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The digital age doesn’t mean that quality time with your grandkids is a thing of the past. In fact, there are countless games and activities you can enjoy together through the magic of text messaging! I’ve compiled a list of entertaining and laughter-inducing games for you and your grandkids, organized by age group.
If you haven’t already seen my 75 Engaging Texts To Send Your Grandkids, you can check that out as well.
These ideas are especially helpful for the grandmas that don’t get to see their grandkids very often. But perhaps best of all? They don’t cost a penny! I hope you enjoy.
Young Children (4-8)
Emoji Stories
Let your grandchild’s imagination soar by sending them a series of emojis, which they’ll use as inspiration to craft a unique story. For example, you can send them a horse, pizza, and sun emoji. From there, they can either reply with more emojis to continue the story or come up with their own.
Example: 🐱🎩🌈 – “A cat with a hat found a magical rainbow!”
Alphabet Animals
Challenge your grandchild to come up with animals that correspond to each letter of the alphabet. Start with A (or whatever you want, there are no rules!)
You’ll both share some laughs when you try to think of animals for those tricky letters like X.
Silly Rhymes
Send a word to your grandchild and encourage them to find a word that rhymes with it. Expect some amusing and unexpected responses!
What’s That Sound?
Text a sound (like “moo”) to your grandchild, and see if they can identify the animal that makes it. You’ll be impressed when they reply with the correct animal emoji!
I Spy
Mention something you see in your room, and let your grandchild try to guess what it is. Their curiosity will be piqued as they attempt to solve the mystery.
Number Riddles
Test your grandchild’s problem-solving skills by sending them a number-related riddle. There are several on this website.
Example: “What has a face and two hands, but no arms or legs?” (Answer: A clock)
Shape Detective
Name a shape, and ask your grandchild to find an object with that shape in their surroundings. This game will sharpen their observational skills.
Color Scavenger Hunt
Send a color to your grandchild and ask them to find something nearby that matches it. This interactive game will have them exploring their environment with enthusiasm. They can then send you a photo of it.
Opposites Game
Text a word to your grandchild, and let them reply with the opposite. Not only is this game entertaining, but it’s educational, too!
Guess the Animal
Describe an animal without mentioning its name, and see if your grandchild can guess what it is. Simple and fun. They can guess using Emojis if they’d like.
Example: You – “It’s a big, grey animal with a long trunk”, Them – “An elephant!”
Pre-Teen (9-12)
Word Scramble
Send your grandchild a jumbled word, and watch as they unscramble it. They’ll feel like a word detective as they solve the puzzle.
Of course, auto correct might make it hard to actually scramble it lol
Trivia Time
Text a trivia question about a topic they’re interested in, such as dinosaurs or outer space. It’s an engaging way to foster their curiosity and make learning fun. There are lots of resources online to find good trivia questions.
Text Pictionary
Describe a picture or scene using words, and let your grandchild try to figure out what you’re describing. This creative game is sure to generate some laughs.
Would You Rather
Pose a “Would You Rather” question to your grandchild (e.g., “Would you rather be a tiny elephant or a giant mouse?”). You’ll both enjoy the spirited debate that follows. Use my list of questions here for inspiration!
Finish the Sentence
Begin a sentence and let your grandchild complete it. This straightforward game can lead to endless laughter and bonding.
Example: You – “Once upon a time, in a land full of…”
Them – “Unicorns and dragons”
Two Truths and a Lie
Each of you sends two true statements and one lie about yourselves. The objective is to identify which statement is false. You’ll learn a lot more about each other by doing this too.
Mad Libs
Text a sentence with a blank space, and have your grandchild fill it in with a word. The more absurd the word, the better!
Synonym Challenge
Text a word to your grandchild and have them reply with a synonym. This engaging activity will help expand their vocabulary while they have fun. For example, you can send them “happy” and then they can reply with words like “glad” or “excited.”
20 Questions
Choose a person, place, or thing, and allow yourgrandchild to ask up to 20 yes-or-no questions to determine what it is. This classic game is perfect for developing their critical thinking skills!
Teen (13-17)
Text-based Adventure
Design a simple choose-your-own-adventure story with multiple-choice options. Your grandchild’s imagination will be captivated as they decide the outcome of their character’s journey.
I admit this one will take some time but if it’s up your alley, it’ll resonate with any teen.
Haiku Challenge
Take turns writing haikus and sharing them with each other if your teenage grandchild is a writer at heart. You can learn more about haikus here but they’re basically short poems that are three lines, 17 syllables, and do not rhyme.
Definitely for the creative writer types more than others!
Rapid-fire Questions
Send a series of questions to your grandchild, who must answer as quickly as possible. Put their speed and wit to the test. Plus they won’t be able to Google or get distracted 🙂
Six-word Stories
This one’s a bit silly but encourage your grandchild to create a story in just six words.
Meme Exchange
If there’s one thing I know about teenage grandkids, they love their memes (basically funny photos that everyone shares online). Sending a random one out of nowhere that’s up their alley is always a hit.
Movie Mashup
Combine the plots of two movies and see if your grandchild can guess which films you’ve mixed together. This entertaining activity will challenge their pop culture knowledge.
Example: “A wizard boy joins a rebellion in a galaxy far, far away.” (Harry Potter + Star Wars)
Fact or Fiction
Text a statement to your grandchild and have them determine whether it’s true or false.
Example: “There are more stars in the sky than grains of sand on Earth.” (True)
Emoji Riddles
Formulate a riddle using emojis and let your grandchild decode its meaning. This game will truly test their emoji prowess!
Example: 🍍🍕 (Pineapple on pizza…. easy one)
Quote Quiz
Share a quote from a book, movie, or TV show with your grandchild and see if they can identify its source. It’s a fun way to exchange favorite stories and discover new ones.
Word Association
Send a word to your grandchild and ask them to reply with the first word that comes to mind. This fast-paced game offers intriguing insights into their thought process.
Example: You – “Ice cream”, Them – “Chocolate”
With this list of games and activities, you’ll have endless hours of laughter, learning, and love, all through the power of text messaging. Say goodbye to the days of wondering how to connect with your tech-savvy grandkids; these texting games are your ticket to digital fun! Happy texting!
