Getting ready to pack your suitcases and hit the road? Don’t forget the travel games! Whether you’re taking a road trip and need a little quiet in the backseat, or want to have some entertainment on hand in case of rainy days at the beach, these travel games for kids and families are worth including in your luggage. Bon voyage!
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1. Shotgun!
The two hundred cards in this road trip game are full of fun discussion prompts, challenges, and activities. Reviewers note that teens, as well as younger kids, are sure to enjoy this one.
2. Scavenger Hunt for Kids Travel Card Game
Scavenger hunts are some of our favorite travel games for kids! The goal here is to be the first to find the objects listed on 10 cards. This game has endless replayability, no matter where you go.
3. Auto Bingo
Here’s a cool twist on the scavenger hunt—bingo! Each reusable card has lots of items to look for. The first one to get five in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonally) wins!
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4. Train of Thought
This discussion game is really more about interacting as a family rather than a competition, although the goal is to collect and answer three cards in each category. There are hilarious activity cards mixed in to keep you on your toes.
5. Guess in 10
The Guess in 10 series is a little like 20 Questions. Each card contains something for the other team to guess (like cities around the world), but they only get to ask 10 questions. Clue cards offer a bit of help as teams try to be the first to guess 7 cards correctly. Other options in the series include dinosaurs, sports, and animals.
6. Battleship Grab & Go
This classic is one of the best travel games for kids! The game boards are compact and hold everything you need to be able to say, “You sunk my battleship!”
7. Flip to Win Memory Game
Memory (also called Concentration) usually involves a pack of cards laid out in rows. This travel version is ideal for car trips since it uses flip tabs instead of individual cards. It comes with seven double-sided game cards for lots of backseat fun!
8. Bananagrams
Think of this like Scrabble on the go. No need for a game board; just take turns spelling words with the letter tiles. This one is perfect for rainy afternoons in a hotel or playing on a plane.
9. Simon Micro
We’ll admit the beeps of this little gadget might get on your nerves after a while, but kids really do love it. Watch the flashing sequence of lights and repeat it. You can play on your own or use Pass It mode to compete.
10. Boggle
Here’s another classic that’s also perfect as a travel game! Shake up the board, then see how many words you can make from connecting letters.
11. Rush Hour Jr.
Logic games are fantastic travel games for kids, especially when you need them to play quietly on their own for a bit. Set up the car pieces according to the puzzle card. Then figure out how to slide them out of the way so each car can leave the lot through the exit. Adults will be challenged by this one too.
12. Melissa & Doug License Plate Game
Sure, you can play the license plate game without a board or special equipment, but this does make it a lot more fun! Flip the tiles as you spot a representative from each state, and see if you can get them all before your journey ends.
13. Anywhere Travel Guide
Planning a staycation this year, or need a way to make another visit to Grandma’s small town interesting? Try these cards, which present a series of challenges that turn any kind of trip into an adventure.
14. Mastermind
Mastermind is a classic that’s all about using logic to crack your partner’s code. The concept is simple, but endless combinations mean this game is different every single time.
15. Clue Card Game
Classic board games in card form make awesome travel games for kids. Solve the mystery without the board in this version of the whodunnit favorite, Clue.
16. IQ XOXO
This is another logic puzzle game, sized small so you can take it anywhere. Solve the puzzle by determining how to fit all the pieces onto the game board. The included booklet has 120 puzzles of increasing difficulty.
17. Cat’s Cradle
All you really need for Cat’s Cradle is a piece of string, but these days, most kids don’t actually know how to play anymore! This book teaches you how to make lots of fun figures with just some string and your fingers.
18. Monopoly Deal Card Game
Another classic board game turned card game; Monopoly Deal is best when you have some space to lay out the cards. That’s why we love it for play in a hotel room or lake cabin when everyone needs a break from more active fun.
19. Apple Twist
One more logic game, this time with twisty caterpillars and an apple playing board. The board itself turns in sections to create a wide array of puzzle challenges.
20. Disney Eye Found It
I spy with my little eye… a fun travel game! Kids comb each picture card to find specified items. If you’re headed to Disney, this one is especially fun for building excitement.
21. Travel Ping Pong Set
You can’t play this one in the car or on a plane, but it’s fun to set up on a table in your Airbnb rental. You get everything you need for an epic ping pong tournament.
22. Collapsible Cornhole
Packable cornhole? Count us in! Play this one at the beach, in the park, or anywhere you can find some empty space.
23. 12 Retro Magnetic Games
This collection of magnetic travel games for kids will ensure there’s always something new to keep them occupied. Each board folds up to hold the necessary game pieces inside.
24. The 100 Best Brainteasers for Kids
Brainteasers can occupy one child on their own or get the whole family working together to work out the answers. This book has plenty of puzzles for elementary-aged kids to tackle.
25. On-The-Go Mini Game Pad
Sometimes all you need is something simple to provide a few minutes of fun. This little pad gives you sheets for tic-tac-toe, connect five, and the alphabet game of categories. Add some pencils, and you’re ready to go!
Vacations are the perfect time for scavenger hunts! Get 25 Free Scavenger Hunts for Kids here.
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