[Online] Recreation Games to Liven Up Your Zoom Sessions
Work and classes conducted online, which rapidly spread during the COVID-19 pandemic and became the norm.
In this environment where you can chat face-to-face even from afar… it’s not just for work or study—you can play, too!
So in this article, we’ll introduce recreational activities you can enjoy using Zoom.
There are tons of games that might actually be easier to get together for and more exciting on Zoom than meeting and playing in person.
We’ve picked out plenty, from ones suited to small groups to games you can play with large groups, so choose based on your headcount and mood!
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[Online] Recreation Games to Liven Up Your Zoom Sessions (11–20)
Spot the differences
This is a spot-the-difference game that uses Zoom’s camera to compare two pictures and find what’s changed.
After participants watch the host’s screen for a while, the host stops the video; when the video resumes, players think about what has changed.
The key points are how well you remember the scene before the video stopped and how closely you can focus on small details when it restarts.
Since the video is stopped, it’s exciting that changes can be made not only to the background but also to the person themselves.
If it takes too long, people will realize it’s something elaborate, so aim to make the changes smoothly.
Personality test
A personality test that lets you get diagnosed just by answering questions that match videos or illustrations.
It’s a familiar activity in real life, and you can enjoy it online too.
Display the prompts and tests on the host’s screen, and have everyone on Zoom answer the questions together.
It’s a surefire way to liven things up, letting people discover hidden traits they don’t usually show.
Because it places little burden on participants, it’s something anyone can enjoy.
Try a wide range of topics—from simple themes to ones that probe the deeper layers of the psyche.
Gesture Game
For those looking for online recreation that kids and adults can enjoy, charades is a great choice.
Set active themes like people, animals, or vehicles, and act them out online.
Players compete by earning points for correctly guessing the prompts.
You can go beyond individual matches by organizing team competitions or incorporating themes related to your school or workplace—the ideas are endless.
Setting a time limit or adding background music can also boost the excitement.
Make full use of Zoom’s screen and show off your dynamic moves!
Finger Smash
This is a game that became widely known by the nickname “Yubi-suma” after being featured on the variety show SMAP×SMAP.
The name and calls vary by region, but it’s a popular game nationwide, so it should be fun to play online with people far away.
You start by clenching both fists with your thumbs ready to point upward.
In time with the caller’s chant, everyone raises any number of thumbs, and if the total matches the number the caller says, that caller withdraws one hand.
The role of caller rotates, and the first person to pull back both hands wins.
Online, you might worry about lag, but since there’s always only one caller, as long as everyone follows that person’s timing, the game works properly.
The “Haa” game
The “Haa” Game is where you convey the phrase written on a prompt card to others using your voice and facial expressions.
It’s a recreation that makes the most of Japanese, which can carry many nuances even with the same word.
If you’re hosting it online, designate a game master to support both the performers and the guessers.
Choose single words that convey emotion—like “haa” or “nande” (“why”)—as themes, and act them out in the situations specified by the game master.
You can enjoy everything from serious prompts to quirky ones, so it’s recommended for anyone looking for a game that gets everyone excited.
Communication game
It’s a game where you align with the feelings of the people in the conversation to arrive at a single correct answer.
The rules are very simple: you respond to the given prompt one character at a time in order, and check whether a proper word is formed.
It’s fun to confirm your bond with other participants by successfully forming a word, but the odd charm of words that don’t come together—and hearing everyone’s reasoning—sounds enjoyable too.
It might also be the perfect game to spark conversation when an online chat runs out of steam.
Picture shiritori
This is a recreation where you play shiritori using only drawings, without words.
All you need is paper and a pen, so it’s perfect for online activities too.
First, choose a starting person and have them draw any illustration they like.
Once the drawing is finished, call on the next person and continue the shiritori using drawings only.
At this time, participants on Zoom who haven’t had their turn yet should be careful not to look at the screen.
When the final illustration is done, check whether the shiritori chain connects correctly.
It’s a game that both people who are good at drawing and those who aren’t can enjoy, so give it a try.
Bamboo Shoot Gnocchi
Stand by with your hands pressed together in front of your body, and start at the representative’s cue: “Takenoko Takenoko Nyokki-kki!” Participants call out in turn at their own timing—“1 nyokki,” “2 nyokki,” and so on.
The rules are that the person who’s left until the end or anyone who overlaps with someone else’s timing loses.
It’s a bluffing game where you watch others and judge how quickly you can jump in—great fun.
Online, the time lag makes timing even harder to judge, which might make it even more enjoyable.
Body Clock Game
As long as you have a stopwatch, this is an easy game to play.
You set a target time and compete to see if you can stop the timer at exactly that time relying only on your sense of time—simple as that.
Since all you do is press start and stop at your chosen moments, it works perfectly well in an online setting.
Trying with just a few seconds can be fun, but if you set a longer time like several minutes, you can also enjoy interference from other participants.
Seeing the gaps in people’s sense of time might even reveal differences in personality.
Shiritori with things found at home
When it comes to online-only party games that really get everyone excited, “Shiritori with things you have at home” is a great pick.
You set a time limit and play shiritori using only items found in your home.
It’s a game that makes the most of the online setting by having players use objects from their own rooms.
Watching players hunt for items on camera adds to the fun.
Because you’re using personal household items, you might discover unexpected sides of the participants.
Give this activity a try—it’s the kind of fun you can only have through the screen.