Looking for a way to bring everyone together over the holidays without relying on nonstop screen time?
Here are a few tech-lite games that blend fun, a bit of tech, and togetherness—even if Dad’s planted in the recliner with a plate of pie.
Family-Friendly Games (Football Optional)
- Tablet Quiz Night: Use apps like Kahoot or QuizUp to host a family trivia night. Anyone with a phone or tablet can join in. You can even create custom trivia based on family history or holiday traditions.
- Photo Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of fun, silly holiday-themed photo tasks (e.g., “take a selfie with the cat in a bow” or “snap a pic of the funniest cookie decoration”). Add a timer and small prizes for an extra layer of fun. Great for mixed-age groups.
- Classic Board Games, Digitized: Many favorites like Uno, Monopoly, and Ticket to Ride are available as apps. Let everyone use their own device as a game controller while still enjoying time together in the same room.
- Heads Up!: This mobile game (from Ellen DeGeneres) is a charades-style hit. Hold the phone to your forehead and guess the word based on your family’s clues. Easy to learn and always good for a laugh.
- Jackbox Games: Plug into your smart TV or laptop and use phones as controllers. Great party games include Drawful, Fibbage, Quiplash, and more. Only one person needs to own the game, and everyone else plays for free.
- Word Sneak: Pick five silly or obscure words and try to sneak them into conversation naturally over dinner. Points if no one notices—double points if Grandma cracks up.
- Holiday Bingo: Make bingo cards based on things people say or do during the holiday (e.g., “Someone asks for seconds,” “The dog steals food,” “Uncle mentions the weather”). Use pennies or candy as markers.
- Tech-Free Round Robin: Pair everyone up and have each person share their favorite memory or lesson from the past year. No tech needed—just stories and smiles.
Sidebar: “Let’s Use Devices for Fun, Not Just Doom-Scrolling”
Instead of silently scrolling through social media while cookies bake or the game plays in the background, use your devices to create memories.
Snap a goofy family portrait.
Make a quick slideshow.
Send a video message to relatives who couldn’t make it.
Try a holiday-themed filter or sticker pack.
Tech doesn’t have to be isolating—it can bring you together.
So go ahead, let Dad keep his spot in the chair. But this year, try a new game or two. You might just start a new family tradition worth repeating next year.
