Games To Play With Family Without ANYTHING (No Supplies)

Want to find games to play with family without ANYTHING? Brace yourselves for a trip down memory lane—back to a time when the most important things were the people around you and the laughter shared. In an era filled with screens and gadgets, let’s bring back those cherished moments of simple yet irreplaceable connections. 

If you’re yearning for a dose of good ol’ family fun, you’re in the right place. Join us as we dive into a collection of super fun and hilarious games to play with family without anything more than your enthusiasm and a dash of creativity. 

Whether you’re nestled at home or exploring the great outdoors, these games are designed to kindle joy and create lasting memories. From classics to innovative twists, we’ve handpicked a selection of the best games that require no setup—just your loved ones and the eagerness to play. I even included a few games that only ask for very minimal supplies like paper or pencil! So, let’s rediscover the magic of bonding through play, one timeless game at a time.

1. Family Trivia

Each turn, one person asks trivia questions about family members’ favorite things, experiences, or memorable moments. The first person to answer correctly gets to ask the next question. See who knows the most about each other and offer fun little prizes to make things extra fun!

2. Mafia

This one is a family favorite! “Mafia” is a social deduction game that involves players assuming different roles in a town. To play, gather at least 6 family members and have one person (the moderator) assign roles to everyone else: Innocents and one Mafia. The moderator can have the group lose their eyes and assign roles by tapping on their shoulders. During the night phase, everyone closes their eyes, and the Mafia member opens their eyes to secretly choose someone to eliminate by pointing at them. In the day phase, the moderator shares the news, and players discuss and debate to identify the Mafia member. Accusations are made, defenses are presented, and a vote can be held to eliminate a suspected Mafia member. The game alternates between night and day phases until all Mafia are eliminated or they reach parity with Innocents. It’s a game of strategy and deduction. With a larger group, you can introduce additional roles like a doctor, detective, and more mafia members. The Moderator guides the game, ensuring fairness. 

3. I’m going on a picnic

A member of the family starts by saying, “I’m going on a picnic, and I’m bringing…” followed by three items that share a specific pattern or rule. The challenge for the rest of the family is to figure out the pattern and add an item that follows the same rule. As the game progresses, the pattern becomes more apparent, and players need to think creatively to find items that fit the rule. It’s a brain-teasing and fun deductive game that encourages players to analyze patterns and engage in playful problem-solving.

4. Hide and seek

In “Hide and Seek,” one family member, designated as the seeker, covers their eyes and counts while the other family members hide in various places around the designated playing area. Once the counting is done, the seeker tries to find the hidden players. When a hider is found, they join the seeker in finding the remaining hiders. The last person found becomes the seeker in the next round. It’s a classic and thrilling game that combines strategy, stealth, and teamwork, making it a favorite choice for active family fun.

5. What’s missing?

One family member arranges a group of items in front of the others or picks an area of the room. The players have a set amount of time to memorize the items they see. Then, all eyes are covered, and one item is secretly removed. The players take turns guessing which item is missing. The player who first correctly identifies the missing item earns a point. It’s a competitive memory and observation game where everyone gets a good chuckle trying to outsmart the others!

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6. Assassin

Each family member is secretly assigned by a moderator to “assassinate” another player by winking or pointing. The goal is to eliminate your target while avoiding detection by your own “assassin.” Players must strategize to target their assigned person without revealing their role, all while staying vigilant to avoid being targeted themselves. The last person standing without being “assassinated” wins. It’s an intriguing and suspenseful game that encourages observation, quick thinking, and a touch of mystery for the family.

7. Truth or dare

Family members take turns choosing between answering a personal question truthfully or completing a challenge (mild dare) provided by others. The player can decide whether to opt for truth or dare. Truth questions can be about preferences, experiences, or opinions, while dares can involve fun activities or tasks. The game encourages open honesty, silliness, and a sense of adventure as family members reveal interesting facts or engage in entertaining challenges, fostering laughter and bonding among participants.

8. I spy

One family member selects an object within the playing area and says, “I spy with my little eye, something that is…” followed by a clue about the object’s color, shape, or other characteristics. The rest of the family takes turns guessing what the chosen object might be based on the provided clue. The player who correctly guesses the object gets to be the next one to “spy” something. It’s an engaging observational and deductive game that encourages critical thinking and attention to detail, making it perfect for quality family time and entertainment.

9. Red light, green light

This one is perfect for little ones! One player is the “stoplight” and stands at a distance from the other players, who are lined up. The stoplight turns around and calls out “green light” (players move forward), “red light” (players stop), and “yellow light” (players slow down). The thrill comes when the stoplight suddenly turns around without warning at any point and shouts “red light.” At this moment, all players must stop moving immediately. Any player caught moving after the “red light” command is given is considered “out” for that round. The first player to reach and tag the stoplight becomes the stoplight for the next round.

10. Guess the sound

One family member mimics a sound using their voice while the rest of the family tries to guess what the sound is supposed to be. The sounds can range from everyday noises to more imaginative ones. Players take turns being the sound maker, and players that guess the correct answer get a point. It’s a simple game that challenges listening skills and sparks creativity as family members come up with and decipher different sounds.

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11. Guess the thing

One person closes their eyes and has a small object placed into their hands. They need to guess what the object is! So simple but fun.

12. In my grandmother’s house

Family members take turns adding items to a list by saying, “In my grandmother’s house, I have…” followed by an item that begins with a specific letter of the alphabet. Each subsequent player continues the list with items that fit the same letter. The challenge lies in remembering the growing list of items while adhering to the chosen letter and not repeating a word. It’s a memory and alphabet game that fosters creativity and laughter as players come up with imaginative items, making it a wonderful way to bond and have fun together!

13. Odd one out

In odd one out, players have to identify the unique item in a list of objects or concepts. A list is presented each round, then players take turns deciding which item doesn’t belong and why. Correct answers earn points, and players can customize the lists for different themes or levels of difficulty, making it a quick and fun game of observation and reasoning.

14. 20 questions

One family member thinks of an object, and others take turns asking yes-or-no questions to guess what it is. With a limit of 20 questions, families narrow down the possibilities until they can guess what it is. The goal is to figure out the object within the question limit. It’s a fun and simple game of deduction and careful questioning that challenges everyone’s critical thinking skills.

15. Rhyme time

Players take turns saying a word, and the next person has to quickly come up with a word that rhymes with it. Keep the rhyming chain going as long as possible.

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16. Two truths and a lie

​​In “Two Truths and a Lie,” family members take turns sharing three statements about themselves: two true and one false. The other family members try to guess which statement is the lie. After everyone has made their guesses, the person reveals the lie. It’s a lighthearted game that encourages sharing personal anecdotes, laughter, and getting to know each other better through playful deception and deduction.

17. Charades

This classic party game involves family members acting out a word or phrase without speaking while the rest of the family tries to guess what it is. Everyone is divided into teams or takes turns individually. One family member acts out a word of their choosing while the team guesses within a time limit. Correct guesses earn points, and the team (or person) with the most points wins. It’s a fun and engaging game that encourages creativity, communication, and teamwork!

18. The name game

Players sit in a circle and take turns saying a name (e.g., celebrity or fictional character) that starts with the last letter of the previous name said.

19. Statue dance party

Play music and have your family dance around. When the music stops, players freeze like statues (you can find music with random pauses on Youtube). Add a fun twist by having someone call out a theme (e.g., animals) before each freeze.

20. Story circle

Sit in a circle and create a collaborative story. One person starts with a word, and each player adds a word to continue the story. The goal is to create a funny or imaginative narrative.

Games to play with family with minimal supplies

Pencil war 

(Requires paper and pencil)

Two players sharing a paper (divided in two) draw their army consisting of tanks and a base at the start of the paper. The objective is to strategically move and shoot to destroy the opponent’s base by drawing lines with the flick of a pencil or pen. Circles are drawn within the tanks to represent their weak points. If an opponent successfully shoots this circle, the tank gets crossed out. Pencli war is so fun and so simple to set up! Plus it’s so easy to expand on. We often add terrain with planes, boats and defensive cannons to our bases to spice things up. Tanks and planes are initially lined up at the start of the page while boats can be placed anywhere on your side of the paper where there’s water. The game involves a combination of strategy, aiming, and careful execution as players try to eliminate their opponent’s forces while protecting their own. 

Who am I?

(Requires sticky notes)

In “Who Am I?” each family member wears a sticky note on their forehead with the name of a person, animal, or character written on it. Players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to other family members in order to deduce their own identity. By engaging in conversations and gathering clues from the responses, players aim to figure out who or what they are. The game promotes creative questioning, deductive reasoning, and lighthearted interactions as family members collaborate to unravel their assigned identities through conversation.

Hot potato

(Requires throwable object)

Family members sit in a circle and pass an object around while music plays. The objective is to pass the object quickly to the person beside you before the music stops. When the music halts, the person holding the “hot potato” is out for that round. The game continues until only one player remains. It’s a fast-paced and exciting game that adds an element of suspense and laughter.

Guess which hand

(Requires a small object)

The family divides into two teams, one “hiding” and one “guessing.” One player from the “hiding” team hides a small object like a coin in one of their hands. All players of the hiding team extend their hands in fists while the “guessing” team tries to guess which hand the object is in. You could let the “guessing” team make three guesses before the hider reveals the object’s location. If the guess is correct, the guesser wins. It’s a simple and quick game that often leads to many laughs.

Hangman

(Requires pencil and paper)

One family member thinks of a word and draws a series of blank spaces representing each letter in the word. The other players take turns guessing letters one by one. If a guessed letter is in the word, the person who thought of the word fills in the corresponding blank spaces. If the letter is not in the word, a part of a stick figure “hangman” is drawn. Players continue guessing letters until the word is completed or the hangman is fully drawn. 

Family drawing

(Requires pencil and paper)

Take turns adding to a collaborative drawing on a large piece of paper. Each player continues the drawing from where the previous player left off.

Fictionary

(Requires pencil and paper)

In “Fictionary,” a family member selects and shares an unusual unknown word from a dictionary, then writes down its definition (do not share the definition just yet!). The other family members will then create fake definitions for the word. The selected player mixes the fake definitions with the correct one and reads them all out. Everyone guesses which definition is true. Players earn points for guessing correctly, as well as for fooling others with their fake definitions. It’s a word-based game that combines creativity, vocabulary, and a touch of friendly deception, making it a simple way for families to engage in fun wordplay and friendly competition.

Telephone pictionary

(Requires paper and pencil)

One player secretly thinks of a word or phrase and starts drawing it. The next player then writes down the phrase or word of what they believe the drawing to be, and folds the paper to hide the drawing for the next player. The next player then draws the phrase they’ve been provided with. Continue this until all players have had a turn and reveal the funny result. If there aren’t many people playing, players can all take turns guessing what the original drawing was. There’s no time limit, and the artists can’t use any letters or numbers in their drawings. The game encourages creativity and imagination while relying on visual cues for communication. It’s a simple and enjoyable way to have fun and test your artistic skills together.

Blindfolded obstacle course

(Requires movable objects – get creative!)

One family member wears a blindfold while the others set up an obstacle course using household items like pillows, chairs, and toys. The blindfolded person has to navigate the course with verbal guidance from the rest of the family, who provide directions to avoid obstacles and reach the finish line. The challenge lies in effective communication and teamwork as the blindfolded player relies on instructions to safely traverse the course. It’s a laughter-filled game that enhances communication skills, trust, and cooperation among family members.

Limbo

(Requires stick or rope)

Use a rope or stick as the limbo bar. Players take turns trying to bend backward and go under the bar without touching it. Lower the bar after each round to increase the challenge.

Balloon volleyball

(Requires balloon and string)

Use a balloon as the ball and set up a “net” (a piece of string or a low tape line). Players hit the balloon back and forth, trying to keep it from touching the ground.

Balloon stomp

(Requires balloons)

Tie a balloon to each player’s ankle. The goal is to stomp on other players’ balloons while protecting your own. The last person with an intact balloon wins.

What to consider when picking games to play with family (without anything)

it’s a good idea to have a conversation with family members to understand their preferences, interests, and any limitations they might have. It might also be helpful to rotate games to keep things fresh and exciting and to encourage an atmosphere of cooperation and fun rather than intense competition.

When searching for the best games to play with family without needing anything, here are some things to consider:

Age range and interests

Find games that cater to the age range and diverse interests within the family. Games that are too simple might bore older members, while those that are too complex might alienate younger participants.

Number of players

Look for games that accommodate your family size.

Complexity

Games that have overly complex rules might discourage some family members from participating, especially if they’re not huge into playing games in the first place. Striking the right balance between simplicity and lighthearted challenge is crucial!

Competitive dynamics

Competitive games can sometimes lead to tensions and conflicts within the family, especially if some members are more competitive than others. Find games that encourage light and friendly competition to avoid any hurt feelings.

Replayability

Pick games that can be played multiple times without becoming too repetitive. Family members might lose interest if the game lacks variety or depth, so always have a couple picked out for a successful family game night.

Physical space

Some games require a lot of physical movement or space (think hide and seek), which might not be feasible depending on the available environment. Limited space could hinder the enjoyment of certain games.

Accessibility

Ensure that everyone in the family can participate, including those with physical limitations or disabilities.

Equipment

Though we’re focused on family games that don’t need anything, a few simple games might require a basic set of playing cards, a pencil, or other minimal supplies.