225 Funny Telephone Game Phrases For Kids & Adults
Need a way to focus a group of squirrely kids? These best telephone game phrases work for kids of all ages, require no supplies, and are effective in almost any situation.
You can’t get better than that!
How do you play the old telephone game?
Game Rules
The telephone game is both fun and incredibly easy to play.
- Sit in a circle or a line and whisper your phrase into the first person’s ear.
- From there, each person whispers to the next exactly what they heard.
- Once you get to the end, the last person reports to the group what they heard.
The object of the game is to see how close you can get to the original word or phrase.
Best Telephone Game Words For Young Kids
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First, these words are great for teaching kids older words that used to be popular, or just to have kids say really funny words.
1. Skeedaddle
2. Lollygag
3. Bumbershoot
4. Thingamajigger
5. Bamboozled
6. Whippersnapper
7. Lickety-split
8. Bumfuzzle
9. Scallywag
10. Flubber
11. Hogwash
12. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
13. Blabberdabber
14. Flummery
15. Willy-nilly
16. Popple
17. Teazel
18. Hoodwink
19. Foggy bottom
20. Diddly-squat
21. Flummox
22. Bumfuzzle
23. Kerfuffle
24. Cattywampus
25. Diddlydink
Best Telephone Game Phrases For Kids
Next, these pass the message game phrases are short and sweet. They also include categories that kids have seen before, making it a little easier to play the game at the beginning.
Nursery Rhymes
Do kids know these traditional nursery rhymes?
26. I’m a little tea pot short and stout.
27. Mary had a little lamb.
28. Humpty dumpty sat on a wall.
29. London bridge is falling down.
30. The wheels on the bus go round and round.
31. Hickory dickory dock
32. Jack and Jill went up the hill
33. Pop! Goes the weasel
34. This little piggy went to the market
35. No more monkeys jumping on the bed!
Related: Best Kids Bedtime Stories
Idioms for the Whisper in the Lane Game
These kids telephone game phrases are a great way to teach sayings that aren’t meant to be taken literally.
36. Spill the beans
37. A picture is worth a 1000 words
38. Let the cat out of the bag
39. You hit the nail on the head.
40. The early bird gets the worm
41. Don’t cry over spilt milk.
42. A dime a dozen
43. That is the last straw.
44. A penny for your thoughts.
45. Under the weather
46. Comparing apples to oranges (Source: English idioms)
47. The whole nine yards.
48. Have your cake and eat it too.
49. Try not to burn bridges.
50. Run like the wind.
60. When it rains, it pours.
Short Kids Quotes For The Telephone Game
Next, these are great telephone game sentences for emphasizing character traits.
61. “Be silly. Be honest. Be kind.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
62. “A person’s a person no matter how small.” – Dr. Seuss (Find more great kids reading quotes)
63. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt
Disney (Find more short thoughts of the day for kids here)
64. “When you know better, you do better.” – Maya Angelou
65. “No one is perfect–that’s why pencils have erasers.” – Wolfgang Riebe
*These telephone phrases can also be used to help build a growth mindset. For example, try “we do hard things” as one!
More Silly and Funny Telephone Game Phrases
The best sentences for the telephone game are not too short, but not too long either. And it is always good to have some that make you laugh out loud.
66. Jinx, you owe me a coke!
67. He bought 100 pounds of applesauce.
68. Pass me the salty beetle for a snack.
69. I’m the boss, applesauce!
70. She can speak to trees.
71. I put a spell on you.
72. I built a giant robot to take over the world.
73. Liar liar, pants on fire!
74. Where is my pet snake?
More Fun For Kids:
Rhyming For the Telephone Game
Rhyming is fun and educational! Use these to practice with kids.
75. It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring.
76. Can you fix your shoe with goo?
77. Turn off the bright light.
78. The lady wears a hat while sitting on a mat.
79. You can not hide, so go outside.
80. The big truck brings good luck.
81. What’s the deal, banana peel?
82. He uses a fan to cool the pan.
83. The cat sat on a bat.
84. Good night, sleep tight.
85. Do you hear the rumble of the jungle?
86. I wish I had a fish.
87. Oh I agree. There are three.
88. Where is the square?
89. Pass the jam with ease, please.
90. Do you miss your mother’s kiss?
91. See you later, alligator.
92. After a while crocidille.
93. Chop chop lollipop.
94. See you soon, baboon.
95. Got to go, buffalo.
Great Tongue Twisters For the Telephone Game
Next, these alliterations and famous tongue twisters are great for older elementary, middle school, and high school looking for a challenge.
96. Six sticky skeletons.
97. She sells seashells by the seashore.
98. An ape hates grape cakes.
99. Friendly fleas and fireflies.
100. The shark has shiny shoes.
101. Green glass globes glow greenly.
102. The black bat’s back.
103. Topsy turvy turtles
104. Blue bubbles in the bath.
105. Slugs are salty and slimy.
106. The ball will fall on the doll.
107. The owl growled at the towel.
108. The king liked to sing.
109. That squirrel stole my scissors!
110. Zanny zebras zig and zag.
111. Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.
112. Which witch is which?
113. The queen in green screams.
114. If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
115. Weathered leather is better.
116. Each Easter Earl eats eighty Easter eggs.
117. A happy hippo hopped and hiccupped. (Mondly.com)
118. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?
119. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
120. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Related: See our big list of kids tongue twisters
Broken Telephone Phrases That Make No Sense
These phrases for the telephone game are perfect for stumping others. No one will suspect them!
121. The bird swims east.
122. The fish flies north.
123. Danny’s rat likes lemons.
124. My pet rock will not bite.
125. The sun is green.
126. That test was tasty.
127. More fuzzy caterpillars please.
128. The hairy lizard made coffee.
129. Her dad is a tall dinosaur.
130. The dungeon is full of pink bandaids.
131. Have you seen my favorite banana?
132. Spiders are cute.
133. Pants go on your arms.
134. Hello, Mr. Mustache.
135. Grandma’s jello tastes like chicken.
136. The giant ant befriended a tiny elephant.
137. This lollipop is made of mustard.
138. Gloria eats rubber potatoes for breakfast.
139. I ate polka dot stew with a piece of paper.
140. The moon is made of cheese.
141. Is she doing the cha cha in bed?
142. Close your eyes to see the moon.
143. Loose lips sink ships.
144. I found a magical genie who dances.
145. A bird is nesting in her hair.
146. Her talking parrot says to wash your hands.
147. The clock chimes thirteen.
148. I am stopped by a teensy tiny cloud.
149. How did that shower get there?
150. The gingerbread man was big and slow.
151. She saw a bird made of butter flying below the books.
152. Donald Duck plays the harp in the bathroom.
153. What if morning what night?
154. Kids rule the pink Earth.
155. I dreamt that I sailed across the ocean on a bicycle.
*These phrases are great ways to break the ice. See these ice breaker games for even more fun!
Pass The Message Words That Pair
Next, these are great pairing to use as telephone game phrases for beginners.
156. Peanut butter and jelly
157. Salt and pepper
158. Cookies and milk
159. Hugs and kisses
160. Santa and reindeer
161. Fish and chips
162. Shoes and socks
163. Hanzel and Gretel
164. Bread and butter
165. Bow and arrow
166. Macaroni and cheese
167. Cat and mouse
168. Batman and Robin
169. Bacon and eggs
Related: Funny Charade Ideas For Kids
Telephone Game Phrases For Adults Too
Now, these hard telephone sentences are great for adults for workplace or at home. And many are pass the message with a twist – as they come from older famous tv shows.
170. “The worst thing about prison was the dementors.” – Michael “Prison Mike” Scott, The Office
171. “If I don’t have some cake soon, I might die.” – Stanley Hudson, The Office
172. “I just want to lie on the beach and eat hot dogs.” – Kevin Malone, The Office
173. “We are dessert stealers. We are living outside the law.” – Rachel Green, Friends
174. “Here come the meat sweats.” – Joey Friends
175. “Could I BE wearing any more clothes?!” – Joey Friends
176. “I’m Chandler. I make jokes when I’m uncomfortable.” – Chandler
177. “Oh, I wish I could, but I don’t want to.” – Phoebe Friends
178. “I do wanna fling my poop at her.” — Penny, The Big Bang Theory
179. “I am not crazy, my mother had me tested.” – Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory
180. “I haven’t cried this hard since Toy Story 3.” — Raj, The Big Bang Theory
181. “Oprah wasn’t built in a day.” —Lily Aldrin, How I Met Your Mother
182.”Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.” —Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother
183.“You have to let me dance my own battles.” —Marshall Eriksen, How I Met Your Mother
184. “It’s going to be legen—wait for it—dary.” —Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother
185. “I would love to be wrong, but I don’t live with the right people for that.” – Claire Dunphy, Modern Family
186. “The minute they got rid of rotary phones, everything went to hell.” – Jay Pritchett, Modern Family
187. “Books? Wake up and smell the Internet, grandma.” – Luke, Modern Family
188. “You’ll never go broke playing to a rich man’s ego. Write that down.” – Manny Delgado, Modern Family
189. “The only time I break a sweat is when we run after the ice cream truck.” – Phil Dunphy, Modern Family
190. “Everything hurts and I’m dying.” —Leslie Knope, Parks and Rec
191. “Sometimes you gotta work a little so you can ball a lot.” —Tom Haverford, Parks and Rec
192. “There has never been a sadness that can’t been cured by breakfast food.”—Ron Swanson, Parks and Rec
193. “Do I look like I drink water?” —Donna Meagle, Parks and Rec
194. “I regret nothing. The end.” —Ron Swanson, Parks and Rec
195. “Ugh. I hate talking to people about things.” —April Ludgate, Parks and Rec
More Fun For Adults:
Hard Tongue Twister Telephone Phrases for Adults
196. “Pad kid poured curd pulled cod.”
197. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
198. I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.
(This one may come out sounding rather interesting!)
199. Irish wrist watch, Swiss wrist watch.
Christmas Telephone Game Sentences (Kids & Adults)
These words and phrases start easy and get harder as you go down the list.
200. Joy to the world.
201. Feliz Navidad
202. Jingle bell rock
203. Christmas is coming!
204. Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
205. Tis the season to be jolly.
206. All is calm, all is bright.
207. Dashing through the snow.
208. Repeat the sounding joy. (See great Christmas song trivia here)
209. Ugly Christmas sweater
210. Santa Claus is coming to town.
211. Sleep in Heavenly peace.
212. Son of a nutcracker!
213. It’s the most wonderful time of year.
214. Sugar and spice makes Christmas nice.
215. Let earth receive her king.
216. Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
217. Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
218. For unto us a child is born.
219. Jesus is the reason for the season.
220. Believe in the magic of Christmas.
221. Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle.
222. All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.
223. You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.
224. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
*Grab more fun ideas, and a free Christmas charades printable here >>
More Variations That Are Fun to Try
Finally, if you would like to spice up the regular version of the telephone game, try one of these ideas:
Rumor Has It
In this variation, the first player deliberately changes a word or two. This could be a great variation for list ideas that are famous or well-known phrases. See if participants can guess the phrase!
This game is also referred to as “Gossip.” It is great for showing kids how rumors get spread and twisted up.
Do Charades Instead
Instead of using words, do a specific movement. In this version, the line (or circle) looks away from the group. Then, one person at a time does the action to the next person in line. At the end, the last person shows the move that they saw and you see how different it was from the beginning move.
Great for kids that need to get out energy!
*See the Ultimate List of Charades Words For Kids for more words >>
Compete In Teams
Divide your group into two teams, and play one team against the other. See which team is the fastest and more accurate with their phrase.
Great for large group competition!
Draw As a Group
In this variation, you use pencil and paper. The first player draws a single line to begin the illustration of the word. Once you finish your line and lift your pencil, you have to pass it to the next player.
Then, the next person is quietly told the word and must continue the drawing with only one line. In the end, the last player is NOT told the word and must guess what the word was by the drawing on the paper.
Great multi-sensory version!
Where can you play the telephone game?
Try these fun telephone game phrases out:
- in the classroom
- at church youth group settings
- at parties
- at home on family night
- waiting with kids at restaurants or in lines
Check out other epic quiet games too >>
What does the telephone game teach us?
A lot, actually! First, the telephone game teaches us to speak clearly and listen intently. But it also sharpens memory and builds vocabulary. Because it is a cooperative game, it gives kids (and adults) an opportunity to work together and practice taking turns.
And you can even use it to work on specific educational concepts like rhyming, phonics, idioms, and figurative language.
