Games to Play Over FaceTime (or other video chat) with Grandchildren

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When you can’t be with your Grandchildren, when they are long-distance or when other circumstances are keeping you apart, you can still connect with these great Games to Play on FaceTime with Grandchildren.   

FaceTime games with kids, along with other activities will keep you in touch!

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Games to Play on FaceTime with Grandchildren

If you’re like me, you probably have wondered what to do on FaceTime with kids. We have found some fun FaceTime ideas for Grandparents, FaceTime games to play, and fun things to do on FaceTime.

Whether playing games, doing activities, or simply visiting on a video chat, these FaceTime games to play with kids are loads of fun! 

These video chat game ideas will also work on Skype, Facebook Messenger, or Zoom. 

Take your pick of platforms, choose an activity, find fun things to do on FaceTime and have a blast connecting with your Grandchildren!

P.S.  It might be a good idea to have the latest update on your phone, tablet, or desktop, just be sure everything is secure and functioning.

So are you ready?  These are some of our favorite games to play on chat.  Here we go!

Related:  Fun Ideas for Staying Connected with Grandkids

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Dance

Turn up the music with their favorite songs and have a dance party. Don’t be shy, now, you know they’ll love seeing you let loose.

Teach them a dance from your days – do a little disco or just “Do the Twist”!

ABC Game

This one is easy. Like the ABC game, you play in the car, have them take you around their house, and find objects starting with a letter of the alphabet.

They find something beginning with “A”, then you find something around your own house beginning with” A”, and so on. This strengthens their grasp of letters for younger kids and is even fun for older kids.

Card Games

Card games are great to play on video chat. If each of you has your own deck of cards, you can play Go Fish, the Matching Game, War, or any other card game you can dream up.

Be creative, use your imagination! We played one with our Grands call Guess in 10. It was easy to do over chat and a lot of fun!

Guess the Animal

This is a game that my Grandkids loved to play in person when they were younger.

They would pretend to be a certain animal and I’d have to guess what they were – an elephant, a monkey, or a fish.

Sometimes guessing correctly was a challenge since many animals look alike ;), but there were always giggles all around!

Read, of course.

If you’ve been on my site before, you probably know I strongly encourage reading to kids! For babies and toddlers, choose a book with bright colors.

Use your “excited, expressive” reading voice. Make it fun.

For older kids, you could take turns reading from a chapter book that you can continue next time you visit.

Tell Jokes

Tell Jokes. Kids love to laugh!

Give them some cute jokes to share with their friends who they are probably spending time with on video chat, too…

Hilarious Knock Knock Jokes for Kids

Play Dress Up

My Grandkids are a little older now, but they LOVED to play dress up not so long ago. Let them change clothes, model for you, and maybe even put on a little play for you!

Princess dresses, superhero capes, and all the props make for a fun activity to play on FaceTime!

Listen to Piano Practice

I love hearing my Granddaughter play the piano. She is just learning but gets better each time I hear her. Sometimes piano practice is hard to get through, but with an audience, it might be more fun!

Have her play her favorites, the ones she does best, and then listen to her practice the more difficult ones.

Encouragement from you might make a difference in how practice goes today!

Sing

Oh, this is easy. Remember all those songs you learned when you were a kid? Did you go to church camp or scout camp? Did your own Dad teach you silly songs when you were young? (Mine sure did!)

Sing them for your Grandkids – like “The Littlest Worm” or “The Other Day I Saw a Bear”.

We’ve had some great laughs with these.

Music Makes Memories More Magical

Play Simon Says

Simon Says, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes or the Hokey Pokey are great motion games to play on FaceTime.

They get you and your Grands up moving, laughing, and being silly. What a great way to spend time and have fun on video chat!

Play Board Games

If you both have Battleship, it’s the perfect game to play on Facetime! You each have your own setup, your opponent can’t see your board, and the game goes on just like you were in the same location!

Other Board Games to Play with Grandkids are Monopoly, Jr., Candyland, Clue, or Checkers.

While these may take a little more work, you only need one copy of the game. Just tell your Grand you want to be the “hat” (of course, am I right?), let them roll the dice, move you, and hand out the money.

Mine do that anyway, even when we are together! All you have to do is sit back, relax, and give instructions!  😉

Classic Board Games for Kids

Charades

Pick a category, like “Kids Movies”. One word. (Hold out one finger).

Shiver like you’re really cold. And they shout out a guess… Did you get it? Frozen, of course!

This Facetime game could go on and on. AND it could be a whole lot of fun.

Your Grandkid’s parents might even want to join in on this one!

Build a Lego Project

Building with our Lego set is one of the things the kids enjoy doing when they visit. Why not work on a project together?

One of you builds the boat and the other builds the dock. Or one builds the race car and the other builds the trailer. Or have her build the castle and you make the coach.

Then, the next time you are together, combine your creations!

Dress American Girl Dolls

American Girl Dolls. Just about every girl has one, right? I love the Welly Wisher, Camille…

Help choose the clothes, bag, and shoes. Talk about where they will go. Put her to bed, comb her hair and read her a book.

Have you heard of Club Emmie? Join the club and play American Girl Dolls when subscriptions come in.

Playing dolls is a fun way to use FaceTime!

Play Peek-A-Boo

Babies aren’t really able to talk back to you, but seeing them means so much.

Play Peek-A-Boo by moving the camera away from you and back. Or use a stuffed animal, make its sound (like moooo), move it out of camera view and back.

For babies, singing, reading, and speaking are great ways for the baby to get to know you and your voice.

Then when you see each other, you will be a familiar face. And that is priceless!

Tell A Story

Use props like stuffed animals, pots and pans, a photo album, pictures from a magazine, toys, or a baby doll to tell a story. You can make up a story, use props as you read a book, or have your Grandchild make up a story about the things you are holding.

Tell a story about your childhood in a playful, fun way so they come to know your family stories and history.

Ask Questions of Little Ones

For toddlers, ask questions, like “where is your arm” or give an instruction like “point to your nose”. Read a book with animals and ask “what animal is this?” or “what does a kitty say?”. Ask them to show you their favorite toy or book.

Get them to engage with you, keep the conversation interesting. They, too, will be more familiar with you once you’re reunited.

Play “I Spy”

We’ve played this game in the car, but it also works as a game to play on FaceTime. Just move your camera slowly around the room. Have your Grandchild “spy” something, then you try to guess what they were seeing.

And go the other way – you find something when they move their camera around their space. Have you played this?

They say: “I spy something with my little eye”… It’s red. You try to guess the object they’re describing.

Paint Your Nails

It’s always more fun to go to the spa with your girlfriends. Why not pretend you’re going to the spa with your Grands?

Chit-chat, have a fruity drink, and do your nails together! (Mom might like joining in on this one, too, and could help with the younger girls on her end…).

Have Lunch Together

You both like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and apple slices, right? Call when it’s lunchtime, make your sandwiches together, sit down at the table, and have a little lunch/tea party.

Spend the time talking about your day, what you’ve been doing, and how much you look forward to seeing them in person again one day.

Learn a Video Game

Ok, I can offer this up, but I don’t really have any experience. Older kids play video games with friends, maybe they’d play once with you?

Ask them about the ones they play and what it would take for you to be able to play, too. You’d be surprised, Grandpa may already know all the ins and outs of video games and Facetime!

Help With Homework

I tried helping my second-grade granddaughter with her math homework. I was never really “Math oriented”, but come on. The math she was learning was not even remotely the kind of math we did when we were in school.

I had to text her mom and ask for help. 2nd grade!

I’m sure, though, that there is some type of homework where I could be of help. Just not math… 😉 However, being a Grandparent, you know I want them to be successful in school.

Here are some other ways to Help Your Grandkids be Successful Learners.

Bake

Cookies. Or pie. Or Grandma’s Lemon Whippersnappers. They are super easy to make, taste delicious, and even the younger Grandchildren could help.

Both of you get the ingredients, pick a time, and bake together!

Make Dinner Together

Older kids could accomplish this on their own, younger ones may need some help.

Decide on an easy menu and both cook the same meal, sit down and eat together and have a conversation as if you were there.

Mealtime can still be special family time, even if you’re apart!

Interview Grandparents

Have Grandkids ask you questions with these Interview Questions. Share your family history, some childhood memories, and stories with them. Think of some funny times, some lessons you learned, or just tell them about walking to school up hills both ways!

Have you tried any of these suggestions?  If you decide to do one of these, come back and let us know how it went!

I hope you enjoy these Games to Play on FaceTime with Grandchildren (or anyone else, for that matter!).  

As always, remember to 

Keep Passing Down the Love,

PIN FOR LATER!

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