Zoom Fun: Helping kids to stay connected over lockdown

Here at Banjo Robinson, we like to provide lots of activities for screen-free fun. However, in these lockdown times, it’s also lovely when kids get the chance to connect with one another online.  The parents at Banjo HQ wanted to share ideas for a few games which two or more children can play over Zoom together. They’ll have so much fun, it will almost feel as though they’re together.

Yes or No

One child chooses an object and writes it down. It can be anything from an aeroplane to an apple!  The other(s) have to guess what it is by asking questions – but the only answers given can be YES or NO. Take it in turns and see who asks the fewest questions to guess the object. 

Hangman/ Pictionary

If you use Zoom’s Whiteboard function then these traditional guessing games can be done easily online. Make them more fun by choosing a category e.g. ‘people we know’, ‘countries’ or ‘pop songs’. 

Charades

Another classic which works just fine online. Top tip: be sure to establish rules and what shortcuts mean before you start as every family plays slightly differently!

Categories

All kids write down 5 categories on a piece of paper. These can be chosen by a grown-up and can include, for example: sport, flower, animal, chocolate bar, city, boy’s name, girl’s name, item of clothing or film. The grown-up chooses a letter of the alphabet and sets a one-minute timer. Each kid must come up with one item for each of the chosen categories which begins with that letter before the timer goes off. Points are awarded for every word which nobody else has chosen! 

Draw-off (for more than 2 players!)

One child describes a picture which the other kids have to draw without telling them what they’re drawing. It’s harder than it sounds! Compare pics at the end with funny results…

Quiz 

This one needs a bit of pre-planning! Decide in advance what subject each child is going to cover and help them to prepare some simple questions in advance. This works best with more than 2 kids though grown-ups can get involved too. Encourage the person reading the questions to put on their best gameshow-host voice for added laughs!

Chatbox storyteller

A grown-up kicks things off by coming up with an exciting title for a story. Kids take it in turns to write one line each in the chatbox. Slowly something truly original and silly will emerge… Celebrate the story by reading it out loud at the end –  and don’t forget to save all their writing as a souvenir of this peculiar time we’re having.

Enjoy this blog?

Find out more about Banjo Robinson on our website here.

For more articles like this, check out Banjo’s blog here.