Are you taking your family on a much-deserved and long-desired vacation this summer? If you are looking for something to occupy waiting times at airports or downtime in your accommodations, here are six compact, fun games that the whole family can enjoy.
Qwixx is a dice game for ages 8 and up. My son was able to play this game starting when he was in kindergarten, and it helped him to practice addition with dice. It’s a really fun, simple game that does not require a lot of space or time to play. Up to five people can play.
Skip-Bo is a fun and fast-paced game, where you try to get rid of your stockpile (or individual deck) as quickly as possible by placing cards in numerical orders in different piles.
This game is still a bit difficult for my five year old, but when my son was six, he was able to understand the concept and play well. The game is for up to six players, so you can include a lot of people in this easy-to-learn and entertaining game.
Skyjo is one of our family favorites. Each player is dealt twelve cards, face down. During each round, each player must try to get the lowest score possible by eliminating high cards. It is part skill, part luck, and my kids love it.
My daughter started playing with our help when she was four years old. Now she is five, and she can play well, without too much assistance. Up to eight people can play this game, making it perfect for any size family on vacation.
Fluxx is an easy game to learn with its two basic rules: Draw 1, Play 1.
Of course, the game changes quickly with different rules, goals, and actions. You can also add fun expansions to this game like Zombie Fluxx, Fairy Tale Fluxx, Marvel Fluxx, Math Fluxx, Monty Python Fluxx, Astronomy Fluxx, and many, many more. They can all be combined into one game. It is fast-paced, simple, and very engaging.
This game is for up to six players and ideal for families with kids who are old enough to read. My first-grader was able to play this game successfully for the first time this year.
If you have Rummy fans in your family, Phase 10 is the perfect game for you. For each phase, you have to gain a certain hand (like a run of 7) or other variations and then try to play other cards to catch other players with cards still in their hands.
The game is for up to six players, and although it can be played with two people, it is more fun to have at least three people. Phase 10 is designed for ages seven and up, and this is fairly accurate. I am sure some six-year-olds could play, but there is some strategy involved that would make it difficult for younger children.
Sushi Go! is another one of our family favorites. In this game, you are dealt a hand, choose a card to keep, and then you pass the cards. Once all the cards being passed are out for that round, you tally a score.
My kids started playing this game when they were around four years old. They did miss some of the strategy and how to actually get points, but they still enjoyed it. My five year old is now starting to understand how to actually win. Sushi Go! is a game for two to five players, and it is easy to learn, quick to play, and easy to tote around in its small tin.
