Play via video conference

Meeting in real life is nicer, but sometimes it is better to meet digitally than not to see each other at all.

Playing is one of the most important parts of a group meeting. This should not be missing even in an online group session. There are some games known from normal group sessions that can be transferred to video conferencing. They are particularly suitable for the first digital group sessions, as no special technology is required. The participants only have to make it into a video conference, where they need the sound and preferably a camera. A conventional laptop or smartphone is therefore sufficient.

You have never done a group lesson via video conference before and are looking for a suitable introduction, environment, basic rules? Then have a look at the blog post “online group session“!

So, now to the actual content: what to play when we are in a video conference? Here you can find some ideas…

• Categories / Cities – Country – River: each on a piece of paper with him/her. The points are awarded by reading out one after the other.
• Who am I?: The other way round. You can’t stick a piece of paper to your own forehead. But you can make up who you are and the others have to guess – with yes and no, with a no the next one keeps on guessing.
• Taboo: Everyone closes their eyes, the person with the play/terms holds the word into the camera and then explanations are given. Alternatively, one person can explain the whole game and advise the others.
• Charades: Charades works like taboo. Once the term has been read, the card is removed and everyone can open their eyes. In this case, it is advisable to set a person in the conference to large, if the video conference tool allows this.
• Pictionary: Same as Taboo and Charades. To draw, the camera is placed on the table so that you can see what is being drawn. Those who can do this technically can of course also use a common whiteboard in the video conference.
• Hang-man: The letters and the gallows are either painted on a paper by someone who can write on their head and the camera is pointed at the paper accordingly, or a whiteboard is used in the video conference. Or someone shares his screen and opens a programme in which you can paint (Paint or Word/PowerPoint)
• Addressed: In the introductory game, sentences are formed that begin with “All those who…”. For example “Everyone who wears blue” or “Everyone who likes to eat chocolate”. At the beginning everyone covers the camera. Then a sentence is said and everyone to whom the sentence applies takes their hand off the camera. Alternatively, anyone to whom the sentence applies can stand up and walk around the chair. Then everyone is allowed to say one sentence.
• I packed my bag: (The classic game or the get-to-know-you game variant with name+adjective/name+animal/name+movement) You only have to agree on an order at the beginning. For example, the game master can call up the game in the order of the list of participants. Or each one passes on to the next person.
• Seven things: Everyday objects are said and everyone has to look for them. Whoever holds the object into the camera first gets a point. With things like a book, a CD/DVD or a cuddly toy, when everyone has found something, a round can be made where it is presented who has found what. In this way everyone gets to know the names of the cuddly toys and the last books read by the others.
• People memory: In order to form the couples, a division into different rooms/breakout sessions is practical. However, it is also possible for two people to “go outside”, i.e. switch their computer to mute and look away. They may need to be told by telephone when they can come back.

You have more ideas? Write them in the comments!

Dieses Spiel ist auch auf German verfügbar.