9 No-Prep Family Games You Can Play Tonight

Author: Vanessa Rooney
Vanessa is a devoted wife, mother, and writer; she shares uplifting insights, practical parenting tips, and inspiring faith-based content to help families grow closer to God and each other.
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Charades

How to Play Charades: A Fun Step-by-Step Guide
Charades is a classic party game where players act out words or phrases without speaking while others try to guess what they are miming. It’s a great game for family gatherings, parties, or even church activities.
What You Need:
- A group of players (at least 4 is best)
- Slips of paper with words/phrases or a charades app
- A timer (optional)
- A scorekeeper (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Set Up the Game
- Divide players into two teams (or play casually with no teams).
- Write down words or phrases on slips of paper and place them in a bowl.
- Ideas: Movies, books, TV shows, famous people, actions, objects.
- Decide on time limits (typically 1-2 minutes per turn).
Old Testament Charades Ideas
- Noah building the ark 🛶🌧️🐘
- Moses parting the Red Sea 🌊✋
- David defeating Goliath 🏹🪖
- Jonah inside the big fish 🐳😲
- Daniel in the lion’s den 🦁🙏
- Joseph receiving a colorful coat 🎨👕
- The walls of Jericho falling down 🏰💥
- Elijah going up to heaven in a fiery chariot 🔥🚀
- Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden 🌿🍎
- Samson losing his strength when his hair is cut ✂️💪
New Testament Charades Ideas
- Jesus turning water into wine 🍷💦
- Jesus feeding the 5,000 🥖🐟
- The Good Samaritan helping the injured man 🤕🤲
- Jesus calming the storm ⛵🌊✋
- Peter walking on water 🚶♂️🌊
- Jesus healing the blind man 👀🙏
- The Prodigal Son returning home 🏡😢
- The angel announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds 👼🌟🐑
- Jesus carrying the cross ✝️💪
- The empty tomb after Jesus’ resurrection ⛰️✝️💛
2. Choose a Player to Act
- One player from the first team picks a slip of paper (without showing anyone).
- Their goal is to act out the word or phrase using gestures only—no talking, mouthing words, or sound effects!
3. Use Charades Gestures
- Category signals:
- 📖 Book – Hold hands like an open book.
- 🎵 Song – Pretend to sing.
- 🎬 Movie – Make a rectangle like a screen.
- 📺 TV Show – Draw a rectangle in the air.
- 🚻 Person/Character – Point at yourself.
- Syllables & Words:
- Number of words – Hold up fingers.
- First word, second word – Hold up one or two fingers.
- Sounds like – Tug your ear.
- Short word (a, the, and, of, etc.) – Bring thumb and index finger close together.
- Common Actions:
- Eating 🍽️ – Pretend to hold a spoon or fork.
- Running 🏃 – Move arms as if jogging.
- Writing ✍️ – Pretend to write on paper.
4. Team Guesses the Word
- The team shouts out guesses while the actor keeps miming.
- If they guess correctly before time runs out, they get a point!
- If they don’t guess it, no points are given, and play moves to the next team.
5. Rotate Players
- The next team takes a turn with a new actor.
- Continue until a set number of rounds are played or until everyone has had a turn.
6. Winning the Game
- The team with the most correct guesses at the end wins!
Charades is all about creativity, laughter, and quick thinking—so have fun with it! 😊
Want more Biblical charade ideas? Try our Biblical charades cards which includes 55 cards for only $3.99


Simon says

How to Play Simon Says
Simon Says is a fun and simple game that tests players’ ability to follow instructions. It’s great for kids, family gatherings, and even as a quick icebreaker activity!
What You Need:
- A leader (Simon)
- At least two or more players
- Open space to move around
How to Play:
- Choose a Leader
- One person is selected to be “Simon.”
- Simon gives commands for the other players to follow.
- Give Commands Starting with “Simon Says”
- The leader says “Simon says…” followed by an action.
- Example: “Simon says touch your nose.” 👃
- All players must follow the instruction only if Simon says, “Simon says…”
- The leader says “Simon says…” followed by an action.
- Trick Players with Commands Without “Simon Says”
- If Simon gives an order without saying “Simon says” first, players should NOT follow it.
- Example: If Simon just says, “Jump!” and a player jumps, they are out.
- If Simon gives an order without saying “Simon says” first, players should NOT follow it.
- Eliminating Players
- If a player follows a command without “Simon says”, they are out.
- The game continues until only one player remains.
- Winning the Game
- The last player standing is the winner and can become the next Simon!
20 questions

How to Play 20 Questions
20 Questions is a classic guessing game where players try to figure out what someone is thinking by asking yes-or-no questions. It’s a great game for car rides, family gatherings, or just having fun with friends.
What You Need:
- At least two players (one person thinks of something, and the others guess).
- A pen and paper (optional, to keep track of the questions).
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Choose a Thinker
- One player secretly thinks of an object, person, or place.
- The category can be Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral (or any category you choose).
- Start Asking Questions
- The other players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is.
- Examples:
- “Is it alive?”
- “Can you eat it?”
- “Is it found in the Bible?”
- Answer Only Yes or No
- The thinker can only respond with “yes” or “no.”
- If needed, they can say “I don’t know” or “sometimes.”
- Limit to 20 Questions
- Players keep asking questions until they reach 20 questions.
- If they guess correctly before 20, they win! 🎉
- If they don’t guess within 20 questions, the thinker reveals the answer.
- Winning the Game
- If a player correctly guesses the answer, they become the next thinker.
- If no one guesses, the thinker wins and can choose to go again or pick a new thinker.
Fun Variations:
- Bible 20 Questions – The thinker picks a Bible character, place, or object (e.g., Moses, Ark of the Covenant).
- Themed 20 Questions – Use a theme like animals, movies, or famous people.
- Unlimited Questions – Keep going until someone gets it, no question limit!
Ideas for 20 question characters from the New Testament
- Mary (Mother of Jesus) 👶
- Joseph (Jesus’ earthly father) 🔨
- John the Baptist 💦
- Jesus ✝️
- Peter 🌊🚶
- James 🎣
- John
- ✍️Judas 😘💰
- Thomas (Doubting Thomas) 🤔☝️
- Paul (Saul) 😵
- Barnabas 👍
- Timothy (Paul’s letters to Timothy). 📜
- Mary Magdalene 🏃♀️
- Lazarus 🧟♂️
- Martha 🍲🧹
This game is all about critical thinking, deduction, and having fun while learning new things! 😊
Family Cooking Challenge: Easy Recipes to Make Together (And Have a Blast!)”

👨🍳 Challenge 1: DIY Pizzas – Build Your Own Masterpiece! 🍕
Who can create the tastiest (or wackiest) pizza combination?
📝 What You’ll Need:
✔ Pizza dough or flatbreads (store-bought or homemade)
✔ Pizza sauce (tomato, pesto, or white sauce)
✔ Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, feta—go wild!)
✔ Toppings (pepperoni, veggies, bacon, pineapple, olives, mushrooms, etc.)
✔ Special add-ons (BBQ drizzle, ranch, hot honey, or unique spice blends)
👩🍳 How to Play the DIY Pizza Challenge:
- Set up a toppings station with all the ingredients in separate bowls.
- Each person gets their own pizza base and has 10-15 minutes to build their creation.
- Be creative! Try fun designs like:
- Smiley face pizza (pepperoni eyes, bell pepper smile) 😃
- Rainbow veggie pizza (colorful peppers, spinach, tomatoes) 🌈
- Dessert pizza (Nutella, bananas, and marshmallows!) 🍫🍌
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10-15 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
- Judging time! Rate each pizza based on:
- Creativity 🎨
- Taste 🍽️
- Presentation 📸
👑 Winner gets to pick the next family movie or game night activity!
Challenge 2: Creative Pancakes – Flip & Decorate Like a Pro!
Can you create the most unique or artistic pancake?
📝 What You’ll Need:
✔ Pancake batter (homemade or boxed)
✔ Food coloring (for extra creativity!)
✔ Toppings (chocolate chips, fruit, whipped cream, sprinkles, syrup, etc.)
✔ Squeeze bottles or plastic bags (for pancake art designs)
👩🍳 How to Play the Creative Pancake Challenge:
- Mix up a batch of pancake batter and separate it into bowls. Add food coloring for fun designs!
- Heat a non-stick pan or griddle and lightly grease it.
- Each person takes turns making a pancake creation, choosing from fun ideas like:
- Animal pancakes (bear, bunny, fish) 🐻🐰🐠
- Letter pancakes (first letter of their name) 🔠
- Emoji pancakes (smiley faces, heart eyes) 😊💛
- Bible story pancakes (Noah’s ark, a rainbow, a cross) ⛪🌈
- Flip and decorate! Once the pancakes are cooked, use toppings to add details.
- Judging time! Rate pancakes on:
- Creativity 🎨
- Flipping skills 🥞
- Presentation 📸
👑 Winner gets the first choice of toppings for an extra pancake round!
Creative Craft Night: 3 Easy Projects Using Supplies You Already Have”

Recycled DIY Bird Feeders 🐦🌿
Bring a little bit of nature into your backyard with these eco-friendly bird feeders made from materials you probably already have!
Supplies Needed:
✅ Empty toilet paper rolls OR a plastic bottle
✅ Peanut butter or honey
✅ Birdseed (or crushed cereal if you don’t have birdseed)
✅ String or yarn for hanging
How to Make It:
- Spread peanut butter or honey all over the toilet paper roll or bottle.
- Roll it in birdseed until it’s completely covered.
- Punch a hole through the roll or tie string around the bottle.
- Hang it on a tree branch and watch the birds come visit!
🌿 Bonus Idea: Cut out windows in a milk carton, decorate it, and fill it with birdseed for a fancy version of this craft!
No-Sew Sock Puppets 🧦🎭

Who needs a puppet theater when you can make sock puppets in minutes? This is a great last-minute craft that turns into hours of entertainment!
Supplies Needed:
✅ Clean socks (any size!)
✅ Buttons, googly eyes, or paper cutouts
✅ Glue or tape
✅ Yarn, ribbons, or markers for decorations
How to Make It:
- Put a sock on your hand and wiggle your fingers to find the “mouth.”
- Glue or tape on eyes (use buttons, paper circles, or googly eyes).
- Add fun details like yarn hair, paper ears, or marker eyebrows.
- Give your puppet a name and put on a show!
🎭 Bonus Idea: Create a puppet family and make up a silly play or Bible story reenactment!
Paper Bag or Paper Plate Masks 🎭✨

Transform a simple paper bag or paper plate into a mask for dress-up, storytelling, or just pure fun!
Supplies Needed:
✅ Paper bags OR paper plates
✅ Scissors
✅ Crayons, markers, or paint
✅ Yarn, stickers, or paper cutouts
✅ A hole punch and string (optional for wearable masks)
How to Make It:
- Cut eye holes in the bag or plate.
- Decorate it!
- Make a lion’s mane with orange and yellow paper strips.
- Create a butterfly with colorful wings.
- Turn it into your favorite Bible character (Moses, Esther, or Noah!).
- Attach string or use a stick handle to hold the mask up.
🎭 Bonus Idea: Use the masks for a Bible story skit—try acting out Daniel and the Lions’ Den, Jonah and the Whale, or David and Goliath!
Bible Would-You-Rather Questions for Family Fun

A hilarious list of Would-You-Rather questions designed to get kids and parents laughing together.
Biblical themed would you rather questions:
- Would you rather spend 40 years in the wilderness like the Israelites 🏜️ or spend a night in the lion’s den like Daniel? 🦁
- Would you rather have the wisdom of Solomon 📖 or the strength of Samson? 💪
- Would you rather build an ark like Noah 🚢 or build the Temple like Solomon? 🏛️
- Would you rather be one of the 12 disciples and witness Jesus’ miracles firsthand ✨ or be Paul and spread the gospel to the world? 🌍
- Would you rather collect manna from heaven every day 🍞 or have Jesus turn water into wine at your wedding? 🍷
- Would you rather walk on water like Peter 🌊 or part the Red Sea like Moses? 🌊🚶
- Would you rather face Goliath with just a slingshot 🏹 or be swallowed by a great fish like Jonah? 🐋
- Would you rather see Jesus feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish 🥖🐟 or see Him heal a blind man? 👀✨
- Would you rather witness the walls of Jericho fall down 🏰💥 or be there when Jesus calmed the storm? ⛈️➡️☀️
- Would you rather be thrown into the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 🔥 or survive a shipwreck with Paul? 🚢⚡
Check out our Would You Rather Bible-themed cards.


Which game do you think you will play for your family night? Let us know in the comments below.
Vanessa Rooney – LDS Mum
