5 Activities to Make Your Group Video Chat More Fun

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The coronavirus pandemic has forced people to hunker down into their homes, meaning that for the foreseeable future, after-school activities and weekend sleepovers with friends are a no-go. Luckily, with technology at our fingertips, we can stay in touch with our besties pretty much 24/7 with the help of group video chats.

While they’re obviously not the same as hanging out in real life, video chats are a great way to stay in-the-know and still feel close with your friends during these uneasy times. But beyond catching up on school gossip, why not take your chats to the next level? From classics like Pictionary to belting your favorite songs during karaoke, the following activities will make your virtual hangs more fun and entertaining—and will make you feel more connected as well.

Pictionary

A crowd-pleaser that’s been around since 1985, the Charades-inspired word-guessing game is played with teams of players who are trying to guess the same word from their fellow teammates. Use a random word generator and simply hold your drawing up to the screen. If you play with three other friends (or just an even number of people), it’s easy to split into teams.

(Psst, an even simpler alternative to Pictionary is…Charades! No paper, pencils, or teams required.)

Yoga

When you’re spending lots of time indoors, it’s only natural to start to feel a little stir crazy. Physical activity can be key for alleviating stress. And thanks to online workouts, you can still find ways to move your body and maybe even break a sweat. Kick off your morning by livestreaming a yoga class with a pal on Instagram or try out a Yoga With Adriene class on YouTube to stay centered and connected with others.

Trivia

Spice up a regular Tuesday night with a fiery game of trivia. Once you’ve assigned a host and come up with questions, all you need to figure out is how you’d like your teams to communicate. After you’ve asked your question, give teams 30 seconds to deliberate their response and have them submit their final answer via DM. You can even take it up a notch by making your trivia themed, like all-Disney or ‘90s facts. No Googling allowed!

Karaoke

You don’t need a fancy mic to belt out your favorite songs. While karaoke isn’t technically a game, it’s pretty much guaranteed to make you laugh at your friend’s Ariana Grande impression and it serves as a great stress reliever. All you need is a hairbrush (or shampoo bottle) to sing into and your favorite jams on blast. Another plus? You can even do duets together. (Watch out, Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes.)

Talent Show

Know how to do any magic tricks? Can you play an instrument? What about reciting a monologue from your favorite episode of Friends? Now’s the time to show off your skills with a DIY talent show. Take turns with your pals and if you’re feeling a little competitive, you can even vote for your favorite act. Winner gets an in-person hug once it’s safe to hang in person again.

What are your favorite activities to do during group video chats? Let us know on social media!

By Taylor Trudon