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15 family games at home without special equipment

No board games or craft supplies required. These games use conversation, movement, imagination or one ordinary household object.

Games everyone can join

Adjust the pace and rules so the youngest player can take a real turn. The goal is shared fun, not finding the strongest player.

Family charades

Time:
15–25 minutes
Age:
4+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

One person silently acts out an animal, job or familiar character while everyone else guesses. The person who guesses chooses the next prompt.

Make it work for you: Let preschoolers make sounds. For older children, choose a theme and keep each turn to one minute.

Simon says

Time:
10–15 minutes
Age:
4+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Follow a command only when it begins with “Simon says.” Start slowly, then mix in commands without the phrase.

Make it work for you: With young children, play without elimination—just laugh and continue after a mistake.

Hot and cold

Time:
10–20 minutes
Age:
3+ years
You’ll need:
One small household object

How to do it

Hide an object in one room. Guide the seeker with “warmer” and “colder” until they find it, then switch roles.

Make it work for you: For toddlers, leave part of the object visible. Agree on safe places that are off-limits before starting.

Twenty questions

Time:
10–20 minutes
Age:
6+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Think of an animal, object or person. Everyone asks yes-or-no questions and tries to guess it within twenty questions.

Make it work for you: For younger players, name the category and allow either-or questions. Older children can keep count themselves.

Sound detective

Time:
10 minutes
Age:
3+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Close your eyes for thirty seconds and count every sound you hear. Compare lists, then repeat in another room.

Make it work for you: With a small child, identify just the loudest and quietest sound. Older children can guess where each sound came from.

Slow-motion race

Time:
10 minutes
Age:
4+ years
You’ll need:
A clear, safe stretch of floor

How to do it

Move from one end of the room to the other as slowly as possible without stopping. The last person to reach the finish wins.

Make it work for you: Use only walking movements and clear obstacles first. In a small room, race with hands across a table instead.

I spy

Time:
10–20 minutes
Age:
4+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Choose a visible object and say, “I spy something…” followed by its color or first letter. Everyone guesses until someone finds it and becomes the next leader.

Make it work for you: Use color clues with preschoolers and letter or purpose clues with older players.

No yes or no

Time:
10–15 minutes
Age:
6+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

One player asks quick questions while the other answers without saying yes or no. Switch after a forbidden word slips out.

Make it work for you: Give younger players time to think. Add another forbidden word only for confident players.

Telephone game

Time:
10–20 minutes
Age:
5+ years
You’ll need:
Three or more players

How to do it

Whisper a short sentence to the next person. Pass it around once, then compare the final version with the original.

Make it work for you: With younger children, use three or four familiar words. Never use a mistake to tease a player.

Opposites

Time:
10–15 minutes
Age:
4+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Call out a word and the next player answers with its opposite: high–low, noisy–quiet, arrive–leave. Take turns setting the words.

Make it work for you: Use concrete pairs with younger children. Older players can discuss words that have more than one possible opposite.

Who am I?

Time:
15–25 minutes
Age:
6+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Think of a familiar person, character or animal. Everyone asks yes-or-no questions until they can guess who it is.

Make it work for you: Choose animals or story characters for younger players. Set a limit of ten questions if rounds run long.

Forbidden word

Time:
15–30 minutes
Age:
7+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Choose a common word such as “I” or “and.” Talk about a simple topic for two minutes without using it. Anyone who notices the word chooses the next topic.

Make it work for you: Start with a word that can be avoided easily. Keep score only if everyone enjoys competition.

Alphabet story

Time:
15–25 minutes
Age:
7+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Build a story one sentence at a time. Each new sentence begins with the next letter of the alphabet.

Make it work for you: Use only five consecutive letters for a shorter game. Skip a difficult letter instead of stopping the story.

Guess the secret rule

Time:
15–25 minutes
Age:
7+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

The leader chooses a rule, such as “only things that are soft.” Players name objects and hear whether each one follows the rule until someone guesses it.

Make it work for you: For younger players, use one visible feature such as color. Give an example after three unsuccessful guesses.

Family top five

Time:
15–20 minutes
Age:
6+ years
You’ll need:
Nothing

How to do it

Choose a light topic—weekend breakfasts, animals or places nearby—and agree on a shared top five. Everyone must explain one choice.

Make it work for you: Make a top three with younger children. Avoid topics that turn into judging family members.

Find more ideas for time with your child

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