Fishbowl Party Game (For Epic Game Night & Large Group Fun!)

Ever found yourself at a party, secretly wishing for something a bit more… lively than small talk or the umpteenth replay of that one party playlist?

Well, have I got a game-changer for you: the Fishbowl Game, also known in some circles as Salad Bowl or “Why is Grandma pretending to be a T-Rex?” (more on that later)

Simple ingredients—a pen, paper, and a bowl—mix to create an uproar of hilariousness.

So, grab a bowl (yes, any bowl will do), rally the troops, and let’s dive into how you can host the most epic get-together yet.

Key Takeaways

• Fishbowl is a game for 6 to 20 people, where you guess words or phrases from paper slips.
• Prepare by gathering pens, paper, a bowl, and creating teams. Write funny prompts on the paper slips.
• Play three rounds: Taboo with descriptions, Password with one-word clues, and Charades using gestures only.
• Use simple but creative clues and actions to help your team guess correctly. 
• Make sure to mix easy and challenging words in the bowl for an exciting game experience.

What is the Fishbowl Game?

The Fishbowl Game, also known as Salad Bowl, Monikers, or Celebrity (yep, A LOT of names), is a hilarious party game that’s perfect for game nights with friends and family. 

And it’s perfect for when you have large groups of people. It’s basically a mashup of taboo, charades, and password.

You write words on paper, toss them in a bowl, and then it’s go-time—describing, guessing, acting… It’s all there!

What I like best about Fishbowl (other than it being so. much. fun.) is that you don’t really need any equipment to play. 

Just paper, pencil, a bowl, and a fun (hopefully )group of people.  

Sounds fun, right? Let’s get into it.

How to Play the Fishbowl Game (Step-by-Hilarious-Step)

Alright, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of playing the Fishbowl Game. I once played this game at a family reunion, and let me tell you—it was a riot! From my aunt miming “eating a cheeseburger” in Round 2 to my cousin barely whispering “ocean” in Round 3, it’s never been dull.

Objective

The goal of the Fishbowl Game is to guess as many words or phrases as possible within a time limit (usually a minute) to score points for your team. You want your team to rack up the most points by the end of the game.

Basic Rules of Fishbowl

Before we dive in, let’s make sure everyone’s on the same page with the rules.  Here’s a quick run-through before each team has a go at guessing the word from the bowl.

The game’s pretty straightforward: One teammate draws a slip of paper from the bowl and then does their best to help the rest of the team guess the word.

Each round spices things up with a different way to guess, and everyone gets 1 minute per turn to get their team to guess their word or phrase.  As they do you rack up as many guesses  (and points!) as possible.

Just a heads up, if someone slips up and breaks a round’s rules, their turn wraps up early, and it’s the next team’s chance to shine.

Getting Ready for Fishbowl

• Teams: First off, split everyone into two teams. Try to keep it even to keep the game fair and fun.
• The Bowl: Everyone writes down 3-5 words or phrases on pieces of paper. This could be literally anything – movie titles, famous people, random objects (think toothpick), you name it. Fold them up and toss them into a bowl.
• Game Plan: Agree on how many rounds you’re playing. Three rounds is the sweet spot, with each round having its own little twist.

Round 1: Taboo (Say Anything But…)

So, you’re all set and eager to kick off Round 1. This is where things get super fun but slightly tricky—Taboo style! 

In the first round, players take turns grabbing a slip from the bowl and describing the word or phrase to their team WITHOUT saying the actual word.  

Acting, gestures, or saying parts of the words are off-limits.  So, no “rhymes with…” or “it sounds like…” hints here.  That’s cheating.

The key is to get creative with your descriptions. Let’s say your word is “apple.” You might say something like, “It’s crunchy, it comes in many colors like red, green, and yellow.  You can pick it off a tree.  It’s a type of fruit.”  Something like that.

You’ve got a whole minute to get your team to guess as many words as possible. Once they nail one, grab another slip and keep giving them clues to guess the word.  When Then it’s the other teams turn.

After everyone’s had a go, or you run out of words, round one wraps up. Count the points, then all those words go back in the bowl for round two.

Round 2: Charades (Act it Out)

Okay, let’s dive into Round 2: Charades—where the real fun kicks in. This time, talking is off-limits. It’s all about your body telling the story.  You’re relying on gestures to get your team shouting the right answer.

Your hands and face are now your best tools. When you get to this part, you’ll find yourself inventing signs you never knew existed within you. 

Scores are tallied the same way. After the round, yep, all the words go back into the bowl.

Round 3: Password (One Word Wonders)

This round is a bit trickier.  Put all the words you’ve used previously BACK INTO THE BOWL.  

When it’s your teams turn to guess, you can only use ONE WORD to describe the word or phrase on your slip.  No actions, no sounds, just one word.  Keep the timer and scoring just like before.

 If you and your team have been paying close attention, this is your moment to shine. So, if your word is “Apple” you might simply say “Fruit” hoping your team can connect the dots from any clues that were given in round 1 or round 2.

Winning the Game

After all three rounds, the team with the most correct guesses wins the game. Pop the confetti!   

I personally like to end every game with us sharing our favorite charade performances, still laughing over the wild guesses and bad acting.

So grab your friends, choose that one magic word from the bowl carefully, and let the fun begin!

Fishbowl Game Variations & Twists

If you thought Fishbowl was fun before, wait until you try these exciting variations that’ll make your game night unforgettable.  Check it out:

1. Reverse Fishbowl: This variation kicks off with the toughest round (one-word clues) and then moves on to easier rounds (charades and Taboo). The best part? In the last round, players can chat freely after being limited in their communication earlier on. It’s a real treat!
   
2. Speed Fishbowl: In Speed Fishbowl, you’ll play the usual three rounds, but with shorter turn times. This faster pace adds some pressure and can result in some pretty funny attempts and guesses. Give 30-second turns a try for an extra challenge!
   
3. Themed Fishbowl: Before starting, choose a theme for all the words and phrases that everyone will write down. It could be anything from “Movies” to “The 90s,” “Sports,” or “Holidays.” This adds a fun layer of strategy and can make the game more tailored to your group’s interests.
   
4. Drawing Round: Pictionary anyone?. The player draws a picture to represent their word, without speaking or acting. Their team must guess the word based only on the drawing. Fun twist, right?
   
5. Sound Effects Round: In this round, the player has to make sound effects to help their team guess the word. Just remember, no speaking or acting allowed – only sound effects can be used to convey the word or phrase.

Game Tips

• When playing with a mixed-age group, make sure the words and clues are appropriate for everyone.
• If you’re short on time or want a quicker game, you can adjust the number of words each person writes down.
• To keep things running smoothly, consider having someone keep track of time and score.

These variations can really spice up your Fishbowl Game and make it more engaging for different groups and settings.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match these ideas or even come up with your own house rules to keep things fresh and exciting.

Okay, So What Words Should I Use for the Fishbowl Game?

Glad you asked!  Because sometimes it’s hard thinking of 3 to 5 words or phrases when you’re about to play Fish bowl.  I’m serious.  Sometimes people’s minds go completely blank.  

So, here’s a table of different categories you might find useful when you’re about to play with your friends and family.

Category	Examples	Real-life Examples
Famous People	Actors, musicians, politicians, historical figures, athletes	Barack Obama, Tom Cruise, Beyoncé, Albert Einstein, Serena Williams
Movies and TV Shows	Titles of popular films and television series	The Godfather, Friends, Breaking Bad, The Lion King, Stranger Things
Book Titles	Classic literature, best-sellers, children’s books	To Kill a Mockingbird, Harry Potter, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Song Titles	Hits from various genres and eras	Bohemian Rhapsody, Hotel California, Thriller, Shape of You
Fictional Characters	From books, movies, TV shows, video games, or comics	Sherlock Holmes, Darth Vader, Wonder Woman, Mario, Spider-Man
Animals	Species from around the world, including mammals, birds, reptiles	Elephant, Penguin, Komodo Dragon, Kangaroo, Bald Eagle
Cities and Countries	Well-known locations from across the globe	New York City, Paris, Tokyo, Brazil, Egypt
Food and Drinks	Popular dishes, snacks, beverages, and cuisines	Pizza, Sushi, Tacos, Chocolate, Coffee
Occupations	Common and unusual jobs from various fields	Teacher, Firefighter, Astronaut, Magician, Archaeologist
Sports and Hobbies	Activities people enjoy in their free time	Football, Painting, Hiking, Chess, Cooking
Quotations	Famous quotes from movies, books, speeches, or historical figures	“I have a dream,” “To be or not to be,” “I’ll be back”
Idioms and Phrases	Common sayings, expressions, and figures of speech	“It’s raining cats and dogs,” “Break a leg,” “Time flies”
Historical Events	Significant moments and milestones throughout history	American Revolution, World War II, Moon Landing, Fall of the Berlin Wall
Brand Names	Products, companies, and logos people encounter in daily life	Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, McDonald’s, Amazon

And since mixing it up with a variety of words and phrases can really amp up the fun in Fishbowl (and because you’re so dang amazing). Here’s 20 diverse options that should make for a interesting game:

1. Moonwalk
2. The Great Wall of China
3. Pineapple Pizza
4. Bungee Jumping
5. Sherlock Holmes
6. Karaoke Night
7. Black Hole
8. Lost Socks
9. Time Travel
10. Venus Flytrap
11. Zombie Apocalypse
12. Deja Vu
13. Parallel Universe
14. The Mona Lisa
15. Alien Invasion
16. Marathon Running
17. Invisible Cloak
18. Spaghetti
19. Whale Song
20. Breakdancing

These words and phrases span a range of categories and difficulty levels which makes for a challenging and hilarious Fishbowl game. Have fun!

FAQs

1. How does scoring work in this game?

Scoring’s easy-peasy! Every time your team guesses correctly within 1 minute—you know what?

Just keep track of how many you get right each round because those are your points. At the end of all three rounds tally up those points—the team with the most wins bragging rights (and maybe some snacks).

2. What if we guess wrong?

Guess what? No biggie! If you pass or guess wrong, put that piece of paper back into the fishbowl—it’ll make another appearance later on so try to remember those clues. This keeps things spicy because who knows when it’ll come back around.

3. Sounds like a blast but can we play virtually too?

You betcha! Even though nothing beats gathering around a real fishbowl stuffed with papers—the virtual version rocks too for online hangouts or long-distance parties.

Just use an online tool where everyone can input their words secretly and have someone act as the bowl keeper…then play following the same awesome rules.