How to Play The Game of Fishbowl
How to Play The Game of Fishbowl
How to Play The Game of Fishbowl
Fishbowl is a fun team game that you can play with your family at home. It is a great way to stay connected to your loved ones and enjoy laughter together while you are all stuck inside. Enjoy!
The object of the game is for team members to guess a word from a teammate’s description, acting out the word, or saying only a single describing word. A different method is used in each round.
To start, divide into two equal teams - Team A and Team B. If you have an odd number of players, the odd player can sit out, keep score, or be the timekeeper until the next round. Team A will go first in round one and Team B will go first in round 2. The team with the lowest score after round 2 will go first in round 3.
You will need the following materials to play Fishbowl:
- Paper
- Scissors (optional)
- Pens or pencils
- A fishbowl, basket, or in my case, I used a vase
- A timer
Give each team member on both teams 3 pieces of paper. To be environmentally conscious, I used scissors to cut the paper into smaller pieces.
Teams sit facing each other on the couch, the floor -- wherever you are most comfortable. Each player chooses three words or phrases (keeping them secret) that they feel can be described or acted out. For example, I chose “bread,” “dog,” and “hello.” Players should write one word on each piece of paper, fold it, and place it in the fishbowl.
The scorekeeper uses a piece of paper as a score sheet, writing “Team A” on one side and “Team B” on the other side.
In each round, teams will have 1 minute to guess as many words as possible. I used my phone for a timer. Teams should pick a different team member each round to choose slips of paper from the bowl.
Team A chooses a member to go first, while Team B assigns a timekeeper. As the minute starts, the Team A player takes a piece of paper from the bowl and tries to get the other Team A members to guess the word on the paper, using only words and sentences. In this round, motions of any kind are not allowed, nor are you allowed to say the word or any variation of the word. If your teammates guess the word, put the piece of paper down and grab a new piece from the bowl. If you feel you can’t explain the word, you can say “pass,” put the paper back in the bowl, and grab a new one. When time is up, Team A totals the number of slips they guessed correctly and tallies it on the score sheet. Team B repeats the same process as Team A. If at any point in the game, the paper slips have all been used, the round is over. The winner of the round is the team with the most points. All of the slips of paper are put back in the bowl for the next round.
Team B goes first in this round. This time, only silent actions can be used when trying to get your teammate to guess the word on the piece of paper. Words, sounds and phrases are not allowed. If teammates use words, sounds, or phrases, the word will not count as a point. Remembering words from the first round is key when trying to guess words in the second and third rounds. The scores are tallied and the slips of paper are put back in the bowl for round 3.
This final round is the hardest, as you are only allowed to give a one-word hint. The team with the lowest number of points goes first. No actions are allowed. If players say more than the one-word hint, then the point doesn’t count.
After all points have been recorded, the team with the most points wins!!
Fishbowl promotes teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving, making it a perfect family game for all ages. It’s also a great way to work on vocabulary words with your kids in a fun and engaging environment. We hope our family game night brings you happiness during this uncertain time.
