How to Play the Fishbowl Game for Fun & Creativity

How to Play the Fishbowl Game: Need a game that is fun, fast-paced, and full of creativity, teamwork, and lots of laughs? The best option is the Fishbowl Game! This party game is often called a combination of Charades, Taboo, and Password, where players are asked to guess words or phrases by acting, describing, or using only one word. It is best when played in groups, so it is a success in parties, families, classes, and team-building events.

The Fishbowl Game is so entertaining because of the changing structure. The game is played in several rounds – the peculiarities of each round are its own interpretation of communication. The further the rounds continue, the harder it becomes to guess; as a result, a funny misunderstanding and a memorable moment are remembered. The Fishbowl Game is simple to create, fully customizable, and will have everyone laughing and involved, no matter what your group is made of, whether they are kids, teens, or adults.

How to Play the Fishbowl Game

What You’ll Need:-

• Small slips of paper or sticky notes

• Pens or markers (for writing the words)

• A bowl, hat, or container (your “fishbowl”)

• Timer or stopwatch (phone timer works fine)

• Score sheet and pen (optional but helpful)

• A group of 4+ players (more is better!)

• A table or surface to place the bowl and materials

How to set up your Teams for the Fishbowl Game

• Separate the players into two equal groups.
• Strive to have equal numbers (e.g., 3 vs 3, 5 vs 5).
• In case it is an odd number, one of the teams may have an extra player.
• Sit in two groups or a circle.
• Facilitates the turn-taking, keeps energy focused.
• Decide on the turn order
• Switch among teams.
• Select a player of each team to begin the first round.
• Promote team strategy (not compulsory)
• Teams may discuss short-term signals or memory hints during brief discussions of how to use them in future rounds.
• Choose a scorekeeper
• Points can be tracked by one impartial individual or by a rotating player.

The Fishbowl Game Process

1. Prepare the Word Slips

   • Each participant writes 3–5 words/phrases (movies, celebrities, objects, etc.) on small slips of paper.

   • Fold the slips and place them all together in a bowl/hat/container (“fishbowl”).

2. Divide into Teams

   • Split players into two equal teams.

   • Teams can sit back-to-back or in a circle.

🎯 Rounds

1: Taboo (Describe It!)

• A player draws a slip and describes the word without saying it or using related words.

• Teammates try to guess within 60 seconds.

• Correct guess = 1 point. Player keeps drawing until time runs out.

• Switch teams and repeat.

2: Password (One-Word Clue)

• All slips go back into the bowl.

• This time, the player can only say one word as a clue.

• Same timer and scoring rules apply.

3: Charades (Act It Out!)

• Slips are returned to the bowl.

• Player must act out the word without speaking or making sounds.

• Team guesses to score points before the timer ends.

3. Keep Track of Scores

   • Add up points after each round.

   • The team with the most points at the end wins.

4. Repeat or End Game

   • Continue until all slips are used, or start again with new words.

   • Add a bonus round or twist for extra fun.