Games that get the whole family excited! A collection of ideas you can start right away with no equipment
Looking for games the whole family can enjoy? Here are fun activities that anyone can join in on without using game consoles or smartphones.
Enjoy keeping time to a rhythm, get everyone laughing with gesture games, and spend a lively time using both your mind and body! We’ve gathered plenty of fun games that create smiles and a warm atmosphere—even without any props.
They’re great for all generations to play together, naturally strengthening family bonds.
So, what will you play to get everyone excited today?
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Games that get the whole family excited! A collection of ideas you can start right away without any equipment (1–10)
Limited Shiritori
Here’s an idea for a game the whole family can enjoy: play regular shiritori but add a themed restriction.
Narrow the scope to things like celebrity names, animal names, or items you can buy at convenience stores, and play with a time limit or your own custom rules.
By adjusting the difficulty or choosing categories with fewer options, you boost the fun of thinking on your feet.
Different themes highlight different strengths, so kids and adults each get chances to shine—making it enjoyable across generations.
It can even spark nostalgic stories, making it perfect for family communication.
It’s an intellectual game that lets you exercise both creativity and memory.
31 game
The 31 game is a simple game where the person who says 31 last loses.
It’s simple, but it can be surprisingly addictive once you get into it.
You’ll probably find yourself thinking hard about how to participate without ending up saying 31.
Not just for 31—there seems to be a little trick to avoid saying the final, designated number.
For example, you can try to control the flow so that you say the number that is one less than the forbidden number, or make it a point to go first and say 1.
If you use your head to plan a strategy and take on the game, you might just see a path to victory.
Telephone game
The telephone game is a game where you pass a word or phrase along to the next person.
It’s fun to watch how the original prompt changes along the way.
Let’s try making the prompts for this telephone game in English.
Even in Japanese, the final person sometimes ends up with something completely different from the original word.
Using English would make it even more challenging and probably funnier as the words change.
English education for kids has become quite robust lately.
Single words are fine, but why not try passing full sentences in the game? The kids might even show English skills that rival those of adults.
Family fun games! A collection of ideas you can start right now with no equipment (11–20)
The ‘It fell, it fell’ game
How about trying a simple game you can play during a little family time? This time, we’re introducing a game the whole family can enjoy: “Ochita, ochita” (It fell, it fell).
You don’t need any preparation.
While clapping your hands, everyone says together, “It fell, it fell.
What fell?” When it’s your turn, say something like “An apple fell” or “Thunder.” If an apple fell, pretend to catch it; if it’s thunder, hide your belly button—move your body by imagining what fell.
Of course, it’s also fun to say things that make you think, “Can that even fall?”
Word association game
An association game where you infer the answer from given hints.
It’s fun and satisfying when you think through various possibilities from the clues and finally arrive at the answer, isn’t it? There are many types of association games, such as guessing animals or fruits from three hints, or figuring out the answer from gestures.
A version where you derive the answer from onomatopoeic sound clues also sounds interesting.
The key is to come up with sound effects that might lead to the answer but don’t directly give it away.
Even something that makes you think, “Does that sound effect even exist?” is fine if it can prompt the right association—try getting creative!
Beef Tongue Game
The Gyu-tan Game is a rhythmic game where you say “gyu-tan, gyu-tan, gyu-tan-tan” in time with the beat, gradually adding more “tan.” Since you coordinate by clapping both hands as you go, it requires syncing your hands and voice, making it great for developing a sense of rhythm and concentration.
If someone gets the order wrong or loses the rhythm, it usually gets a laugh and instantly lightens the mood.
You can make it even more exciting by speeding up the tempo or substituting a different word for “tan.” The rules are simple but it really livens things up, so it’s a great game to play with the family.
A game about finding the correct moves
Act out the prompt’s movement and have others guess it.
For example, if the prompt is “forward roll,” the guesser should try various movements that come to mind.
The children around, who know the prompt, should react to each movement.
Decide in advance how to react when the movement is close to the prompt—for example, by cheering.
Using those reactions, the guesser narrows down the correct answer.
It’s also fun to have multiple guessers or to play team versus team.
You don’t need any materials, it’s a simple game, and it’s sure to get everyone excited.