The 6 Must-Play Games For Summer Fun In 2025

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It’s a summer family vacation or a Sunday backyard barbecue. Dinner’s over, dessert’s a tasty memory. How do you keep everyone engaged before they rush onto their screens?

Suggest an interactive game suitable for a variety of ages that can be played indoors or out, using only materials found in your home. Some of these can be icebreakers for a crowd that doesn’t know each other well. Others can reveal more about family and friends than you already know. They all facilitate fun and laughter. What’s better than that?


Fishbowl, an Updated Form of Charades

What You Need: Paper, writing implements and a large bowl.

Set Up: Divide into two equal teams (four or five players per team is ideal). Give everyone three pieces of paper and ask them to write a “prompt” on each piece: up to three words long, something that will be familiar to all. Fold each one so that the words are hidden. Put all prompts into a large bowl and shake to mix.

Round One: Player One on Team A picks a prompt from the bowl. A timekeeper from Team B sets a stopwatch to 60 seconds. Team A player uses words only — no motions — as clues, as the rest of Team A calls out guesses as quickly as possible. When a correct guess is reached, Team A player picks another prompt and continues until the timer buzzes. Team B is now up, and it starts again. Continue, switching team members as the clue giver, until all prompts are guessed. Each team scores one point per correct guess. Return the same prompts to the bowl.

Round Two: The format is the same, but this time the clue giver can use only one word as their hint. Teammates keep guessing within the one-minute time clock, attempting to jigger their memory as the prompts are the same as last time.

Round Three: Now the clue giver acts out each clue, without speaking. Once all clues are guessed, count the total number of points per team. You’ll probably want to start over with a new set of prompts for a second game. And third.


Post-it

What You Need: A packet of Post-it notes and a pen.

Set Up: On each Post-it, write the name of a well-known celebrity, author, politician or character in a novel — living or dead. These should be stuck to each game player’s forehead, without revealing to each wearer what’s on their Post-it.

Play: Take turns asking questions to each person that can be answered with “yes” or “no.” For example: “Am I living? Am I from the U.S.? Am I famous? Have I been in the movies?” Keep going until everyone’s secret identity is revealed.


Never Have I Ever (Also Known as Ten Fingers)

Set Up: Sit in a circle.

Play: Take turns completing the sentence, “Never have I ever…” finishing it with something you’ve never done yourself. Be offbeat or outrageous, such as “Never have I ever been arrested.” Anyone in the game who has done this must raise one of their fingers. Keep going around the circle until someone has all ten fingers up; declare that person the winner.

21+ Option: If your crowd is all adults and comfortable with a drinking game, this version can get wilder and funnier. Everyone starts with equal amounts of wine or other beverage in a cup. After each “Never have I ever…” the ones who have done it take a sip. If no one has done what’s suggested, the player takes a sip. Spice up the game by asking anyone who admits to doing the “never-have-I-ever” to reveal the story of how it happened.


Straight Face

What You Need: Paper, writing implements and a hat.

Set Up: Everyone writes an outrageous phrase on a slip of paper. This can be played in PG or Adult-Only versions, depending on the crowd. Place all papers in a hat.

Play: Take turns selecting a piece of paper. Read aloud. Keep a straight face. Anyone who smiles or laughs is out. Continue until all statements are read.

 
Two Truths and a Lie

Set Up: Think about two truths about yourself and one lie. If you’re playing with family and friends, use the most obscure details.

Play: Each person takes a turn stating their two truths and one lie. Everyone guesses which is a lie.


20 Questions, an Oldie but a Goodie

Play: Select a designated timer. The first player thinks of a person, place or thing. The rest of the players take turns asking questions that can only be answered with “Yes” or “No,” in an attempt to discover what it is. If no one guesses after 20 questions are posed, the player reveals their secret.

Some games never go out of style. And if you’re traveling home from a summer vacation, 20 Questions is a classic go-to that takes the boredom out of long car rides.

 
What is your favorite game to play with family and friends? Let us know in the comments below.