We are a family of gamers. Very serious gamers. Nope, I’m not talking about video games. I cannot remember a party with my husband’s extended family that didn’t include playing a game: board games, our own made-up family games, games to win some cash. We love games. And we love a good party.
So, you can imagine how hard it has been for all of us to be physically distanced. We have been missing our fun-loving, competitive rounds at family gatherings. We were planning to connect on Easter when my sister-in-law suggested we download the Houseparty app so we could get back to a family activity that felt familiar.
At first, I felt clueless. She is younger and more hip than I am, and I wasn’t really sure if I needed “one more app.” My iPhone alerted me to a text invite from her to connect on Houseparty, and I instantly felt cool again. The set up was super fast, and I knew this meant our family was about to resume the fun from a distance. Win-win!
Here are my top 5 reasons to Houseparty:
It’s Simple
Houseparty is a face-to-face social network available on phones, tablets, and your Mac or PC. You download the app, then create your profile using just a username, your email, and a phone number. Once you are set up, you can sync your contacts or your social media to find friends to party with. You can also text an invite.
Have Fun
Houseparty isn’t just an app to connect and talk. Nope. There are games built into the app. They are a breeze to use and super fun. Play Heads Up!, Trivia, Chips and Guac, and Quick Draw!. These games cause your group to laugh and have a blast. True connection always happens in the belly-laughing moments. Get started!
Be Spontaneous
One of my favorite reasons to Houseparty is that you don’t need to schedule a meeting or set up a time for everyone to meet up. When you open the app, it sends a notification to your contacts that you are “in the house.” Friends and family can instantly join the room and start to party. I have been feeling the stress of all the scheduled meetings lately, so I love that I can open the app and see who else is free when I feel up to it!
Celebrate
Remember how I mentioned our family loves a good party? We celebrate and gather for everything…from birthdays to career promotions, to St. Patty’s Day and so on. It is hard to not be together right now. I love how others have been using Houseparty to come together and celebrate: virtual birthday celebrations, dance parties, kids’ playdates/school lessons, engagements (!), mom/wine nights, group fitness classes, connecting nurses singing together, enabling loved ones to say goodbye to those who have been isolated in the hospital with COVID-19.
Stay Safe
All Houseparty accounts are safe – the service is secure, has never been compromised, and doesn’t collect passwords for other sites. Houseparty video chats can only be initiated with a mutual handshake. At that point, a “friend of a friend” could enter your chat. If you want to keep it private, lock the room. You are in control and there can be up to eight people in a room.
Staying connected to the ones you care about has never been easier or more fun. Houseparty is truly the next best thing to hanging out in person. I love that we are using this to connect during Covid-19, but we will also keep using it after to meet up with our family in NM and CA. See your family and friends more often with a simple download in the IOS App Store or Google Play.