Fishbowl Game Words With a Turn Timer and Team Scores

Fishbowl Game Words With a Turn Timer and Team Scores: how it works

These fishbowl game words are 300 things, actions, places, people, sayings and scenes, each chosen because it can be described, acted out and hinted at with a single word. Copy the ones you like onto slips of paper, or let the phone be the bowl: it deals one word at a time, runs a 60-second turn and keeps a score for each team.

The three rounds in short

Fishbowl is a team guessing game in which one bowl of slips is played through three times. In round one the clue giver describes the word out loud without saying it. In round two the clue giver acts it in silence. In round three the clue giver may say one word and nothing more. Teams alternate turns of 30 to 60 seconds. A slip that is guessed scores a point and stays out; a slip nobody gets goes back in. When the bowl is empty the round ends and every slip goes back. Houses differ on the order of the rounds and on passing, so agree on both before the first turn.

Let the phone be the bowl

With no paper to hand, a filtered deck stands in for the bowl. Tap one topic, and a level for a smaller bowl: Funny scenes on Medium holds 20 words, Sayings on Easy holds 13. Leave No repeats tonight ticked. The clue giver presses Start round, taps Next card for every word guessed and Skip to put one back. At the bell, a note counts the cards played in that turn; tap +1 beside the team that many times. When the note says you have played every card that matches, the bowl is empty. Press Start over and the same set returns for the next round.

Copy slips from the full list

For a paper game, scroll to the list under the tool. All 300 words are printed there by topic, and each of the 40 sayings comes with its meaning. Hand every player three to five slips and let them copy words they like or write their own. If you came for fishbowl game words ideas to suit one crowd, mix the topics: two everyday things, an action and a funny scene per player keeps the acting round fair. Fold each slip twice.

Tips

• Four slips per player is plenty: eight players fill a bowl of 32.
• Listen closely in round one. The descriptions people give there are what make the one-word round possible.
• For fishbowl game words funny enough to carry the acting round, tap Funny scenes: a ninja with hiccups, a T. rex making a bed.
• When the bell goes with a word still on the screen, the next clue giver presses Skip first, so that word goes back in the bowl.
• Try 60 seconds in round one and 45 in rounds two and three, when everyone has heard the words once.

Questions and answers