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Grandparenting

Online games to play with GC

(16 Posts)
GrandmaKT Sun 03-Aug-25 10:14:54

I have two GC in NZ, aged 4 and 6. I am in the UK. The 6 year old is starting to play games now, such as Snakes and Ladders, Uno, Go Fish. My DIL has suggested that I could play some games online with him, which I would love to do.
Does anyone do this? Can you suggest apps or websites to use? What platforms do you use? Does it work well? Any tips?
Thank you.

keepingquiet Sun 03-Aug-25 12:20:28

I think it sounds like a great idea until you think about the time differences?

GrandmaKT Sun 03-Aug-25 19:19:14

Yes, we usually have a video call on our Friday or Saturday evening, which is 8/9/10am on a Saturday or Sunday for them (depending on the time difference at the time! We find it really difficult getting a time to chat with their UK cousins, as by 9pm the UK kids are in bed.

RosieandherMaw Thu 04-Sept-25 06:11:11

Reported

65KL Fri 05-Sept-25 07:15:48

Hi , I plan to do this once grandkids are old enough. I thought we could play games that you don't have to be on line together. So I have a turn - let's say scrabble- I would send a word then when they have time they have their turn . This eliminates the time issue

denese67 Thu 15-Jan-26 17:20:37

Yes, you can definitely play games online with your grandchildren! Some good options are:

Board Game Arena – lots of classic board games you can play in real-time.

Uno Online / Crazy Games – for card games like Uno and Go Fish.

Snakes and Ladders Online – simple and easy for young kids.

Tabletopia – a wide range of board games with easy multiplayer setup.

Platforms usually work on PC, tablet, or phone. Video or voice chat alongside the game helps interaction. Start with short sessions, be patient, and let the 6-year-old guide the pace.

mikejaguar Thu 22-Jan-26 08:37:47

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keepingquiet Thu 22-Jan-26 09:10:03

This is an old post. I'm sure OP found some games to play a while ago...

GrandmaKT Thu 21-May-26 21:42:01

Actually, no, I'm still looking, if anyone has any they have used I'd be very grateful - GS off school sick!

belrinaroady Fri 22-May-26 11:03:52

<p>
I’ve recently started playing simple online games with my younger family members too, and honestly it’s such a fun way to stay connected — especially games like Uno, Ludo, and puzzle games during video calls 😊
One thing that also helped us was finding easy retro multiplayer games that work smoothly on older PCs and emulators. I found some really useful setup guides and classic gaming resources here:
<a href="https://ps2biosonlines.com/" target="_blank" rel="follow">gaming setup guides</a>.
Might be helpful for anyone trying to play older family-friendly games together online without complicated setups.
</p>

belrinaroady Fri 22-May-26 11:06:00

Spending time through online games has honestly become one of the easiest ways for families to stay connected, especially when everyone is busy or living apart 😊
We usually play simple quiz games, racing games, and classic retro games together on weekends. Some older games are still surprisingly fun for all ages.

I also came across these helpful <a href="https://ps2biosonlines.com/" target="_blank" rel="follow">retro gaming resources</a> while setting things up for multiplayer play. It made finding and running older family games much easier.

belrinaroady Fri 22-May-26 11:07:54

I really enjoy the idea of playing online games with family members because it keeps everyone connected even when we are not in the same place 😊 Simple games like quizzes, racing games, and old retro-style games are the most fun because everyone can join without much effort.

Sometimes when people want to try classic PlayStation 2 games on their devices, they look for easy setup guides and BIOS files, and that’s where ps2biosonlines.com/ becomes helpful for understanding how older games can still be played on modern systems.

GrandmasueUK Fri 22-May-26 11:13:40

We play Outsmarted with family abroad and we love it. My youngest grandson wanted to be the player with hair like granny’s. It was Einstein grin must brush my hair before playing, next time!

Magenta8 Fri 22-May-26 11:24:40

There are some lovely games and activities on the CBeebies website aimed at 4-6 year olds. CBBC is for 6-12 year olds.

GrandmaKT Fri 22-May-26 20:11:42

Thanks Magenta8, but my GC are in New Zealand, so can't access BBC. I'll check that one out GrandmasueUK, though ours are still a bit young for it.
One we do use is buddyboardgames.com - it's free and has traditional games such as Connect 4, Battleships and Uno.

Rao670 Mon 01-Jun-26 20:07:05

Online games are great for family time because they don’t need everyone to be in the same room. I think simple games work best, like trivia, racing, party games, or old retro style games that anyone can understand quickly.

Retro gaming also has that same family feeling for a lot of people, especially with older PlayStation 2 games. The only confusing part is usually setup on modern devices, so resources like this simple beginner guide can help people understand the basics without getting lost.