Zoom Group Game Ideas: Fun Activities for Virtual Gatherings

1. Draw Something

• Setup: Download the app “Draw Something” or use a whiteboard tool like Miro or Zoom’s drawing feature.
• How to Play:
  1. Players take turns choosing a word and drawing it.
  2. Other participants guess what the drawing represents.
  3. Award points for correct guesses.

2. Virtual Talent Show

• Setup: Use a video conferencing platform like Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams.
• How to Play:
  1. Allow participants time to prepare their act (singing, dancing, magic tricks, etc.).
  2. Host assigns performance slots.
  3. Let everyone perform and optionally judge for prizes.

3. Virtual Art Competition

• Setup: Set a theme (e.g., nature, animals).
• How to Play:
  1. Participants draw or paint based on the theme within a given time.
  2. Use webcams to show the artwork or submit via chat.
  3. Vote for winners or assign judges.

4. Doodle Challenge

• Setup: Provide paper or online drawing tools like Skribbl.io.
• How to Play:
  1. Set a random, quirky topic (e.g., “alien eating pizza”).
  2. Participants doodle the topic in 5–10 minutes.
  3. Share and vote for the funniest or best doodle.

5. Paper Airplane Contest

• Setup: Provide paper and rules for making planes.
• How to Play:
  1. Build paper airplanes within a set time.
  2. Test how far they fly (use webcams for proof).
  3. Award prizes for distance, creativity, or design.

6. Virtual Lip Sync Battle

• Setup: Select popular songs or let participants choose their own.
• How to Play:
  1. Performers lip-sync to a track over video.
  2. Audience members vote for the most entertaining or creative act.

7. Origami Contest

• Setup: Provide instructions or links to simple origami tutorials.
• How to Play:
  1. Participants create origami within a set time.
  2. Share creations via webcam or photos.
  3. Judge on neatness and creativity.

8. Online Story Creation (Round-Robin Storytelling)

• Setup: Use a shared document or chat.
• How to Play:
  1. Start a story with a sentence.
  2. Each player adds one sentence in turn.
  3. Continue until the story is complete, then read aloud.

9. Online Photo Scavenger Hunt

• Setup: Create a list of common household items or themes.
• How to Play:
  1. Players find items or take photos of objects matching the list.
  2. The first to complete the hunt wins.

10. Virtual Painting or Drawing Contest

• Setup: Choose a theme and medium (digital or traditional).
• How to Play:
  1. Set a time limit to create artwork.
  2. Share finished pieces for judging or voting.

11. Emoji Story Challenge

• Setup: Share a list of emojis.
• How to Play:
  1. Participants create a story using the emojis as prompts.
  2. Share stories and vote for the funniest or most creative.

12. Craft-Along (Everyone Does a Simple Craft)

• Setup: Share craft ideas and required materials beforehand.
• How to Play:
  1. Follow step-by-step instructions together over video.
  2. Share finished crafts at the end.

13. DIY Challenges (Create Something with Household Items)

• Setup: Announce a challenge theme (e.g., make a hat, sculpture).
• How to Play:
  1. Participants create something using only household items.
  2. Show creations and vote for the best or most creative.

14. “Guess the Drawing” Game

• Setup: Use online drawing tools or physical drawing materials.
• How to Play:
  1. One player draws a word while others guess.
  2. Award points for correct guesses.

15. Virtual Fashion Show

• Setup: Choose a dress-up theme (e.g., costumes, formal wear).
• How to Play:
  1. Participants showcase their outfits over video.
  2. Vote on categories like “Most Creative” or “Best Dressed.”

16. Virtual Cooking Class Challenge

• Setup: Share a simple recipe in advance.
• How to Play:
  1. Everyone follows the recipe in real-time over video.
  2. Show off finished dishes for taste or presentation ratings.

17. Pictionary with Real Objects

• Setup: Use real objects as drawing references.
• How to Play:
  1. One person shows an object without naming it.
  2. Others sketch it and guess what it is.

18. Virtual Talent Contest (Singing, Dancing, etc.)

• Setup: Like the talent show, but judged more formally.
• How to Play:
  1. Participants perform a prepared act.
  2. Judges or audience score based on specific criteria.

19. DIY Science Experiment Challenge

• Setup: Share safe science experiment instructions in advance.
• How to Play:
  1. Participants perform experiments live over video.
  2. Showcase results and discuss the science behind them.

20. “Who’s the Artist?” Game with Sketches

• Setup: Each participant creates a sketch anonymously.
• How to Play:
  1. Share all sketches.
  2. Players guess who drew each one.

21. Virtual Trivia Night

• Setup: Use platforms like Kahoot, Quizizz, or Zoom polls for trivia questions.
• How to Play:
  1. Prepare questions based on categories (e.g., movies, history, sports).
  2. Participants answer within a time limit.
  3. Award points for each correct answer.

22. Virtual Escape Room

• Setup: Use free online escape room platforms or create your own story with puzzles and clues.
• How to Play:
  1. Participants solve puzzles together to “escape” within a set time.
  2. Provide clues via chat or images to guide them.

23. Karaoke Battle

• Setup: Use karaoke tracks on YouTube or apps like Smule.
• How to Play:
  1. Each participant selects and performs a song.
  2. Judges or audience rate performances based on creativity or singing ability.

24. Minute-to-Win-It Challenges

• Setup: Prepare simple challenges (e.g., stacking cups, balancing a spoon on your nose).
• How to Play:
  1. Assign one challenge at a time, giving participants 60 seconds to complete it.
  2. Track winners for each round.

25. Online Word Games (Scrabble or Boggle)

• Setup: Use apps like Words with Friends, Scrabble Go, or online Boggle tools.
• How to Play:
  1. Create or join a virtual game room.
  2. Play rounds and keep track of points.

26. Meme Creation Contest

• Setup: Share meme templates or use websites like Canva or imgflip.
• How to Play:
  1. Participants create memes based on a theme or topic.
  2. Share memes for voting on the funniest or most creative.

27. Virtual Murder Mystery

• Setup: Purchase a murder mystery game kit or create your own story with roles.
• How to Play:
  1. Assign characters to players.
  2. Read clues and let players discuss and solve the mystery.

28. “Guess the Sound” Challenge

• Setup: Use sound effects from YouTube or apps like Freesound.
• How to Play:
  1. Play a sound, and participants guess what it is.
  2. Award points for correct guesses.

29. Riddles and Brain Teasers

• Setup: Prepare a list of riddles or puzzles.
• How to Play:
  1. Read riddles aloud or display them on screen.
  2. Players compete to solve them first.

30. Virtual Bingo

• Setup: Use free online bingo card generators (e.g., myfreebingocards.com).
• How to Play:
  1. Share bingo cards with participants.
  2. Announce items or numbers, and players mark them.
  3. First person to complete a line wins.

31. Charades

• Setup: Use a random word generator or write words/themes on slips of paper.
• How to Play:
  1. One player acts out a word while others guess.
  2. Award points for correct guesses.

32. Virtual Pet Show

• Setup: Participants with pets join a video call.
• How to Play:
  1. Showcase pets and their talents, tricks, or outfits.
  2. Award prizes like “Most Adorable” or “Best Trick.”

33. Spot the Difference

• Setup: Share images with subtle differences using tools like Canva.
• How to Play:
  1. Display two similar images.
  2. Participants find differences and note them down.

34. Two Truths and a Lie

• Setup: No equipment needed—just honesty!
• How to Play:
  1. Each player shares three statements (two true, one false).
  2. Others guess which statement is the lie.

35. Online Debate

• Setup: Pick a fun or lighthearted topic (e.g., “Best pizza topping”).
• How to Play:
  1. Divide participants into two teams.
  2. Set time for arguments and rebuttals.
  3. Audience votes on the winning team.

36. Online Puzzle Solving

• Setup: Share puzzles like jigsaw puzzles (Jigsaw Explorer) or Sudoku.
• How to Play:
  1. Solve puzzles individually or in teams.
  2. First team/player to complete wins.

37. Virtual Acting Challenge (Improv Game)

• Setup: Share prompts like “Pretend to be a movie villain.”
• How to Play:
  1. Participants act out their given prompt.
  2. Audience votes for the best or funniest performance.

38. Photo Caption Contest

• Setup: Share funny or interesting photos.
• How to Play:
  1. Players write captions for each photo.
  2. Best or funniest caption wins.

39. Virtual Dance Party

• Setup: Create a playlist and share it via Spotify or YouTube.
• How to Play:
  1. Everyone dances on camera.
  2. Host awards prizes for best moves or participation.

40. Online Quiz Show (Jeopardy-Style)

• Setup: Use a Jeopardy board generator (e.g., JeopardyLabs).
• How to Play:
  1. Create categories with questions of varying difficulty.
  2. Participants choose a category and answer to earn points.

41. Virtual Treasure Hunt

• Setup: Create clues that lead participants to find items online (web pages, videos, etc.).
• How to Play:
  1. Share the first clue.
  2. Participants solve clues to progress to the “treasure.”

42. “Guess the Song” Challenge

• Setup: Play a few seconds of a song.
• How to Play:
  1. Participants guess the song title or artist.
  2. Award points for correct answers.

43. Online “Would You Rather?”

• Setup: Prepare a list of fun scenarios (e.g., “Would you rather be invisible or fly?”).
• How to Play:
  1. Ask questions to participants.
  2. Discuss or vote on the best responses.

44. Mad Libs

• Setup: Use online Mad Libs generators.
• How to Play:
  1. Players fill in blanks with nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.
  2. Share the completed funny stories.

45. Build-A-Story (Visual Edition)

• Setup: Use tools like Canva or Google Slides for images.
• How to Play:
  1. Show an image, and participants add one sentence to the story.
  2. Build a collaborative, visual story.