12 Fun Games to Play Without Your Phone

Phone battery dead? No WiFi? Or maybe you're just craving some genuine human connection without screens? Whatever the reason, there's something wonderfully refreshing about games that need nothing but imagination and willing participants.

Here are 12 games you can play absolutely anywhere—no phones, cards, boards, or equipment required.

Guessing Games

1. 20 Questions

The OG of guessing games. One person thinks of something (person, place, or thing). Others take turns asking yes-or-no questions. After 20 questions—or whenever someone's confident—guess what it is!

Best for: 2+ players, all ages

2. Celebrity / Who Am I?

Think of a famous person. Others ask yes-or-no questions to figure out who. "Are they alive?" "Are they in movies?" "Did they play Batman?" Narrow it down until someone guesses correctly.

Best for: Groups who share pop culture knowledge

3. I'm Thinking of a Word

Think of a word. Give a one-word clue. Others guess. Wrong? Give another one-word clue. See how few clues it takes to guess the word. "Elephant" might get clues like: "gray," "trunk," "large," "Africa."

Word Games

4. Word Association

Someone says a word. The next person says the first word that comes to mind. Keep the chain going. Hesitate for more than 3 seconds? You're out! It's fascinating where the chain leads.

5. Categories (Scattergories Style)

Pick a letter and a category. Everyone takes turns naming things in that category starting with that letter. "L" and "Foods" might give you: Lasagna, Lemon, Lobster, Lollipop... Can't think of one? You're eliminated.

6. Fortunately/Unfortunately

Build a story by alternating "fortunately" and "unfortunately" sentences:

• "Fortunately, I found $100 on the sidewalk."
• "Unfortunately, a seagull grabbed it."
• "Fortunately, the seagull dropped it on a boat."
• "Unfortunately, the boat was sinking..."

Gets ridiculous fast!

Acting and Performance Games

7. Charades

The classic! Act out a word or phrase without speaking. Others guess what you're miming. Use standard categories: movie, book, TV show, song, famous person.

8. Two Truths and a Lie

Share three "facts" about yourself—two true, one false. Others guess which is the lie. Great for getting to know people better and always sparks interesting conversations.

9. Telephone

Whisper a phrase to the person next to you. They whisper what they heard to the next person. Continue until it reaches the last person, who says it out loud. Compare to the original—hilarity ensues.

Creative Games

10. Story Building

One person starts a story with a single sentence. Go around the group, each person adding one sentence. No limits—embrace the chaos. The weirder, the better.

11. Would You Rather

Pose impossible dilemmas: "Would you rather be able to fly but only 3 feet off the ground, or be invisible but constantly sneeze?" Debates get passionate!

12. Contact

One person thinks of a word and reveals only the first letter. Others try to guess by thinking of words starting with that letter and giving clues. If two people think of the same word from a clue, they say "Contact!" and the thinker must reveal the next letter or guess their word.

Where to Play These Games

• Waiting rooms — Doctor's office, DMV, anywhere with a wait
• Road trips — Miles fly by with good games
• Camping — Perfect for around the campfire
• Power outages — Entertainment when screens die
• Dinner parties — Between courses or after dessert
• Theme park lines — Make the queue entertaining
• Flights — Especially when WiFi's down

The Case for Screen-Free Games

There's magic in games that require nothing but people. No loading screens, no dead batteries, no "hold on, I need to find the app." Just instant entertainment with built-in eye contact and genuine interaction.

These games have survived generations for a reason—they work. They're fun. And they create the kind of memories that staring at phones simply can't.

Unplug and Play

Next time you're reaching for your phone out of boredom, challenge yourself: suggest a game instead. You might be surprised how quickly others join in, and how much more fun it is than scrolling.

The best entertainment often needs nothing more than imagination and willing players. Now go play!