Red Herring Club

Family Game Night Ideas For A Rainy Day

The forecast said sunshine. The sky disagrees. Now the whole family is inside, the kids are restless, and everyone's reaching for their own screen.

A rainy day is a good excuse for a family game night, even at two in the afternoon. Here are ideas for every age, with nothing to buy for most of them.

What to play when you're stuck inside

The best rainy-day games have three things going for them: they're quick to start, they work in a small space, and they let different ages play together. Keep a mix of short, silly games for the little ones and one bigger game for when the older kids and adults want a challenge.

Free, no-equipment games for younger kids

Charades. Act out animals, films or everyday actions. No props needed, and small kids love it.

I spy. Perfect for a cosy room full of things to spot.

Hide and seek, indoor rules. Agree on which rooms are in bounds, and nobody hides in the laundry basket.

Story chain. One person starts a story with a sentence, and each person adds one. It gets ridiculous fast, which is the fun.

Simon says. Burns off energy without breaking anything.

Games for mixed-age groups

Card games. One deck covers Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Spoons and Rummy. Pair a younger child with an adult so they can play the harder ones.

Pictionary on paper. Write words on slips of paper and draw them on scrap paper. No board needed.

Twenty questions. Someone thinks of a person, animal or object, and everyone else gets twenty yes-or-no questions.

A home-made treasure hunt. Write simple clues that lead from room to room, ending with a snack.

Grandma's Cottage: a mystery told through phones and a shared screen

When the older kids and adults want something with a story, try Grandma's Cottage. Grandma has moved to Spain and left the deed to her lakeside cottage in a locked chest. She's calling in an hour, and by then the cousins need to open all six locks: the key cabinet, the bookshelf, her diary, the sauna, the boathouse and the chest.

A cousin's letter from Grandma on the phone
A cousin's letter from Grandma on the phone

Each player gets a personal letter from Grandma on their phone, full of family memories and one clue. The cottage rooms show on a shared screen, such as the TV or a laptop. No single letter is enough, so everyone has to read theirs out and piece the clues together.

It's a gentle, warm story about family, sauna, cardamom buns and a crooked outhouse door. It suits family reunions and cousin get-togethers especially well.

What age group it suits

Grandma's Cottage needs players who read fluently and can hold a few clues in their head. That usually means teenagers and adults. Younger children can join as a partner to an adult: they can spot colours on the bookshelf or hunt for shapes while the grown-up reads.

You'll need a phone for each player, an internet connection and a shared screen. It plays with 2 to 8 people.

Planning a family night that isn't just a board game

  1. Mix short and long games. Start with charades, move to the bigger game, finish with something silly.
  2. Make snacks part of it. Bake something before you start, so it's ready when the chest opens.
  3. Put phones to work, not away. If the game uses phones, the rule is simple: screens only for the game.
  4. Keep score of the family record. Write your time on the fridge and try to beat it next rainy day.

Looking for more? See phone party games to play in the same room.

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