Jeopardy category ideas for family, parties and class
A strong board has a mix: something for the trivia lovers, something for the kids, and at least one category only your group could answer. Family categories are almost always the favorite, because the clues turn into stories.
About your family
- Family Vacations
- Who Said It?
- Baby Photos
- Grandma's Kitchen
- Family Pets
- Our Wedding
- Inside Jokes
- The Kids' First Words
- Where We've Lived
- Family Recipes
- Famous Family Fights
- Guess the Year
Pop culture
- Disney Movies
- 90s Hits
- Sitcoms
- Superheroes
- Video Games
- Reality TV
- Movie Quotes
- Boy Bands
- Cartoons
- Bollywood
- Broadway Musicals
- Viral Videos
Everyday knowledge
- Around the World
- Animals
- Food and Drink
- Science
- American History
- Sports
- Inventions
- The Human Body
- Space
- Famous Landmarks
- Flags
- Weather
Wordplay
- Rhyme Time
- Before and After
- Starts With Q
- Three-Letter Words
- Anagrams
- Famous Pairs
- Fill in the Blank
- Spell It Backwards
Holidays and parties
- Christmas Movies
- Thanksgiving Food
- Diwali Traditions
- New Year's Resolutions
- Halloween Costumes
- Birthday Songs Around the World
- Holiday Songs
- Winter Sports
For the office or classroom
- Know Your Coworkers
- Company History
- Office Lingo
- Math Facts
- Book Characters
- Spelling Bee
- World Capitals
- Science Experiments
How to write good clues
- Five clues per category, easy to hard. The $200 clue should be one most people get. Save the deep cuts for $1,000.
- Write clues as statements. "This city is home to the Eiffel Tower." Players answer with a question: "What is Paris?"
- One clear answer. If two answers could be right, rewrite the clue.
- Add one surprise. A clue about the host or the dog always gets a laugh.
Play your categories on the TV
Trivia Board is Hangtime's free Jeopardy-style game. The board goes on your TV and every phone becomes a buzzer.
- Write a category at hangtime.games/make: five clues, easiest first. It's free and you get a code.
- Open hangtime.games/trivia-tv on the TV, add your category, and fill the rest of the board from 24 ready-made categories, from Around the World to Bollywood Gaane.
- Everyone joins at hangtime.games/play and buzzes in from their phone. There's even a Daily Double.
Tips
- Three to six categories is plenty. A full board takes about 20 minutes.
- Pair kids with grown-ups. One phone per team works well with mixed ages.
- Keep score on screen. Trivia Board tracks the score and the steals, so nobody has to be the scorekeeper.
- Share your category. Send the code to another family and see who does better.
Five clues about your people, played on the TV with phones as buzzers. Free.
Make a categoryNo group handy? Try Wordy Birdy solo, free, in 10 seconds →Questions
What are good Jeopardy categories for families?
Mix one or two about your own family, like Family Vacations or Who Said It?, with general ones everyone can play: Animals, Disney Movies, Around the World and Food and Drink.
How many categories does a Jeopardy game have?
The TV show uses six categories with five clues each. For a family night, three to six categories is plenty.
How do I make my own Jeopardy game for free?
Write five clues at hangtime.games/make, then play them with Trivia Board on your TV. It's free, and everyone buzzes in from their phone.
What are funny Jeopardy categories?
Wordplay categories like Rhyme Time or Before and After, Inside Jokes about your group, and Famous Family Fights always get laughs.