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A young woman sits at her kitchen table and video chats on her phone while wearing headphones.

8 Virtual Games To Play On Father's Day When The Dad Jokes Are Strong

by Marisa Casciano
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
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Showing your dad or the dad figure in your life appreciation is a must every day, but especially on Father's Day. It's what the summertime holiday is all about, next to firing up the grill, gathering up your siblings, and spending time together. This year, you and your family members may be apart, and looking to have a celebration over FaceTime or Zoom. These are — without a doubt — the best virtual games to play on Father's Day, because they can be as funny as your dad's jokes and as cheesy as the nachos he'd make on low-key nights.

You can probably remember those nights from when you were a kid like they happened yesterday. Your dad may have suggested watching a new movie or playing a video game while you and your siblings sprinkled too much cheddar on top of tortilla chips. He may have cracked a few jokes, such as, "Hey, this snack tastes really grate," and, "No one's cheddar than you," to which you rolled your eyes and then giggled. As much as those jokes made you cringe, you may find yourself repeating them from time to time, in the company of your roommates who have a similar reaction.

Nostalgia aside, Father's Day is coming up soon. So, you have to plan your virtual meet-up and how you're going to make it so special. Playing a few of these virtual games is bound to make your dad smile. They're as cheesy as he is, after all.

01Decorate Your Own Doughnut

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If you're having your virtual hang for Father's Day bright and early, you'll want to play "Decorate Your Own Doughnut." This will require everyone going to their local doughnut shop, and picking up some old fashioned-styled doughnuts. From there, you want to make sure that you have frosting and sprinkles in your kitchen. Over video chat, take some time to decorate and then judge your creations. Your dad automatically gets bonus points because it's Father's Day.

02What Would Dad Say...

Typically, your dad has always been your rock. You've gone to him whenever you've needed life advice and help in making a major decision. For your siblings, it's likely been the same, and so it would be a good idea to play "What Would Dad Say...". Put a bunch of slips of paper with different life scenarios in a cup. Then, pull them out one at a time and guess what big piece of advice your dad would probably say in that moment.

03Words With Dad

Write out your dad's full name on a sheet of paper to play this game, titled "Words With Dad." From there, set a timer and see how many words you can come up with with the letters in his name. Whoever has the most, valid words on your video chat, wins. (Make sure nobody cheats on their phone or laptop, OK?)

04Do You Really Know Dad?

"Do You Really Know Dad?" is essentially trivia. One person in your group — whether that be your mom or your dad's BFF — must come up with a list of questions. During your video chat, your dad gets to read them off and see if you remember what year he graduated high school, or what his favorite snack was growing up. You may end up knowing more than you thought you did!

05Dad's Grilling Show

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An afternoon virtual celebration may mean your dad is getting hungry and ready to fire up the grill. If that's the case, then you should play "Dad's Grilling Show." It works similarly to a vlog or your favorite shows on Food Network. Your dad should explain his steps as he goes, toss in some of his favorite dad jokes, and have a blast sharing his cooking experience with his family.

06Gone Fishing

Here's the deal: To play "Gone Fishing," your dad and some of your siblings should have Animal Crossing. If they don't have a Nintendo Switch, they can download the phone version, which is called Pocket Camp. Once everyone is set up, you can all go to a nearby river or ocean in the game and go fishing. You can share what you catch, whether it be a red snapper or a squid, while also catching up on video chat.

07All Dressed Up

Father's Day is a special occasion, even if you're celebrating on FaceTime or Zoom. Get all dressed up with your family and put on a virtual fashion show to make it look, and feel, as special as it possibly can. Have your dad try on a few different looks if he wants to, and toast glasses of champagne as if you're at a fancy event or brunch.

08Say Cheese

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"Say Cheese" is for when you want to reminisce on old mems, and create some new ones, too. This game requires each family member to dive into their camera roll and find funny photos of family vacations, reunions, and sporting events. With each pic, you get to tell your favorite story from that moment. When all is said and done, you use the screenshot feature to take a new photo of everyone celebrating your dad on Father's Day. Don't forget to say, "cheese!"

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