We don't have to tell you that 2020 changed everything. With social distancing guidelines, lockdowns, and the normalization of remote work, so much of what our lives used to be has changed.
Many of us have been finding ways to socialize with our friends, family, and coworkers through video conference apps like Zoom.
After a while, though, it can get a bit boring to just sit there and chat! Luckily, there are plenty of fun things to do on Zoom to make sure everyone's having as much fun as possible.
Let's take a look at 15 Zoom activities that will break the ice and just be downright fun.
1. Sing Karaoke
One of the fun things you can do on Zoom with your friends is to sing karaoke. One person is going to want to host to organize the whole thing, and it will entail some work to make sure that it goes smoothly.
Though it sounds like a self-explanatory concept, there are a couple of things you will want to take into account for this idea. For one, you'll want the audience to music themselves while you are singing. Secondly, it doesn't hurt to have a little liquid courage if it's appropriate for the setting.
Lastly, you'll want to pick a song that is a crowd-pleaser and well known by all. You can find a karaoke track on YouTube and play it softly in the background while you sing along.
2. Cook Together
One of the things that many people miss the most is having dinner parties. Consider joining with some of your friends on Zoom to all make the same thing together and have a dinner party at the end.
You can even make it into a bit of a challenge. Play some music while you race each other to see who can chop the onions the fastest. This can be a fun way to spend time together where you almost feel like you are all in the same room.
When your meal is complete, you can all sit down together to eat, chat, and enjoy a glass of wine.
3. Play 20 Questions
This is one of the Zoom activities where you can get to know your friends, family, and coworkers better. This is a classic game that is simple and straightforward.
T20 questions is a great way to break the ice with people you don't know well and a great way to learn more about your closest friends and family. There are countless lists online a great "20 questions" questions if you're feeling stumped.
4. Blackout Truth or Dare
This is another great one of the Zoom games to play with coworkers, but you can also play them with your friends or family.
The rules of this game are quite simple:
1. One player is the "dare-master".
2. The dare master calls out truths or dares.
3. When a player doesn't want to participate, they stop their webcam feed.
4. The dare-master selects one remaining player to respond.
You can either choose to play a certain number of grounds for play until there is only one player left. If you are playing with coworkers, the prompts should obviously be safe for work. This is also one of the Zoom games that is suitable for large groups of people.
5. Play Charades
If you feel like your Zoom hangouts have been dull recently, consider playing charades to add some excitement. You'll want to split all the players into two different teams. You can then find a random word generator online to select a word that can be acted out over the camera.
It's a good idea to mute participants when it isn't the player's acting turn, as the players aren't allowed to use any words to describe the prompt. The game is won by the team that can guess the most prompts correctly.
6. Record a Podcast
Do you feel like you're Zoom conversations are riveting and would be enjoyed by others? Are you hungry to collaborate with others in a creative way? You might consider recording a podcast together.
You can record the audio from your calls and even record each participant's audio streams as different files. This can be a fun way to create together even when you're physically apart. Heck, it might even grow into a podcast that becomes popular and a source of revenue for you and your friends!
7. Play Pictionary or Hangman
These are good games to play on Zoom that are well suited for playing over video calls. Pictionary is a classic game that is basically like charades except you draw instead of act. You'll want to split up into two teams and use a random word generator to create your prompts.
For hangman, people are guessing one letter of a word or a phrase at a time. They have a certain number of guesses until the drawing of the hanging man is complete.
8. Play a Trivia Game
Looking for games you can play on Zoom with friends? Why not go for a classic game of trivia?
Who doesn't love trivia? Now that you can't go to your favorite trivia night at your go-to bar, consider hosting a trivia night with your friends over Zoom.
This is a fun way to keep your brain engaged and impress others with your knowledge on a wide variety of topics. You can take turns playing host on different nights, so everyone gets to participate, or maybe one person is well suited to be the MC.
9. Create Art Together
Why not use this time to get a little creative? Whether you decide to paint, write a song, or draw, you and your friends can spend time together while scratching your artistic itch.
You might consider all following along with a YouTube video how-to so that you are all working on the same painting, or perhaps you listen to an album and create an image that the music evokes. This is a great way that you can spend time together and chat, but all the focus isn't on the conversation.
10. Solve a Crossword Puzzle Together
This past year has been quite difficult in that most people haven't been able to spend time with others in the simple ways that they used to. Doing something as basic as working on a crossword puzzle together over Zoom can be incredibly satisfying. There are plenty of free crossword puzzles you can work on online, and you and your friends can put your brains together to complete the whole thing.
If you're looking for interactive games to play on Zoom, this might be a good choice.
11. Blindfolded Drawing Challenge
One of the best group games to play on Zoom is a blindfolded drawing challenge. Each round, a person is selected to put on a blindfold, and they're instructed to draw something in particular. This is a great way to create levity in a group setting and get everyone laughing.
This is also one of the fun things to do on Zoom with students. Students can be shy using video platforms, and this can help to get everyone to lower their guard a little.
12. Watch a Show or Movie Together
Maybe you just want to hang out with your friends as you would have in the old days. Consider watching YouTube together or finding a show or a movie you all want to watch. This can help to create the same feelings of togetherness you had in the days before social distancing.
13. Explore the World Together
Another one of the best Zoom activities is to all participate in exploring the world together. Maybe you check out the live streams of an elephant sanctuary in Africa, or you use Google Maps to walk around a remote part of Mongolia.
The internet is a truly incredible place that allows you to see things that people in the past couldn't even have dreamed of. This is a great way to stimulate everyone's creativity and offers a lot of opportunities for interesting conversations.
14. Work on a Craft Project
Another one of the best Zoom activities is working on a craft project together. Maybe you and your friends all love knitting or you all have a piece of furniture you want to refurbish. You could even all have different things you're working on, but you can keep each other company while you do so.
15. Workout Together
One of the hardest things about the way the world has changed in the last year is the fact that people's exercise routines have been interrupted. Exercise is a great way to stay in shape, reduce stress, and socialize. You can get nearly the same effect by scheduling a workout with your friends or family members over Zoom.
Maybe you're all doing the same yoga video or maybe you've all decided to purchase a Zoom class from your favorite instructor. Either way, this can be a great way to keep you motivated to work out even during the lockdown days.
Which of These Fun Things to Do on Zoom Are You Going to Try
There are so many fun things to do on Zoom that you'll never be able to try all of them. While we all want to get back to spending time with others in person, it doesn't mean that our video hangouts have to be a drag. In fact, you might find that you are motivated to try things you never would have back before the times of social distancing.
Are you looking for more content that helps you navigate this digital world? Be sure to check out the rest of our blog!
