Perfect for killing time! Games you can play with two people.
When you’re looking for a game for two, wouldn’t it be nice to have simple indoor games you can enjoy without any special equipment? It’s great to have something easy and fun to play when plans get canceled due to sudden rain or when you find a bit of free time.
In this article, we’ve gathered easy-to-start indoor activities for two, focusing on rhythm games and conversation games.
The rules are simple, but each one has surprising depth and will make you want to play again and again!
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Easy Indoor Games for Two People (31–40)
Memory Mimic Game
@aya_ouchi_asobi Follow @aya_ouchi_asobi and check out the other posts, too! 🌈 This time I’m sharing a “super brain-training game” you can make with just construction paper 💁♀️💓 Move your head and hands for the ultimate brain-boosting playtime 🤭✨ Mimic the motions to level up your focus and memory! For this round: [Red handprint] → hand open (paper) [Yellow oval] → hand in a chop shape [Blue circle] → hand in a fist (rock) That’s how we tried it! Of course, it’s great to try other colors and shapes, too 💓 If you try it, DM or comment and tell me how it went 😍🫶 What you’ll need: • 3 colors of construction paper → Origami paper works too, though it’s a bit less sturdy 🙆♀️ • Tape • Scissors ✂︎…………………………………… Thank you for watching till the end 💕 Likes, comments, and follows make me so happy! I’m Aya—a nursery teacher and mom of two—sharing ways for kids and adults to get totally absorbed playing together at home 🌈 “What should we play at home…?” When you feel that way, find your answer here 🍀 Easy ideas using 100-yen shop items or things you already have at home! You’re sure to find something you’ll want to try 😆 Follow @aya_ouchi_asobi and let’s enjoy at-home play together 🫶#AtHomePlayPlay ideas#AtHomePlay#StayHomeTime#ParentChildTimeFinger Dexterity EducationSimple educational#100-yen-shopdrawing paper
♬ 1,2,3,4 (One, Two, Three, Four) – Fun Elektro Mix – Funbeat
It’s a game where sheets of construction paper in various colors and shapes are laid out on a table, and players act according to those papers, aiming to remember and reproduce the movements.
It’s recommended to decide the number of movements to be prompted in advance, and start with a few simple steps, gradually increasing the number.
Not only change where you place your hands, but also how you place them; the more complex it gets, the more sharply your memory will be honed.
Because the flow is simple, you can imagine many variations—such as the types of movements or the items you arrange.
Onomatopoeia Game
@user92800579326613 We played an onomatopoeia game and it was way too funny lol
♬ original sound – Justistar / Justistar Fan – Justistar / Justistar Fan
Word association is a game you can jump into and enjoy right away.
It gets even more fun if you turn it into an onomatopoeia game where you answer with sound effects for whatever comes to mind.
For example, if the previous person says “train,” you could reply with “clackety-clack.” Another tip is to keep giving the prompt “computer” repeatedly before switching to a different prompt.
Suddenly changing the prompt creates a sense of urgency in the answers.
There’s also a tense, exciting anticipation about when the prompt will change or when someone will change it.
Liven things up with unique prompts and onomatopoeia!
Fingerplays and Active Body Games (1–10)
Chopstick Game
Among two-player hand games, the chopsticks game is particularly well-known and popular.
Many people may remember playing it with friends back in school.
You start with one finger raised on each hand, and on your turn you tap one of your opponent’s hands with one of yours.
The number of fingers on the tapped hand increases, and when it reaches 5, that hand is out.
If it goes to 6 or more, you subtract 5 and that becomes the new number of fingers on that hand.
You need to keep your own hands from reaching 5 while paying attention to the opponent’s finger counts.
It’s an appealing game because you can start it easily without any materials and enjoy it anywhere.
Finger Smash
When it comes to classic games that make the most of your free time, “Yubi-suma” might be the top pick.
It was played on the variety show SMAP×SMAP featuring SMAP, which helped it gain popularity in households across Japan.
The basic rule is simple: using your thumbs, you guess the total number of thumbs raised by all participants.
Everyone guesses at the same time, and the first person to guess correctly wins.
It’s fun with a large group and guaranteed to be exciting even with a few people! Its simplicity means anyone can join regardless of age, making it a great way to share joyful, smile-filled moments.
Look that way—Hoi! (A children’s game phrase used when turning your head in a specified direction)
When it comes to classic games that get everyone excited regardless of age, “Acchi Muite Hoi” is the go-to! It’s a traditional game with roots in Gion’s ozashiki (parlor) entertainment.
Here’s how to play: first, two players do rock-paper-scissors.
The winner points either up, down, left, or right while saying “Acchi muite hoi!” The loser turns their face in one of those directions; if their face matches the direction pointed, they lose.
If it doesn’t match, you start over from rock-paper-scissors.
Depending on how easily someone gets influenced by their opponent or whether they’re good at rock-paper-scissors, the outcome changes—and that’s what makes it so much fun and full of laughs.
Hand-push sumo
When it comes to physically active games, “hand-pushing sumo” might be the first that comes to mind.
Some of you may remember playing it during school recess as a child.
Its appeal lies in the easy-to-learn rules, and above all, the fact that you can play anywhere without any equipment, making it super easy to start.
Despite its simplicity, with a bit of strategy—like planning your moves or throwing in feints—you can still win even against a heavier opponent, allowing for a fair and enjoyable match.
Just be sure to check your surroundings, whether indoors or outdoors, and take care to avoid injuries.
Gesture Game
The charm of gesture games is that anyone can join in easily, thanks to simple rules and no need for props.
One person expresses something through gestures, and the others try to guess what it is.
It’s perfect for passing the time while waiting or during idle moments, and you can also spice it up by choosing more complex prompts or performing under certain constraints.
If you’re looking to try a new activity, give this game a go—it’s also an excellent communication tool.
Change Janken
Change Janken is a fun game that adds its own rules to regular rock-paper-scissors.
Up to the point where you play rock-paper-scissors as usual, it’s the same, but then you place a board between you so you can’t see your opponent’s hand.
After repeatedly telling each other what hand you’ll throw—or being told by the other— you remove the board and determine the winner.
You can enjoy the psychological battle by saying “I’m going to play paper” and then actually throwing scissors, or by really throwing paper as you said.
As you repeat the game many times, it becomes hard to tell what’s true and what’s a bluff, which is part of the fun.
Finger Kendo
Finger Kendo: a game you can play using just your fingers—no bamboo swords needed.
First, clasp both hands and face your opponent.
From your clasped hands, stick out both pinkies and hook them together.
Take turns tapping your opponent’s extended finger with your own.
If the linked position breaks, that player loses the round.
The loser then switches to the next finger—the ring finger—and sets up the same way.
The winner keeps using the same finger and taps again.
Repeat this process, and whoever manages to make the opponent break all five fingers up to the thumb first wins.
It’s easy to play, so give it a try when you have some spare time!
Blindfold telepathy challenge
A heart-pounding telepathy game played blindfolded.
If you want a quick version, just closing your eyes is fine.
Two blindfolded players place their pens on a single point on the paper and draw lines in opposite directions.
If they each make two turns along the way and manage to draw a neat quadrilateral, they succeed.
Since the size of the quadrilateral has to match, it’s hard to succeed unless the two players’ senses are perfectly in sync.
Trying to read your partner’s mind and drawing while guessing “maybe around here” is sure to be thrilling and fun.
