If you’ve ever seen The Ellen DeGeneres Show, you’ve seen this game. One person holds their phone up to their forehead with the screen facing the group. The screen displays a word—a celebrity, a movie, an animal, or even a "Skibidi" meme if you’re using a custom deck—and the rest of the players have to act it out or give clues until the person holding the phone guesses correctly.

Tilt the phone down when you get it right, tilt it up to pass. It’s fast, it’s loud, and it’s arguably the most "pro-social" app in the history of the App Store. Unlike Minecraft or Fortnite, where kids are often in their own worlds (even when playing together), Heads Up! requires everyone to be present, engaged, and usually acting like a total idiot for the sake of a laugh.

It’s not just about the game; it’s about the chaos. Kids love the high-pressure timer and the fact that they get to watch their parents struggle to act out "SpongeBob SquarePants" or try to explain what "Ohio" means in the context of a weird meme.

The real "secret sauce" for kids, though, is the recording feature. While you’re playing, the app uses the front-facing camera to record the people giving the clues. When the round is over, you can watch the video of your friends or family screaming and flailing around. For the TikTok generation, this is gold. They can save these clips to the camera roll and share them, which turns a simple game of charades into a piece of content.

Learn more about how social apps use camera access

The app itself is usually very cheap (often $1.99) or free with ads, but the developers (Warner Bros. and Ellen Digital Ventures) make their real money through in-app purchases.

The game comes with a few basic decks (Animals, Movies, Characters), but kids will very quickly see the "locked" decks that look way more fun. There are decks for everything: Disney, Marvel, Harry Potter, and even specific eras like "The 90s" (which will make you feel ancient when your kids have no idea who the Spice Girls are).

Each of these decks usually costs around $0.99 to $2.99. It’s not "draining the bank account" in the way Robux can, but it’s a "death by a thousand cuts" situation.

Pro-tip: You can actually create your own custom decks in the app. This is a great way to save money and tailor the game to your family’s specific inside jokes or the things your kids are currently obsessed with.

While the app is rated 4+, that doesn't mean every deck is a fit for your 6-year-old.

Stick to the "Just Kids" decks. These use pictures instead of words, which is a lifesaver for early readers. It allows them to participate without the frustration of trying to decode a word while a 60-second timer ticks down. At this age, the physical acting is the highlight.

This is the sweet spot. They’re old enough to know the pop culture references but still young enough to think it’s funny to act like a monkey. Be aware that some "Adult" or "Late Night" decks exist in the store that feature more mature themes or "spicy" references. If your kid has the app on their own device, make sure your App Store parental controls are set to require a password for any new deck purchases.

Teens usually play this at parties or during school breaks. The content is generally fine, but this is the age where they might start downloading decks that are more focused on "edgy" humor.

Check out our guide on the best apps for teens

The biggest "heads up" (pun intended) for parents is the video recording.

If you're worried about "brain rot" or kids spending too much time in isolated digital loops, Heads Up! is the antidote. It’s a tool that uses the tech we’re already carrying to facilitate a very old-school type of fun.

However, it is a "gateway" to other Ellen-branded apps like Psych!. Psych! is also a great group game, but it involves players typing in fake answers to real trivia questions on their own phones to "psych" out their friends. It’s a bit more cynical and requires more individual screen time than Heads Up!.

If your kids are begging for a new deck, use it as a moment to talk about digital value. "Is the Star Wars deck worth $2, or can we make our own 'Space' deck for free using the custom tool?" It’s a small lesson in digital entrepreneurship and spending.

Heads Up! is a winner. It’s one of the few apps that Screenwise recommends for almost every family dynamic. It breaks the "solo screen" habit and turns the device into a centerpiece for actual human interaction.

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