Here is our guide to Guess the Emoji Sentence.
We put this guide together after running thousands of successful virtual team building activities and connecting remote teams in all industries for over a decade!
Playing Guess the Emoji Sentence virtually with teams involves deciphering a series of emojis to form a coherent phrase, word, or sentence. This activity sparks creativity, collaboration, and communication among team members. Groups work together to decipher the hidden messages, fostering teamwork and strengthening bonds in a fun and engaging way.
Ideal group size:
4 to 10 players
This range allows for active participation from each member while fostering collaboration and discussion to decode the emojis effectively.
Activity duration:
20 to 30 minutes
Cost:
Playing a game of Guess the Emoji Sentence virtually with teams typically costs nothing. Hosts can easily conduct the game using free online platforms or apps that generate emoji sentences.
What you’ll need:
- Access to a video conferencing platform (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet)
- Online resources or apps that generate emoji sentences (e.g., Emoji Puzzle, Emojicombos)
- Whiteboard or digital drawing tool for participants to write or draw their guesses
How to play:
Step 1: Set Up the Virtual Meeting Space
Before the game, prepare the virtual meeting room on your chosen platform and ensure all participants have joined. Then, warmly welcome players and introduce the game to generate excitement and engagement.
Step 2: Share the Emoji Sentence
You can start by displaying the emoji sentence on your screen or share it with participants through chat or screen sharing. Teams work together to decipher the hidden message.
For example:
,
Answer: Meetings that could have been emails
Step 3: Allow Time for Guessing
Participants can take a few minutes to discuss and develop their guesses for the emoji sentence. Then, encourage creativity and collaboration as teams brainstorm potential answers.
Step 4: Invite Responses
Once the time is up, invite teams to share their guesses one by one. Groups can explain the reasoning behind their answer to promote discussion and teamwork. Alternately, you can award points to the team who answers correctly the quickest.
Step 5: Provide Feedback
Then, offer feedback on each guess, indicating whether it is correct or incorrect. Teams can keep trying and provide hints or clues if needed to keep the game moving.
Step 6: Award Points
You can award points to teams for each correct guess, tallying up scores as you go. To keep the game lively, consider implementing bonus points for particularly creative or humorous answers.
Step 7: Repeat for Multiple Rounds
Then, repeat the process for several emoji sentences, allowing different teams to have opportunities to guess and earn points. This process keeps the game engaging and gives each player a chance to participate.
Step 8: Declare a Winner
At the end of the game, declare the team with the highest score as the winner. You can celebrate their success and commend all participants for their creativity and teamwork.
Examples of games or activities:
Emoji Storytelling
Description: In Emoji Storytelling, players use emojis to create a story or narrative, taking turns adding to the storyline based on the emojis provided.
- Provide an initial set of emojis to start the story. You could randomly select these emojis or base them on a specific topic or genre.
- The first player begins by interpreting the emojis and adding a sentence or two to the story based on their interpretation.
- After the first player’s turn, the next player interprets the existing emojis and adds their contribution to the story.
- Continue taking turns, with each player adding to the story based on the emojis provided and the developments in the narrative.
- Optionally, set a time limit for each player’s turn to keep the storytelling pace lively and engaging.
- Conclude the game when the story reaches a satisfying conclusion or after a predetermined number of rounds.
Insight: Emoji Storytelling encourages creativity, imagination, and collaboration among players as they work together to construct a cohesive narrative using emojis as inspiration. Players think outside the box and explore different interpretations of the emojis to keep the story dynamic and entertaining.
Emoji Riddles
Description: Emoji Riddles is a game where players decipher riddles composed entirely of emojis and guess the corresponding words or phrases.
- Present players with a series of emoji riddles, each depicting a word, phrase, or concept.
- Players study the emojis and try to decipher the hidden meaning behind each riddle.
- Players submit their guesses individually or as a team, either verbally or through a designated messaging platform.
- Once all players submit guesses, reveal the correct answers and award points to players or teams who guess correctly.
- Continue presenting new emoji riddles and tallying points until the end of the game.
Insight: Emoji Riddles challenge players’ deductive reasoning and creativity as they analyze and interpret the emojis to solve the riddles. Players get to think critically and consider multiple interpretations of the emojis to arrive at the correct answers. Be sure to provide a mix of easy and challenging riddles to accommodate players of different skill levels and keep the game engaging.
Tips:
- Collaborate actively: Encourage team members to collaborate, combining their interpretations of emojis to decipher the hidden sentence effectively.
- Communicate clearly: Ensure teammates share their thoughts and ideas openly, fostering a supportive environment.
- Think creatively: Encourage players to explore different interpretations of the emojis, considering alternative meanings or combinations to uncover the sentence.
- Strategize wisely: Discuss potential answers as a team before making a final guess, considering various possibilities, and evaluating their likelihood.
- Stay focused: Remind players to concentrate on the task at hand, avoid distractions, and maintain their attention on deciphering the emoji sentence.
- Have fun: Emphasize the enjoyment of the game and the opportunity to bond with teammates over a shared challenge, fostering a positive and engaging experience for all.
- Celebrate successes: Acknowledge and celebrate each correct guess as a team, reinforcing a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie throughout the game.
Final Thoughts
Playing Guess the Emoji Sentence offers a delightful blend of creativity, collaboration, and fun for teams to enjoy together. Through deciphering emoji combinations and unraveling hidden messages, participants strengthen their communication skills and deepen their connections with one another. This game fosters teamwork and laughter among remote colleagues.
Want more ideas? Check out our post on virtual games for large groups.
