We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek game you can hide and have kids look for in your cabin where there's zero Wi-Fi. It makes noises to clue kids into where the toy is hiding. Here's to hide 'n' seek without having to shut yourself up in a coat closet.
Recommended for ages 3+. Check out a TikTok of the Silly Poopy in action.
Promising review: "Let me tell you that if you want hours of endless fun of hide and go seek without having to hide yourself, this is a must get! When it's hidden it makes various toot noises and says stuff so the kids know if they are close. And when they find it and press the button to do and sing the silly poopy dance ... even you will dance and sing along!!! Doesn't need batteries and come on, it's poop? Who doesn't think poop and toot noises are funny and if they don't they are lying to themselves. A must-have for fun with your kids without barely doing any work!!" —andrea kelli gorman
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
2. A Games on the Go set with 50 different activities to keep those kids (and adults!) occupied while waiting to actually get to where you're going. And then also once you arrive!
Promising review: "For a quick and convenient game that can literally be taken anywhere, this game is perfect! The cost was great and the games are fun, quick, and can be played by kids and adults of all ages. I would love to see families pulling these cards out while waiting for dinner at a restaurant or while sitting in the subway together rather than everyone pulling out their iPhones! These fun interactive games will get the whole family talking and playing together. Love it! I did notice that on a couple of the cards my daughter, who’s 8-years-old, had to read the card a couple of times or hand it to me to explain to her, but once I read the directions she was good to go. Overall, a great purchase!" —Julie
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
3. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, a super-fun card game that'll play well with everyone (even kids!) because that NSFW Cards Against Humanity deck is a bit tired by now. Well, with this, it's safe for *all* ages.
Recommended for ages 8+. As soon as there is a match between a card and a spoken word, race against each other to slap your hand on the central pile of cards. The last one to do so must take them all. Be quick to be the first to get rid of all your cards. But watch out! Your mind will play tricks on you. Dolphin Hat Games is a small business that specializes in family-friendly card games.
Promising review: "This game is more mind bending than you think. Don’t let the cuteness fool you. This game is by far the most competitive and fun party game to play with friends!! The special cards mess with your mind!
"Pros: hours of fun, cute drawing style, unique packaging, easy to play
"Cons: may result in red hands, strain of voice from intense playing" —Hani
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
4. A kids' edition of "We're Not Really Strangers," which probably sounds familiar if you're on TikTok. It encourages forming stronger bonds with loved ones and reviewers cite it as a way to get closer with their kids.
Check out a TikTok of the original "We're Not Really Strangers" in action.
We're Not Really Strangers is a US-based small business specializing in purpose-driven, relationship building card games to help foster human connection. You can check out the family edition, the couples edition, and the friendship edition for more specific options!
Promising review: "This is such a kitschy game, but it's super cute and I love that all the cards (on one side) look like they are written in crayon by a kid. I love that the ideas on them that take me back and let me remember being a kid again. It is also fun when you play the actual game!" —Molly Hunt
Get it from Amazon for $25.49 (and check out all the other editions of the game on their Amazon storefront).
5. Bananagrams, a classic word-building game that can provide hours and hours of fun. All you need is a flat surface and a few pals to participate.
6. The Great British Baking Show game, which'll help bide your time in between bakery and pastry shop stops.
Recommended for 10+.
Promising review: "This is a fun and fast-paced game for the GBBS fan and gamer alike. One of the things I like about the game is that familiarity with the show adds a fun element to it, but even for people who's never watched it the game is fun. There's nothing really deep or strategic about the game, but it's fun. As noted in the description, there's a video you can search for that shows you how to play the game, though the directions are good. I watched it prior to ordering the game to get a sense of it. The box is solid and the game pieces are well-made (typical cardboard pieces, quality)." —M. Fisher
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
7. A "Winning Fingers" flashing cube game that'll light up on all sides to test your and kids' coordination skills and memory. This small but mighty (and NOT loud) toy can provide hours of entertainment — even on road trips.
Recommended for ages 6+.
Promising review: "Great game. It takes the best of Simon, the Rubiks Cube, Bop It, and anything else and throws it into one beautiful little brick. My girls fight over it, and that's only after I'm done using it. Great great game, might as well get one for each kid. This is the kind of stuff that kids should be tinkering with over screen time. Nice job on this product." —CharlesF11
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
8. A Love Lingual card game perfect for that couple's getaway you have planned next month. It's meant to bring you and your partner even closer — no matter if this is your first big trip or you've been together for decades.
There's even a Level Two version of this game for couples who have already completed the Level One Version!
Promising review: "Got this for my husband for our anniversary this year and we absolutely love these cards! They provoke such good, deep, loving, funny, and insightful conversations with your partner. We like to answer a couple each night at dinner!" —Celest Rayanne
Get it from Amazon for $24.95 (two levels available).
9. Uno Splash, aka waterproof Uno cards, as a beach- or pool-friendly way to play your go-to game. Better yet — they come with a ring so they stay together while in transit at the bottom of your beach bag.
Recommended for ages 7+.
Promising review: "These are a must have if you vacation anywhere near water. We like to bring them to the pool at resorts so we can play while swimming and drinking. They have a plastic carabiner to hold them together for easy travel and are made of sturdy plastic. These just stay in my suitcase so I always have them. This is the second set we have purchased because on our last vacation someone liked them so much, we gave them the deck." —Robsroamwild
Get it from Amazon for $9.65.
10. Plus some waterproof playing cards so you can play all sorts of different games during your down time, or just on the beach while the waves are gently crashing nearby. If the neighboring family's kid comes by and shakes himself off like a wet dog again, at least it won't ruin your deck of cards.
Promising review: "These playing cards are a HIT. I take them out with me for social events and when visiting people, even to the beach. We just play and play. So you can get them wet and they won't soggy up and tear, it just becomes a little hard to shuffle. It is so cool that they look like you can see right straight through them but you can't." —Tabitha
Get them from Amazon for $5.97.
11. A Melissa & Doug wipe-off activity pad for endless rounds of fun that you should probably just go ahead and buy to keep in your car's seat-back pocket.
Recommended for ages 6+.
Promising review: "My 7-year-old son loved this book of games when we went on vacation. Easy to travel with, lots of different games." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
12. A retro-inspired mini playable arcade game to keep kids (or yourself) busy during peak fidgeting time. Can't wait to hear you explaining to kids that you used to play a giant version of these in an arcade.
My Arcade is a California-based small business that specializes in retro gaming products for the modern age. Recommended for ages 3+.
Promising review: "This is a GREAT toy. I am 61-years-old and played some of these games in the arcade when I was growing up. So far the toy has worked flawlessly and is holding up well. There are A LOT of games, some of which I would not play, but there are many that make this toy too fun to put down. Well worth the money. I had purchased one for my nephews for Christmas, but decided it looked like so much fun that I bought one for myself. The best thing is you do not have to put in quarters, like I had to do at the arcades!" —inSC
Get it from Amazon for $25.99.
13. A family-friendly version of What Do You Meme in case you've given the regular game a spin but are traveling with a range of ages or, say, in-laws who don't even utter the "p" word (poop, it's poop).
14. A copy of Dangerous Games to Play in the Dark. This collection contains spine-chilling games based on urban legends like Bloody Mary and The Answer Man, with dark illustrations to match. Pick it up for the creepiest game night ever...if you dare.
15. A handheld tin with a card puzzle game that'll only take about 30 minutes to play. So no one will get board and wander off like what always happens when your fam plays Monopoly.
It's designed for two to four players, ages 8 and up, and each round takes about 30 minutes! To play, you add cards to a grid while ensuring that color, shape, and number are either all the same *or* all different — as the grid expands, so do opportunities for scoring, and the player with the highest score wins.
Promising review: "This game is a ton of fun! If you like puzzle/strategy games I would definitely recommend this! It's a game that two people could play so my wife and I love to play it! It takes a little bit to understand the rules, but once you do it's easy. I would definitely recommend it." —jstivers
Get it from Amazon for $9.62.
16. A soup-er crossword game as a chance to play with your food, or at least sorta.
TDC Games is a small biz specializing in a variety of games.
It's designed for two to six players, ages 8 and up! To play, dice are split between the players, then everyone rolls their dice and uses the top letters to build a crossword. When everyone is stumped, you roll again, and the first person to run out of dice wins.
Promising review: "Absolutely love this game! Great game for three family generations to play together. Goes quick, and keeps you thinking. Easy to take on a trip (put dice in a plastic bag) This is our second game as we wore the letters off the first set. We normally play with four people, but if you put two games together and each take nine dice, we have played with more." —GrandmaB
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
17. A game of Throw Throw Burritos to help expend some energy through a combo card-and-dodgeball game. 'Tis time to put that beach house's expansive deck with an ocean view to *good* use.
The objective of the game is to collect matching sets of cards faster than everyone else, which earns you points — but if you happen to be armed with one of the foam burritos and aim it at someone before they can dodge, you can knock their points out (and distract them from finding other matches). The game includes a few other niche rules to keep everyone on their toes, and is good for ages 7 and up and for two to six players.
Promising review: "So... I can’t even begin to describe this game. 😂 I’m 32, my husband 38, and our children are 14 and 11. We ALL love this! We had to stock up on games for the quarantine and this has been our favorite. Make sure to take your glasses off before playing if you wear them. 😂 You’ll have bruises. You’ll break things. You’ll yell. It will be the most fun you’ve had in a long time. If you drink and aren’t playing with children, I imagine it would be even more fun! This isn’t hard to play and there aren’t many rules and I love how it doesn’t really matter if you cheat because no one cares as long as you get to throw a burrito. If you have dogs, watch your burritos because they look like fun dog toys and will disappear with a quickness. Just buy this, you’ll have the most innocent fun you’ve had in years!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
18. A portable karaoke microphone you can bring along for that REMOTE or very well sound-insulated vacation home. Time to have your own ABBA night.
Promising review: "We need something to let the kids sing without having to turn on the whole karaoke system. This works like a charm. The Bluetooth connection helps as well. You can just turn on YouTube and look for any song and they probably have a karaoke version or a song-a-long they can sing to. The range is also great. We were outside and the volume can be heard nicely." —Phong Bui
Get it from Amazon for $26.34+ (available in 11 colors).
19. A Disney picture search card set that, I'm sure, have some hidden Mickeys and more in there worth eyeing. Even better if you play this search game en route to or from a Disney Park.
Recommended 3+.
Promising review: "This is a little card game easy to throw in your backpack... when waiting in line for Disneyland to open, this game was a lifesaver. The kids and I pulled it out and played several rounds and it was great for all ages 2 through adult. Every round is different so it never gets boring. The time passed quickly which was our purpose of bringing the game along." —Julia V.
Get it from Amazon for $5.97.
20. Cinco Linko is a tiled strategy game that comes ready to travel thanks to the stackable, portable construction. Lots of reviewers tote it around with them on the reg to pass wait time at restaurants and other family activities.
Recommended for ages 4+. Each of four players gets a color and takes place putting down tiles with the objective of getting five in a row.
Promising review: "Saw this game on TikTok and thought it would be easy for the family. Everyone caught on right away. We love to play at restaurants and waiting areas to pass time. It helps with critical thinking and future planing on next moves. Really makes you stay focused on the game. The pieces snap to a firm plastic rod and the rods snap to a main hub with a carabiner on it to clip easily to a backpack, luggage, or belt loop without worries of losing pieces. If you up to it you can even get bystanders interested and want to play. Great conversation game when traveling." —Rico
Get it from Amazon for $11.81.
21. A Knock Knock activity pad that'll help pass the time on a plane so your eyes glued to the flight tracker map (my fave past time, tbh).
Recommended for 15+. It has five games with 12 sheets of each.
Promising review: "We recently made a LONG trip and we used this to occupy the time. It was funny and well used on our trip." —Meghan Derichsweiler
Get it from Amazon for $11.75.
22. Or a similar dry-erase reusable game set if you'd like to keep the fun going for much longer. Can't wait to see all the faces you're going to draw.
Black Daisy Shop is a St. Louis, Missouri-based small biz that specializes in custom silhouettes and personalized gifts.
The set of three includes: Hangman, Connect Four, and Tic Tac Toe. Set of 5 includes Hangman, Connect Four, Tic Tac Toe, Dots and Boxes, and Draw a Face.
Promising review: "Super adorable! Exactly as described; I got a set for myself and our three kids and we’ve used them at every restaurant we’ve gone to recently. I got a few more sets as gifts too." —devin zimmer
Get them from Black Daisy Shop on Etsy for $15+ (available in three or five games).
23. A Popdarts set will turn all kinds of indoor and outdoor surfaces (think tables, fridges, even surfboards!) into a game board. You simply place the target marker and then throw each jiggly, stick-able "dart" to get it as close as possible. And all the pieces go in a mesh bag for easy transport.
Recommended for 3+.
Promising review: "If you're looking for a safe fun game, Pop-darts is it! Played the game on the dining room table and didn’t have to worry about any type of damage. Fun for all ages indoors or outside. Came with a nice storage bag and instructions. Josh and Jason Carmen you have come up with an awesome game." —Judy Markel
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
24. A four-pack of travel bingo cards to help make logging miles on the highway a little more fun. Each card has easy-slide windows and features different things to look out for like state license plates and roadside sites like a silo or horse.
Recommended for 5+.
Promising review: "We used these for our drive to Florida. Everyone loved them." —Amazon Customer
Get them from Amazon for $9.99.
25. A Guess Who? card game as a portable version of the game you always begged your siblings to play back in the '90s.
26. A 3-in-1 magnetic chess, checkers, and backgammon set that'll make teaching every member of your fam chess so much easier. Plus, the board folds up into a box and easily contains all the pieces! Mentally prepare to lose to your genius 15-year-old.
Recommended for 15+.
Promising review: "I purchased this for my kids who have recently gotten into playing chess. They love it and took it with us on our last vacation. It is portable, small-ish, and magnetic! They have loved playing chess and checkers. This is a great little set for travel and portable fun!" —Victoria
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
27. Sussed, a would-you-rather game you can play to bond even tighter with your travel mates. It comes in different subject editions so you can mull over your options during a zombie apocalypse or how the critics would receive your biopic film.
Recommended for 7+.
Promising review: "Played the blue set with teenagers and twenty-something’s and adults several nights on a family vacation. Really fun! Thought-provoking, conversation starters. Bought another set for a gift for young adults. Highly recommend! Best if people know each other pretty well." —d
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in five editions).
28. A Clue Diced game so you can get your P.I. on while you're on the go. Yes, a murder mystery dinner party is a lot of fun BUT, wow, this is a lot less effort.
Recommended for 8+.
Promising review: "This is perfect for traveling. Easy to set up, play, and put up." —T Robinson
Get it from Amazon for $11.77.
29. A pair of handheld water games that'll make for some excellent solo fun without a ton of distracting noise.
30. Tangram, a travel-friendly educational puzzle game book with magnetic jigsaw pieces that kids can use to match the printed shapes in the book.
Recommended for 3+.
Promising review: "We have been taking some long road trips with smaller kids. Got this for my 6-year-old for a fidget toy in the car. It's got different shapes that can be made and can be closed up with all the pieces in it. My 3-year-old likes to play with it too, even if she's not making the actual shapes!" —eksh
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
31. An I Spy travel card game to help pass the time in the car. Time to go dog-spotting.
Recommended for 4+.
Promising review: "This was SO GREAT for a road trip with our 7-year-old. It stays in the car now and prevents the need for a screen (without complaining) the entire trip." —Jen Casellius I The Natural Life
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
32. A highly portable Boggle game you can even play solo if you just need to shut yourself in the hotel bathroom for a little alone time.
Recommended for 8+.
Promising review: "This has been a treasured game in my family for over 35 years. I wanted to buy one for my kids while we were on a road trip. The pieces can still get lost if they're not careful, but the quality is still great! Bring your own paper and pencils, and the kids and you will have fun building words!" —By the sea
Get it from Amazon for $10.24.
33. And if you can spare the room for your upcoming road trip to the beach, Spikeball will provide lots of fun. It's a little like volleyball and will keep the family members occupied who tend to get bored after about 30 minutes of sticking their feet in the sand. (Ahem, Dad?)
Recommended for adults.
Promising review: "This is a great beach game. Its simplicity as a spin on volleyball will have you and your friends be the envy of the beach. On multiple occasions I was asked where I bought this game. Great fun, and a great product. Assembly was simple enough. It's just plastic clips and then finding a way to get the net tight enough onto the hoop. You might think it isn't springy enough but it will be. Remember... This isn't a trampoline!" —Btschultz
Get it from Amazon for $59.95.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.