Keeping kids entertained can be a challenge, whether thats on a long journey or just whilst youre waiting for you food to arrive in a restaurant. With 3 kids of different ages we find that it can be difficult to please all the people all the time, but one thing that does unite us is our love of games. Including board games, card games, word games and silly made up games, we find that being playful together can pass the time, help us bond as a family and can be a whole heap of fun.
Having tried and tested A LOT of games, here are 5 of our favourite travel games -
A simple pack of classic playing cards. There are literally thousands of games you can play with a pack of playing cards for all ages. From the simple OLD MAID for younger children to the more complex PALACE. We also love, GO FISH, CRAZY EIGHTS, GIN RUMMY, I found this great wesbite that teaches you loads of different games - https://bicyclecards.com. You can grab a pack of playing cards before you go for not very much money from AMAZON or could could buy some from a gift shop whilst youre on your travels as a nice souvenier.
KARIBA - We got this game just before we went on our road trip to Canada and we played it non stop. A great game for the whole family, super simple to play, doesnt take much setting up or room to play and the game only takes 5 minutes. Lots of fun and always gets the competitive juices flowing in our family! Again available on AMAZON in the UK but in couldnt find in on the US Amazon.
TACO, CAT, GOAT, CHEESE, PIZZA - This probably isn't a game you want to play in a quiet restaurant as it can get quite rowdy. But certainly in your hotel room or in a busy bus or train station it can help to raise the enegy levels when your flagging. Next level snap style game with lots of shouting out and actions. Its pure adrenaline fun for everyone. At around than £10 / $10 its definitely earnt its place in the holiday collection - Buy it HERE
TRANQUILITY - As the name suggests this game is much more peaceful than most family games. I would say this is for older children and adults as it takes a bit of strategic thinking but it is still a simple enough game to get to grips with. There are also extra rules that you can add in to make this game even harder if you want to play it as adults after the kids have gone to bed. This is our current favourite game that we play at home as well as on the move. It needs a table top to play so not suitable for the plane but certainly a restaurant game or a floor space when you have a bit more time to kill. Bit on the pricer side at approx £14 / $14 but well worth it as you get expansions in the pack to keep making the game harder. It is available on AMAZON.
PASS THE PIGS - This is a classic game that Im guessing most people know about or have played before, but it is still a favourite as its super simple to play, fun, a little bit cheeky and even the smallest member of the gang can play. You are literally just throwing some small pigs and seeing how they land, also great for challenging your kids to do the Maths totalling the scores up (game + learning all in one!) Its also super compact and light so perfect for travels! You could pick these up from the airport / ferry / train station etc but its probably cheaper to buy before you go HERE
We love all of these games, and loads more. We always take at least 3-5 games with us when we travel and even when we just go out for dinner. Personally I dont like my kids to be on tech in a restaurant as I love to spend the time chatting and catching up as a family and I love the way games can bring you together as a family (when someone isnt having a tandrum about losing that is!)
Affiliate Disclosure
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I have personally used or believe will add value to my readers
Comments