Virtual Gathering Ideas

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While we are doing our part by staying home, below are my more-involved virtual hang ideas that could work for a date or larger group get-together. Check out my date ideas (in-person or virtual) for more inspo.

Competition 

Set ahead of time a friendly competition like:

  • Costume Changes - Quickly get dressed in your best 80s costume, animal inspired outfit, prom attire, etc
  • Dance - Come up with choreography to a 16 count COVID related song (like "Toxic" by Brittney Spears)
  • Building - Who can make the best fort, art sculpture out of recycling, toilet paper tower, etc in 5 minutes
  • Scavenger Hunt - Find the saddest house plant, cutest baby picture, item you are most grateful to have in quarantine, etc
  • Facebook Memory Lane - Less of a competition and more of a "spin the wheel." Share your screen and take turns picking random old Facebook pictures of one another and have the person explain the context of the picture.

Game Show

Play interactive games like:
  • Charades - We play where it has to be a movie, TV show, play or book. It's infinitely more fun and when you act out the whole thing rather than the individual words (ex. Toy Story). I appreciate how this bring physicality to connecting instead of just staring at a screen. 
  • Pictionary - We use a Google Drawings (part of gdrive) so everyone could see the scribble at the same time. 
  • Trivia - I just googled things like Disney trivia, 90s pop culture trivia, etc and pulled questions. You could also make trivia about your friends. 
  • Finish the Lyric - The clue would be the first part of the lyric (ex. "A signer in a smokey room") the answer would be next next line (ex. "the smell the wine and cheap perfume") and the artist and song title can be used as additional clues if needed. The key is for the clue-giver to say the lyrics as monotone as possible (so there is no association to how it's sung). 
  • Newlywed Game - Just like the classic tv game, ask questions like "what is Bob's spirit animal?" and see who guesses the same answer as Bob. 

Perhaps use strip poker rules and every time you get an answer wrong you have to take an article of clothing off. Or if you give a ridiculously bad answer you have to put a post-it note on your face. 

There are two ways I have played this. Either one person is the host and comes up with all the clues and gives them out via text as needed. Or each player comes with 3-5 clues for each game so that way no one has all the answers and everyone gets to play. You could find online charade word generators, for example, but I think coming up with your own more personal and funny clues are best. 

Untalent Show

This is a chance to showcase things you are not considered great at. A chance to be vulnerable with a supportive audience. Is it a stupid human trick? Could it possibly impress a small child? Are you nervous to fail? If you answered yes, that’s what we want to see! Perhaps it's a new found hobby you are developing or an instrument you haven't touched in 15 years. I've seen people do complex math (with mild success), catch grapes (half the time), rap battle (and stumble on the words), etc. It's a reminder that we should not be afraid to try and it's okay to fail. A related idea is an Artifact Share (like a show and tell) - maybe with a theme like turning points.

Go Deep

While we can't be physically close, you can create more emotional intimacy at a distance. Get curious about one another and ask thought-provoking questions. Play truth or dare. Say what you are grateful for in the other person. What can you use help on right now and how can they support you?


Make Art

Get creative together - record a podcast, come up with a dance routine, write a children's story, doodle in a shared drawing, etc. How can you use the virtual and physical supplies around you to make art? This is also a chance for a more introverted activity where you can make your own art but just have the presence of the other person on video. 


Round Robin

This is the best of all ideas in one. Everyone is responsible for about 10 mins of the hang and what you all will do. So they could pick a game to play, playlist to dance to, teach a skill, or whatever they come up with!