Just because we live in the digital age doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy special moments with your grandkids. In fact, texting can be a fun way to stay close!
I’ve put together a list of fun and silly games you can play with your grandkids through text messages. These ideas are grouped by age to make things easier.
They’re perfect for grandmas who don’t get to see their grandkids very often.
And the best part? They’re all free!
I hope these games bring smiles, laughter, and more sweet memories your way.
Text Message Games for Young Children (Ages 4-8)
These simple and silly games are perfect for young kids and help you stay connected, share laughs, and spark their imagination.
Silly Rhymes
Text a word to your grandchild and ask them to think of a word that rhymes with it. The sillier, the better! You’ll be surprised by the funny rhymes they come up with.
Guess the Animal
Give your grandchild clues about an animal without saying its name.
See if they can figure it out!
Example: “It’s tall, yellow, and has a long neck.”
Answer: “A giraffe!” 🦒
Color Scavenger Hunt
Text your grandchild a color, like “blue,” and ask them to find something close to them that’s that color. They can even send you a picture of what they found!
Opposites Game
Send a word to your grandchild and ask them to text back the opposite word. It’s fun and also helps them learn new words!
Shape Detective
Name a shape like “square” or “triangle,” and ask your grandchild to find something nearby that matches that shape.
This helps them notice the world around them in a fun way.
I Spy (Text Version)
Look around your room and text a clue to your grandchild like, “I spy something hard and spiky.” Then let them guess what it is. It’s like a mystery game over text!
Number Riddles
Send your grandchild a fun riddle with numbers or logic.
Example: “What is half of 2 plus 2?”
Answer: You could answer 2 or 3, depending on how you interpret the question.
What’s That Sound?
Text a sound—like “woof” or “meow”—and see if your grandchild can guess what animal makes it. They can even reply with an emoji of the animal!
Alphabet Animals
Play a fun animal game using the alphabet! Start with the letter A and take turns naming animals for each letter. You can go in order—or mix it up however you want!
Get ready to giggle when you try to think of animals that start with tricky letters like X.
Emoji Stories
Help your grandchild use their imagination! Send them a few emojis and ask them to make up a story using those pictures. For example, you could send a cat 🐱, a hat 🎩, and the rainbow 🌈. Then, your grandchild can either text back more emojis to keep the story going or write their own story.
Example: 🐴🍕🌞 – “A horse ate a vegetarian pizza in the summer sun!”
Text Message Games for Pre-Teens (Ages 9-12)
Stay connected and have fun with your pre-teen grandchild through these simple and playful texting games. They’re great for making memories together!
20 Questions
Think of a person, place, or thing. Your grandchild can ask up to 20 yes-or-no questions to guess what it is.
It’s a classic game that helps them think and ask smart questions.
Trivia Time
Send a fun trivia question about something your grandchild loves, like dinosaurs or outer space. It’s a great way to keep their curiosity growing. You can find lots of fun questions online.
Mad Libs
Text a sentence with a missing word and let your grandchild fill in the blank.
The sillier the word, the better!
Synonym Challenge
Send your grandchild a word like “happy” and ask them to text back another word that means the same thing—like “glee” or “joyful.”
It’s a fun way to build their vocabulary.
Two Truths and a Lie
Each of you sends two true facts and one made-up one. Then you guess which one is the lie. It’s a fun way to learn new things about each other!
Would You Rather
Ask a silly question like, “Would you rather be a tiny dragon or a giant fish?”
You’ll both have fun talking about your choices. If you need ideas, I’ve got a list of questions you can use!
Finish the Sentence
Start a sentence and let your grandchild finish it however they want. The results can be super funny!
Example:
You: “A long time ago, in a galaxy…”
Them: “Spaceships and aliens!”
Text Pictionary
Describe a picture using only words, and let your grandchild guess what it is. This game will stretch their imagination—and give you both a good laugh!
Word Scramble
Text your grandchild a mixed-up word and let them try to unscramble it. They’ll feel like a word detective solving a puzzle!
Just a heads-up—autocorrect might try to “fix” your jumbled word. That can make things a little tricky (and funny!).
Text Message Games for Teens (Ages 13-19)
Whether your grandchild loves writing, thinking fast, or just having a good laugh, there’s something here for every kind of teen. Let the texting fun begin!
Word Association
Text a word and ask your grandchild to reply with the first word that pops into their mind. It’s a fast and fun way to get a peek into their thinking!
Example: You: “Sour”
Them: “Yoghurt”
Emoji Riddles
Make a riddle using emojis, and let your grandchild figure out what it means.
Example: ⭐️+💸 = Starbucks
Quote Quiz
Send a quote from a book, movie, or show, and see if your grandchild can guess where it’s from. It’s a great way to share your favorite stories and maybe discover new ones together.
Fact or Fiction
Text a fun fact—or a made-up one—and have your grandchild guess if it’s true or false.
Example: “Bananas are berries, but strawberries are not.”
Answer: True
Meme Exchange
Teens love memes—funny pictures with jokes on them. Send your grandchild a random meme that fits their humor.
It’s a simple way to get a laugh and stay connected.
Movie Mashup
Mix the plots of two popular movies and see if your grandchild can guess which ones you’re talking about.
Example: “A fish with a lucky fin gets taken, so his dad teams up with a forgetful blue friend to find him… while dodging sharks and jellyfish along the way.”
Answer: Finding Nemo + Taken
Six-Word Stories
Challenge your grandchild to tell a full story using only six words.
It might sound silly, but it really makes you think!
Rapid-Fire Questions
Send your grandchild a bunch of quick questions and ask them to answer right away—no time to think or look things up!
It’s a fun way to test their speed and wit.
Text Adventure Game
Create a short “choose-your-own-adventure” story with different choices. Your grandchild gets to decide what happens next!
This one takes a little more time to set up, but if you enjoy storytelling, your teen grandchild will love it.
Haiku Challenge
Take turns writing haikus and sending them to each other. A haiku is a short poem with three lines: the first line has 5 syllables, the second has 7, and the third has 5 again. This is perfect for teens who enjoy writing and being creative.
With these fun games and activities, you can enjoy hours of laughing, learning, and bonding—all through simple text messages. Have fun texting!
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