15 Best Travel Games for Kids and Families to Play in Cars, Planes and Hotels
From toddlers to teenagers, these games will make time fly on your next road trip or plane ride.
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No matter where you're going on vacation, you actually have to get there first. And nothing ruins the building excitement of a family vacation faster than being stuck in the car or on a plane for hours. Keep the peace while you're in transit with these entertaining travel games that the whole family can easily play in cars, planes, trains or hotels. They're all lightweight and easy to carry, so you can just toss them in your carry-on and whip one out at a moment's notice — a total lifesaver during flight delays or long layovers!
For the younger kids, you'll want to opt for a self-contained game to prevent pieces from getting lost. For older kids, we suggest more complex games to hold their attention for hours — just look for ones that can be played on a flat but compact surface, like plane tray-tables or even the RV floor. But no matter where you're going or how you plan on getting there, there are plenty of choices to keep your family (or even just yourself!) playing and laughing for hours. So before you pack up your suitcase and head out, check out all of our favorite travel games below. Looking for more family fun? Don't miss our roundups of the best beach games, the best board games for families and the best video games, too.
You can't bring the full-size board game on the road, so bring this fast-paced playing card version of Monopoly instead. Players collect properties as they use action cards to earn money throughout the game — no houses, die or game pieces necessary! Ages 8+
Bananagrams comes in a cute, banana-shaped pouch that's easy to pack in your purse — the perfect game to play in case you're left with time to kill before you can check into your hotel room! Race your family to be the first one to build a crossword using all your tiles. Ages 7+
Take the electronic version of the classic game on the go without worrying about losing dice. It's perfect for passing across the plane row to see who can get the best score. Ages 8+
This compact logic game is fun for one or many brains. The goal is to fit all the 3D pieces in the correct formation according to one of 100 different challenges. Ages 6+
This version of the family favorite comes in convenient packaging that makes it easy to bring the fun wherever you go. Throw the pack in with your picnic for a day of playing games at the park. Ages 12+
While you run errands, your kid can stay busy by solving this old-school puzzle over and over again — and yes, that's the same design from your childhood. Ages 8+
Pop-a-Tops' cute UFO shaped game has a domed top that keep the dice contained and the cards fit into the body of the spacecraft. Give the container a "pop" (get it?) to roll the dice without worrying about losing them under the table. Ages 6+
Enjoy the classic mystery game without all the small pieces (where did the candlestick go, anyway?) Now everyone in the family can play detective everywhere you go! Ages 8+
This travel dice game is small enough to stash just about anywhere, even in just your pocket. Since it's easy to put away too, you can take it out when you're sitting around waiting on food or on play it on tray tables without worrying about rushing to clean up. Ages 4+
This coloring activity set comes with a hard shell case to store the coloring sheets, markers, stamps and ink pads all in one place. Since the Color Wonder markers can only draw on Color Wonder coloring pages, you don't have to worry about cleaning up stray marks. Age 3+
Take care of this pocket-sized friend by teaching them all kinds of tricks and playing one of the seven mini-games you can unlock. Ages 8+
This word guessing game is great to pull out when you're waiting around in the airport when your plane is inevitably delayed. Try and come up with as many words as you can before the timer runs out. Ages 8+
Like the other card games on this list, this playing card version of Guess Who? allows you to bring the classic guessing game along for the ride. Ages 4+
While this board game isn't exactly travel friendly, it is a great way to teach your child the ins and outs of traveling before embarking on your family adventure together. Choose your home city and race to be the first to visit all 20 airports including JFK, BOS and DFW. Ages 8+
Nintendo's newest console can easily convert from a home system to a portable system by detaching from the dock. So you can bring games like Mario Kart 8, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda basically anywhere. Ages 6+
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
The Good Housekeeping Institute Parenting Lab provides expert reviews and advice on everything parents and children love. Chief Technologist and Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman has been testing games and toys for nearly 15 years and has served on several ASTM committees that help guide industry product testing standards. She has three toddlers who actively support her in her testing pursuits, too.
As the assistant to the Good Housekeeping Institute Director, Abigail Bailey regularly tests all manner of products and toys — and she has two younger siblings who graciously support her through game testing.
Abigail (she/her) is product reviews writer who has covered everything from kitchen gear to mattresses and smart blinds. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a B.A. in creative writing and earned her M.S. in publishing digital and print media from New York University. She currently works at Wirecutter, but has also spent time on staff at Good Housekeeping and The Southern Review literary magazine. In her free time you can find her quilting, cross-stitching or trying to figure out how to squeeze one more bookshelf in her tiny apartment.
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