25 Games You Can Play With Just a Pen and Paper

1. Jeopardy Game

Players: 3+

Best for Ages: 7+

Goal: Players answer questions in the form of a question (“What is…?”) to earn the most “money/points.”

How To Play:

1. Put up the sign showing the categories and dollar amounts so everyone can see it. Lower numbers ($100) are easier, while the highest ($500) are the most challenging.
2. Assign a host who will read the clues. Decide if you want to play as “players” or as “teams.” If you play as a team, you have 60 seconds to discuss with your team before answering the question.
3. One player or team chooses a category and points. The host reads the clue, and the players race to buzz in first.
4. Players answer in the form of a question.
5. If the answer is correct, the player earns the points/money and selects the next clue. If it’s incorrect, the points are deducted from the player’s score.
6. The winner is the player with the most points/money at the end.

Grab the free kids jeopardy game printable and see all the jeopardy games on the site to find more ideas for how to play this easy game.

2. Finish The Lyric

Players: 1+

Best for Ages: 7+

Goal: Fill in the missing lyrics to popular songs.

How to Play:

1. Print the song lyrics game sheet.
2. Players write down or shout out the missing lyrics.
3. Set a timer if you want to add pressure.
4. Check answers as you go (each question includes the answer in parentheses).
5. 1 point for each correct lyric. 1 point for each correct artist/band.
6. The highest score wins.

See also: Finish the Lyrics Love Songs, Finish The Lyrics Patriotic Songs

3. Name That US State

Players: 1+

Best for Ages: 7+

Goal: Players match the states to their descriptions.

How to Play:

1. Grab the free name that U.S. state printable
2. Match each clue to the correct U.S. state.
3. Use the answer key on the post (below the free printable) to give hints and to check your answers.
4. See who knows the most about the United States!

4. Who is The Biggest…

Players: 1+

Best for Ages: 4+ (younger players will need help reading and adding points)

Goal: Players answer Thanksgiving-related questions, rack up points, and see who earns the grand title of… the BIGGEST TURKEY.

How to Play:

1. Pass out the printable turkey game sheet to each player.
2. Players earn points for each answer or challenge completed.
3. Add up the points.
4. The player with the most points is officially crowned the Biggest Turkey!

This game is hilarious! Don’t miss these too:

• Who’s The Biggest Firework
• Who’s Most Like The Easter Bunny
• Who’s Most Like Cupid

5. Pictionary or Telestrations

*Great for teen parties!

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 4+

Goal: One person draws while others race to guess the word.

How to Play:

1. You’ll need paper and pencils for the game. Plus, you’ll need to write down the list of Pictionary words and phrases beforehand (Or use the ready-made printable cards in the digital shop.)
2. Split your group into two teams. Assign a scorekeeper if you want to keep track of points.
3. A player from Team 1 draws a word or phrase without speaking or using letters or numbers.
4. Their team has one minute to guess what it is.
5. If they guess correctly, the team earns a point.
6. Take turns drawing and guessing between teams. Keep playing until everyone has had a chance to draw multiple times.

6. Mad Libs

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 3+ (adults can help with younger kids)

Goal: Players add random nouns, verbs, and adjectives to create a hilarious and completely unpredictable story.

How to Play:

1. One player is given the story containing blank spaces. Each space is labeled for a specific part of speech, such as an adjective, noun, or verb. Or a category like a number, food, or person.
2. Without revealing the story, this player asks the others to supply words for each blank.
3. Once all the blanks are filled, the completed story is read aloud, leading to hilarious results!

Grab the birthday mad libs in the picture, or check out all the free mad libs on the site >>

7. What’s Your ___ Name?

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 2+

Goal: Salty Sharkbait, Crabby Sealegs McGee: Players find out their own pirate name.

How to Play:

1. Download and print the Pirate Name Generator
2. Match the first letter of your first name to the chart and discover your first pirate name.
3. Then, find your last name by matching your birth month.
4. Now you know your pirate name! Share it with the group for some festive fun!

Love this idea? We also have a Taco Name Generator, Jedi Name, and Elf Name Sheet >>

8. Danger Word

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+

Goal: Get your teammate to guess the word at the top of the card… without accidentally saying the forbidden “danger word.”

How to Play:

1. Divide into two-person teams. Choose one teammate to start as the guesser and the other as the clue-giver.
2. The first clue-giver draws a card (make your own using the Danger Words ideas or shop the ready-to-print cards) and shows it to the other clue-givers. Target Word = The word at the top of the card that your teammate must guess. Danger Word = The one word you don’t want them to say!
3. Starting with Team 1, the clue-giver gives a one-word hint to their teammate. This clue cannot use any part of the target word or the danger word. It must be a clue that describes or relates to the target word.
4. The guesser responds with one word they think is the target word. If correct → That team scores a point and the round ends. If incorrect → The next team takes their turn. If anyone guesses the danger word → The round ends immediately (no points!).
5. Play continues around the teams until someone gets the correct word. After each round, switch roles (guesser ↔ clue-giver), draw a new card, and start again. The team with the most points at the end wins!

9. 5 Second Rule Game

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 6+

Goal: Score points by naming three things in a category within 5 seconds.

How to Play:

1. Determine a player to go first in the “Hot Seat.”
2. The player to the left of the Hot Seat player reads a question aloud. All questions begin “Name 3….” followed by the category.
3. As soon as the question is read, start the 5-second timer. The player in the Hot Seat has 5 seconds to give 3 answers. If the player succeeds, they get one point.
4. If the player cannot name all 3 answers before the 5 seconds is up, no points are given and play moves to the next player on the right. That player now gets 5 seconds to answer the same question. However, they cannot use any answers previously given for that question.
5. Play continues until someone can name 3 answers in 5 seconds for that question and wins a point.
6. Play continues around the circle with a different question. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

You can see the full five-second rule game here, but to make it a paper game, write out your own cards before playing, or shop the ready-to-print cards here.

10. Name That Star Wars Character

Players: 1+

Best for Ages: 6+ (Adults can help with reading and writing)

Goal: Players match characters to their descriptions. 

How to Play:

1. Grab the free Star Wars Character Printable
2. Match the description to the character using the word bank at the bottom of the free printable.
3. Use the answer key on this post to check your answers.
4. Brag to all your friends about how much you know!

Related: Name That Bunny Free Printable

11. This or That

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 4+

Goal: Grab someone and ask the questions!

How to Play:

1. Pass out the Harry Potter This or That Free Printable to each player
2. Players circle answers on the sheet according to their own thoughts
3. Go over the questions and have a fun debate!

Check out all the fun free This or That printables on the site. >>

12. Emoji Games

Players: 4+

Best for Ages: 7+

Goal: Players figure out the name of the movie by using the emojis.

How to Play:

1. Pass out the Emoji Summer Movies Game Printable to each player
2. Players fill in with their best answers.
3. Use the answer key to check answers.

Related: Easter Emoji Game & Christmas Emoji Game

13. Top 5 SmackDown

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+

Goal: Have fun discussing different topics!

How to Play:

1. Decide on 5-10 topics. Then, gather notecards and write the topics at the top. (Each person needs a set)
2. Next, each person writes their “top 5” for that topic in descending order. Topics could include: Disney movies, Christmas decorations, coffee preferences, worst advice – you can do anything!
3. Once everyone is done writing their top 5, discuss.

14. Family Feud

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+

Goal: Players work in teams to get all the survey-style answers correct.

How to Play:

1. Choose one person to be the host and split your group into two teams. (The host is the only person who can see the answers)
2. First, the host reads a survey. One person from each team answers. The team whose leader gives the highest scoring answer gets to decide if they want to take the survey or pass it to the other team.
3. Next, each member of the playing team guesses an answer one at a time (in order). No discussion is allowed.
4. Now, when an answer is incorrect, the team gets a strike. If the team gets all the answers right before earning three strikes, they get the total value of the points they guessed.
5. If the team gets three strikes before guessing all of the answers, the other team has one chance to guess a remaining answer. If they guess correctly, they steal all of the points that the other team earned

You can see the full paper family feud game here, or check out all the different themed family feuds on the site.

15. Scattergories

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+ (Players need to be able to know how to write or work in teams)

Goal: Score points by coming up with unique words that fit within specific categories. All answers must begin with a designated letter and be submitted before the timer runs out!

How to Play:

1. Use a letter generator or pick randomly to determine the letter for the round. (Letters Q, U, V, X, Y, and Z are excluded)
2. Start a 3-minute timer.
3. Each player writes a word that fits each category and starts with the chosen letter.
4. When time’s up, compare answers. Unique answers = 1 point. If multiple players write the same word, it’s 0 points for everyone who duplicated it.
5. After one or more rounds, the player or team with the most points wins!

Bonus: See all the themed Scattergories games on the site.

16. Charades

*Use the free printable on the post!

Players: 3+

Best for Ages: 3+

Goal: Players act out words and phrases to get their teammates to guess the word.

How to Play:

1. First, write your charade ideas on paper, print the free list, or grab these ready-to-print cards in the digital store.
2. Then put them in a basket.
3. If you play individually, everyone can just shout out the answers.
4. If you do teams, take turns as you play. One player draws an idea from the basket and gestures to try to get their teammates to guess the word or phrase. When the team guesses correctly, they receive a point, and the next team has a turn.
5. The game continues until time runs out, and then the team with the most points wins. Or determine the number of points it takes to win before the game.

17. Outburst

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 6+

Goal: Score the most points by shouting out answers that fit a category within 60 seconds.

How to Play:

1. Divide players into two teams. Each team will take turns guessing answers.
2. Team 1 selects a card and reads the category aloud to Team 2. When the timer begins, Team 2 tries to guess as many answers as possible related to that category within 60 seconds.
3. Team 1 checks off the correct answers from the list on the card.
4. Each correct answer is one point. Teams earn one bonus point if they guess all six answers on the card.
5. After the time is up, the next team takes their turn.
6. Continue playing until all cards are used or a set number of rounds are completed. The team with the most points wins!

18. Memory

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 3+

Goal: Players flip cards to find matching pairs.

How to Play:

1. Print and cut out your space memory cards. Mix them up well.
2. Lay all the memory cards face down in a grid on the table or floor.
3. Players take turns. Each player flips over two cards, trying to find a matching pair. If the cards match, the player keeps the pair and gets another turn. If they don’t match, the cards are flipped back over, and the next player takes their turn.
4. Continue until all pairs are found. The player with the most pairs wins!

See all the free memory games on the site >>

19. Taboo

Players: 4+

Best for Ages: 6+

Goal: Players get teammates to guess a word without using the forbidden words on the card.

How to Play:

1. Divide players into two teams. Each team will take turns giving clues.
2. The clue-giver from the first team draws a taboo card (use the words below if you don’t have the printable cards).
3. This player has 1 minute to describe the target word to their team without saying any of the forbidden words on that word list. Motions, pointing, or gestures are not allowed.
4. If the clue-giver says any of the taboo words, a buzzer sound is made by the opposing team, and the team does not get a point for that card.
5. The team scores one point for each correct guess within the time limit. If a taboo word is said or if the clue-giver skips a card, no point is earned.
6. After the time is up, the next team takes their turn with a new clue-giver each time.
7. Play continues until all the taboo words are used or a set time or score is reached. The team with the most points wins!

Make your own paper cards using this post of Taboo ideas, or shop the ready-to-print Taboo cards here.

20. How Well Do You Know Dad

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 4+ (with help)

Goal: Players write what they think the answers are. After, they see how many they got right.

How to Play:

1. Grab the free printable How Well Do You Know Dad
2. Answer questions about Dad using the prompts on the sheet.
3. Compare answers with Dad to see who got it right.
4. Celebrate the winner (or the funniest wrong answers)!

21. Trivia Pen and Paper Games

*Great for car rides!

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+ (with help)

Goal: Players fill in the blanks to see how many they can get right.

How To Play:

1. Pass out the Road Trip Trivia to players
2. Players see how many they can get right.
3. Use the answer key to check your answers.

Related: Kids Movie Trivia

22. Name That Famous Mom or Dad

*Pair younger and older players together.

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+ (with help)

Goal: Players match the famous screen dads to their descriptions. 

How To Play:

1. Grab the Name That Famous Dad Free Printable
2. Match the description to the character using the word bank at the bottom.
3. Use the answer key on the post to give hints and to check your answers.
4. Brag to all your friends about how much you know!

Related: Name That Famous Mother

23. Festive Bingo

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 5+ (with help)

Goal: Players fill a row or the entire card, depending on the agreed-upon rules.

How To Play:

1. Begin by designating a caller and distributing one Bingo card to each player in the game.
2. Next, pass out your markers to mark spaces (this can be small pieces of paper or a pen to mark off).
3. Decide what each player needs to win. Can they go up, down, and diagonally? Do they need “blackout” (all spaces marked) before they win? Make sure everyone is clear on how you win the game.
4. The “caller” uses the caller sheet to call out different items on the bingo cards one at a time. Skip around at random when calling out. As players hear an item called, they look and mark it on their card with the marker if they have it.
5. When a player completes a line or covers the whole board, they shout “Bingo!” to win.

Here’s the Halloween Bingo Game in the picture. Or see all the free bingo games on the site >>

24. Fishbowl Game

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+ (with help)

Goal: Players draw words or phrases from a bowl, and then team members guess in three distinctive rounds (within a set time).

The way you give hints changes for each round. A typical Fishbowl game usually has three rounds:

1. Taboo
2. Charades
3. Password

How To Play:

1. Distribute 3-5 paper strips to each player.
2. On each strip, players write down a word or phrase (person, place, thing, or feeling) or get the ready-made cards to use easily here.
3. Fold up the paper strips with the words written on them and place them in the fishbowl.
4. Set a one-minute timer. Each word or phrase guessed correctly within the time earns one point for the team. There are 3 rounds of play described below.
5. To start Round 1, a player from Team A draws a paper and gives clues to their team. Their team will try to guess as many words drawn as possible before the time runs out. Team B then takes their turn. Continue alternating between teams until all words are guessed and the fishbowl is empty.
6. Return the cards to the fishbowl for reuse, and Round 2 begins.
7. Play continues following the rules for Round 2 and Round 3.

25. Heads Up

Players: 2+

Best for Ages: 7+ (with help)

Goal: Be the first person to figure out 5 Valentine cards.

How To Play:

1. Download and print the Heads Up Valentine’s Day Cards
2. Shuffle the cards and place them face down in a stack at the center of the table.
3. Each player draws a card and slides it into their elastic headband (or tapes it to the headband/hat), facing outward. (That way, everyone sees your card except you.)
4. Take turns asking yes-or-no questions about the card on your head to figure out who or what it is.
5. When you think you know your card, guess when it’s your turn. Other players continue asking questions until everyone identifies their card.
6. After you guess your card, draw a new card and start again.
7. The first player to correctly guess five characters wins the game.

BONUS 26. Scavenger Hunts

I put this one last because you do need an outside stimulus to play a scavenger hunt. But as far as material objects, you can absolutely just play with a pen/marker and the free printable.

1. Download your free nature scavenger hunt. These files are too large to put on the post, so I’ll send them straight to you!
2. Choose the one that’s right for your kids.
3. Hunt for the items on the cards. The first one to find them all wins!

Love the Free Nature Hunt? Don’t miss the Zoo Scavenger Hunt and Road Trip Scavenger Hunt too!

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