose.
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Both partners will share the pantyhose or trousers by placing one leg into one side of the pantyhose/trouser, standing side by side.
Each partner is supposed to aid the other by putting their arm around the other’s shoulders. Best suited for family members ages 6 years and up.
5. Egg Race
Really, the egg race is so exciting and thrilling that the whole family will want to be a part of it. It is simple too!
Each is given a spoon with an egg on it. The first person to reach the finish line without dropping the egg wins.
Ideal for ages 5 years and up.
6. Toss Bottle Ring
This is a simple family game that can be so much fun, depending on how creative you can get with it.
To play the game, fill up big plastic bottles with sand or water and have them positioned far enough so that the rings can easily land on and around the bottles.
Family members can unanimously choose a distance that’s good enough to throw from.
If you can’t get rings, consider improvising by cutting out the insides of round paper plates, and use the rims.
Family members can either stand behind each other in a line or side by side and throw at the same time.
Each player has 5 rings and 5 chances to toss their ring. The players with the most successful tosses, win.
7. Soccer
Of course, we were not going to make a compilation of fun games families can play and leave out soccer!
The good thing is almost everything in life is customisable.
A standard soccer game requires 22 players.
So, what if you and your soccer-loving kids do not amount to that number?
I lend you this quote to run with: “where two or more are gathered, a soccer game can happen.”
You are on a mission to have fun with your folks and nothing shall stand in thy way.
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