Virtual family games night ideas for 2021

After a year of quarantine, it’s safe to say that we could all go the rest of our lives quite happily without ever taking part in another Zoom quiz. But just because the world is starting to open back up, doesn’t mean that virtual family games nights are cancelled.

If you live away from your loved ones and rely on the internet to keep in touch chances are you’re probably looking for some fresh ideas for your online get-togethers. So, whether family games night is just a one-off at Christmas or a much-loved weekly tradition for your family, we’ve put together some of our favourite virtual party favourites – from online bingo nights to karaoke from your own kitchen. 

Online Bingo night

Bingo night is a firm favourite for many families, but it can be difficult to really capture the magic of the  real thing on a zoom call if you’re trying to host your own. But the good news is that online bingo has got a lot more fun in the last few months, with companies like 888ladies offering no deposit games with live chat bars that help bring the buzz of the bingo hall from the comfort of your very own couch. 

By taking your online bingo night to a live chat lounge, you’ll also be able to bet real money which adds to the fun, but always remember to stop when the fun stops – and always make sure that you use a trusted site.

All bad cards

This is definitely only one for the adults in the family; All Bad Cards is the online reboot of Cards against Humanity that allows you to get as evil as you want with up to 50 of your family members. To play, one person will need to set up a new game on the website, they’ll then get a shareable link that they can email or whatsapp to everyone else joining in. 

Let’s Draw

A perfect one to play if you’ve got some younger members of your family joining you for games night; Let’s Draw is a fun, online version of Pictionary. All you have to do is download the app and open a private game room, then invite your family members to come and show off their sketching skills in real time, choosing from hilarious categories. 

Psych 

This app-based game is based on the very famous Balderdash: you simply answer a question from a category with a couple of fake answers and one very real one, then you invite your family into a virtual playroom to guess which one the real answer is. The quicker they are at guessing correctly, the more points they’ll score – and the more people you have in your playroom, the more fake answers you’ll find yourself with, and the more fun you’ll have. If another player picks your fake answer over the real one, you can also “Psych” them virtually by uploading a funny selfie.

Heads Up!

This notorious guessing game is a great choice for the whole family, and was made famous by The Ellen DeGeneres Show back in 2017, where contestants on the show would have to guess the hidden word on the phone screen that they are holding to their forehead from the clues that their friend is giving them. Since then, Heads Up! really has been a family games night staple, both in-person and via zoom.  

Sing it back

I think it’s safe to say that Karaoke should only ever be performed in front of people who really, really love you – which is why Sing It Back by Ridley’s Games, is great for virtual game night with the family. One person will have to opt to be the ‘singer’ and will have the (very important) job of belting out a line to a famous tune, and then it’s the person who’s turn it is’ job to sing the next lyric back to them. Get those vocal cords ready!