15 Games You Can Play With a Whiteboard
Whiteboards are versatile tools that can turn any gathering into an engaging, interactive experience. Whether you're working with a group of older adults, students, or team members, whiteboard games encourage participation and creative thinking. We love whiteboard games because of their versatility and relative ease to setup. Because they are great for any audience it is important that you consider the players and environment when setting up these games. Below is a list of 15 whiteboard games where we’ll explain why we like the game, the benefits of playing each game, and how you can make them accessible to everyone.
R.A.T.E Your Activity
We recommend using our R.A.T.E system any time you run an activity. This is a simple checklist you can go through while planning or setting up that will make any activity more accessible and fun for everyone. The R.A.T.E. system stands for Room, Agency, Track, and Equipment. Below we have given a quick definition and examples of how these apply to whiteboard games.
Room:
Adjust the environment to ensure comfort and focus.
Consider dimming the lights or using natural lighting for participants who may be sensitive to bright lights.
Ensure the space is quiet and free from distractions, or create a designated area with limited background noise.
Arrange seating to allow everyone to have a clear view of the whiteboard. If needed put the white board on a large lazy Susan so that it can be swiveled around for participants to see more clearly.
Agency:
Respect participants’ preferences in how they engage with the game.
Offer different ways of participation—some players might prefer to shout out answers, others may prefer to write or draw on the board.
Encourage participants to choose how much assistance they want during the game, ensuring they feel comfortable.
Empower players to take breaks when needed without any social pressure to continue.
Track:
Pace the game according to participant needs.
Adjust the level of difficulty or complexity of the game depending on the group’s abilities. Offer concrete examples or visual cues to support players who might struggle with abstract thinking or game mechanics.
Allow extra time for those who need it, especially if they are processing or recalling answers.
Display the rules of the game clearly on the board or provide a handout so everyone can follow along easily.
Offer simplified versions of games, such as reducing the number of steps or prompts, to ensure all participants can stay engaged.
Equipment:
Ensure all materials are accessible for everyone.
Use larger markers, thicker pens, or even color-coded tools to help those with visual impairments.
For participants who struggle with fine motor skills, consider tactile alternatives, such as textured surfaces or raised-line boards.
If possible, offer assistive technologies like electronic whiteboards for participants who might find it easier to engage with a digital platform.
Okay, with that in mind let’s get onto the list 15 games you can play with a whiteboard!
1. Hangman
A classic word-guessing game where one player chooses a secret word and draws blank spaces for each letter. The group takes turns guessing letters. If they choose correctly, the letter is added to the word; if not, a part of a stick figure is drawn. The goal is to guess the word before the drawing is completed.
Why it’s great: Strengthens vocabulary, spelling, and problem-solving while encouraging teamwork.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (language processing, memory)
Social wellness (teamwork, communication)
Vocational wellness (strengthening cognitive skills useful for writing and communication)
Accommodation:
Include the alphabet at the bottom or side of the whiteboard so participants can easily see which letters have been guessed.
2. Last Letter
Players take turns saying words where each new word must start with the last letter of the previous word. Example: Apple → Elephant → Tiger → Rainbow. For extra complexity consider adding a rule where all the words need to be in the same category, such as “Food and Drink” or “Four Letter Words”.
Why it’s great: Encourages quick thinking and expands vocabulary.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (word recall, language skills)
Social wellness (engaging with others in a fun way)
Accommodation:
Write each word on the board as it’s said, so players can follow along visually.
3. What’s in a Word?
Choose a long word (e.g., CELEBRATION) and challenge participants to create as many smaller words as possible from its letters (e.g., table, lion, rice). The amount of times a participant can use a letter is dependent on how often it appears in the base word (e.g. Celebration has two E’s so that letter can be used twice). You can set a time limit or make it competitive by seeing who can find the most words.
Why it’s great: Promotes language skills, pattern recognition, and cognitive flexibility.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (problem-solving, language skills)
Vocational wellness (useful in jobs requiring strong vocabulary and literacy)
Accommodation:
Use a different colored marker to differentiate between the base word and the ones being created.
4. Alphabet Cookies
Randomly select a set of letters (e.g., T, R, N, A, E, S) and challenge participants to form as many words as possible using only those letters (e.g., star, neat, ear). Participants can use the letters as often as they like. You can also add a theme (e.g., “Only food words” or “Words related to travel”) for an additional challenge.
Why it’s great: Boosts creativity, word association, and group engagement.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (word recall, language processing)
Social wellness (cooperation, friendly competition)
Accommodation:
Consider whether displaying the letters in a circle or in a line would be best for your group.
5. Sudoku
Draw a simple Sudoku grid on the whiteboard with a few numbers filled in. Players must work together to fill in the missing numbers according to Sudoku rules (each number can only appear once per row, column, and section).
Why it’s great: Enhances logic, strategic thinking, and attention to detail.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (critical thinking, problem-solving)
Vocational wellness (useful for improving focus, logic, and analytical skills)
Accommodation:
Use color-coding to help differentiate between the numbers and sections of the grid.
6. Connections
Write several random words on the board (e.g., Moon, Bat, Pear, Pair, Music). Players must find and explain creative connections between them (e.g., "Moon and Bat – both seen at night," or "Pear and Pair – homophones!").
Why it’s great: Encourages creative thinking and storytelling.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (abstract thinking, making connections)
Social wellness (teamwork, discussion)
Emotional wellness (self-expression, storytelling)
Accommodation:
Consider offering hints if the group is struggling (e.g. what is the connection).
7. Word Association
Start with a single word (e.g., Tree), and each participant takes turns writing a related word in a chain (Tree → Leaves → Autumn → Pumpkin → Halloween). You can also do this in a timed round to see how long the chain can get!
Why it’s great: Encourages quick thinking, creativity, and conversation.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (language fluency, association skills)
Emotional wellness (expressing personal connections to words)
Social wellness (conversation, collaboration)
Accommodation:
Allow participants to raise their hand and answer when they have a word so that no one person is singled out if they cannot think of an answer.
8. Finish the Doodle
Draw a random squiggle or incomplete shape on the board, and participants take turns adding to it until it becomes a complete drawing.
Why it’s great: Encourages imagination and teamwork. No artistic skill required—just creativity!
Wellness connection:
Creative wellness (artistic expression)
Emotional wellness (self-expression, stress relief)
Spiritual wellness (creative flow, mindfulness through art)
Accommodation:
Provide pre-drawn shapes or templates for those who may feel less confident about drawing freehand.
9. Pictionary
Players take turns drawing a word while others guess what it is—no letters or numbers allowed! You can create a list of words in advance, use a random word generator or let participants come up with their own.
Why it’s great: Encourages communication, nonverbal expression, and laughter!
Wellness connection:
Social wellness (team interaction, shared fun)
Emotional wellness (self-expression, humor)
Physical wellness (hand-eye coordination, movement while drawing)
Accommodation:
For participants with fine motor skill challenges, offer options like using stickers or stamps instead of drawing.
10. 20 Questions Whiteboard Edition
One player thinks of a secret word and writes the category on the board (e.g., “Animals”). The group asks yes/no questions to figure out the word in 20 guesses or fewer.
Why it’s great: Builds reasoning skills, deductive thinking, and group interaction.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (critical thinking, logic)
Social wellness (group participation, conversation)
Vocational wellness (useful for developing analytical and questioning skills)
Accommodation:
For participants with hearing impairments, ensure that the questions are written on the board so that everyone can read them.
11. Mirror Drawing
In this game, one player draws a simple image (e.g., a star or house) on the whiteboard while attempting to trace the drawing in the mirror or by facing away from the board. The challenge is to mimic the drawing's shape and structure without directly seeing the process, often leading to humorous and unexpected results. Learn more about mirror drawing here.
Why it’s great: Enhances hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills, while promoting a fun, low-pressure challenge. It also encourages light movement and engagement.
Wellness connection:
Physical wellness (fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination)
Social wellness (teamwork, shared laughter)
Accommodation:
Allow for tactile accommodations (like drawing with a guide or using textured surfaces) for those with visual impairments. Items like play doh or textured markers can be offered to support tactile exploration.
12. Rhyme Time
Write a random word on the whiteboard (e.g., “tree”) and challenge participants to come up with as many words as they can that rhyme with it. Set a timer and see how many rhyming words they can come up with before the time runs out.
Why it’s great: Encourages word recall, creativity, and quick thinking.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (language skills, memory)
Social wellness (communication, collaboration)
Accommodation:
Provide visual support or word banks for participants who may need extra assistance.
13. Word Ladder
Provide the group with two words that have the same number of letters (e.g., "cat" and "dog"). Participants work together to transform the starting word into the ending word by changing one letter at a time, ensuring that each intermediate step forms a valid word (cat- bat- bot- bog- dog).
Why it’s great: Strengthens vocabulary, encourages strategic thinking, and fosters problem-solving skills.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (language processing, logic)
Social wellness (team collaboration, friendly challenge)
Accommodation:
Offer hints as to which letter needs changing to continue the ladder, or limit the potential letter options so that there are fewer to choose from.
14. Word Scramble
Write a scrambled version of a word on the board. Participants must rearrange the letters to form the correct word. For an added challenge, time the activity or make it a competition.
Why it’s great: Boosts spelling, cognitive flexibility, and problem-solving skills.
Wellness connection:
Intellectual wellness (pattern recognition, language skills)
Social wellness (collaboration and friendly competition)
Accommodation:
Offer hints or allow participants to see unscrambled portions such as the correct first letter of the word or whether it starts with a consonant or a vowel.
15. Mad Libs
Create a story template on the board with blanks for different parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.). Participants fill in the blanks without knowing the full context, then read the often humorous story aloud. Be sure to cover the story (except for the blanks) so that the participants’ answers are not influenced.
Why it’s great: Encourages creativity, spontaneity, and laughter.
Wellness connection:
Emotional wellness (humor, creative expression)
Social wellness (group interaction, shared laughter)
Accommodation:
Ensure that the story content is culturally relevant and easily understandable, and allow for assistance in filling in words if needed.
Whiteboard games are an effective way to engage groups of any age and ability. They promote various aspects of wellness—from intellectual stimulation and creativity to social connection and physical coordination. By adapting these games to meet different needs, you ensure that everyone can join in the fun. So next time you gather a group, pick one of these games, and watch as creativity, laughter, and learning come together in a dynamic, interactive setting.
