Staying home and social distancing doesn’t have to mean forsaking fun. Grab your computer, invite some friends, and host a virtual game night—no travel or gatherings required. Here’s how to make the fun happen.
What You Need to Know to Host a Virtual Game Night
Hosting a virtual game night can be as easy as finding a video chat program you all like, signing on, and starting the game. You’ve got some options from there, too, like whether you want to play a game using an app, sharing a screen, or even using a physical board game… but we’ll get to that.
So, here’s how to host a virtual game night.
Find a video chat platform
Nowadays, there are a TON of great video chatting apps out there, and a lot of them are free. Zoom is one of the big new names these days, and there’s a reason—it’s good! It does, however have some time restrictions for groups over three (or requires a subscription).
Skype is a long-time favorite that has the advantage of even being able to connect to landlines (albeit without the video feature, of course). Google Hangouts is another popular platform, and Discord is another favorite, particularly amongst gamers, as it also has a text chat feature. And for Apple users, FaceTime is a great option.
Select a game
Next, you’ll want to figure out which games everyone in your group wants to play. It’s handy to determine which games you’ll be playing ahead of time to be sure everyone has time (and is able to) download any necessary apps and learn the rules.
Game options are just about unlimited. Jackbox Games is a subscription service that (though paid) comes with a huge variety of party games. One player owns the subscription, and the others sign in with a phone to play.
The Houseparty app is another gaming platform with a variety of options, including the popular Heads Up! by Ellen Degeneres. Looking for something a little more edgy? Try Evil Apples, the app version of Cards Against Humanity.
Make some snacks
Snacks are an integral part of game nights and parties of any kind! Find a couple of easy recipes, or unearth a few family favorites, and share with friends. It’ll almost be like snacking together!
Set a date & sign in
Pick a date and time for everyone to sit down (with some snacks) and sign onto your chosen video platform. Depending on what games you’ve picked, you might need to set up a game on a phone or share a computer screen with the rest of the group. Then, it’s time to play.
Get creative
Online games are fun, but sometimes you just want to play the good old classics—and that’s totally possible. You just might need to think outside of the box a bit to adapt favorite party games, like Charades, Pictionary, or Scattergories, to online play. You might even be able to find shared online boards.
Looking for More Social Distancing Tips?
Life’s changed quite a bit in the last few weeks, and it continues to change as we navigate this unusual time together. If you’re curious as to how these changes and the current health crisis might have affected your real estate goals, know that Carla Freund Realty is here for you. Please, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.