Games to Play While Waiting: How to Play Travel-Friendly Card and No‑Card Games

When you’re traveling with kids, the trip can take longer than you expect — traffic, weather delays or other hold‑ups can stretch a short drive into a long day. That’s why packing a few simple, portable activities matters: playing together can be far more fun than everyone staring at screens for the whole trip. These games to play while waiting keep kids engaged, help prevent boredom and reduce friction, and — most important — make a trip without conflicts more likely. The best way to avoid those tense moments is simple: keep the kids busy, entertained and included.

How to use this guide

• Each entry shows: Players • Time • Quiet level • Setup • Objective • How to play (step‑by‑step) • Ending/scoring • Age suitability.

Uno Deck Games (Other Than Uno)

Note: values and special‑card effects below assume standard Uno roles for Reverse, Skip, Draw Two and Wild.

1) Uno‑Crazy Eights

Players: 2–6 • Time: 5–20 min • Quiet: low–medium • Ages: 6+
Setup: Shuffle Uno deck; deal 7 to each. Place one card face up as the discard/pile. Rest = draw pile.
Objective: Be first to play all your cards.
How to play:

1. On your turn, play a card matching color or number (or play a Wild).
2. If you can’t play, draw one card. If that drawn card is playable, you may play it immediately (house rule).
3. Special cards act as in Uno: Skip skips next player; Reverse reverses order; Draw Two forces next player to draw two and skip; Wild Draw Four = draw four and choose color (use sparingly with older kids).
4. Say “Uno” (or warn) when you have one card left (optional in casual travel play).
   End: First player out wins. Play rounds for points if desired.

Variations: Treat Reverse as “miss a turn” in 2‑player games.

2) Uno Golf

Players: 2–4 • Time: 10–20 min • Quiet: low • Ages: 8+
Setup: Deal each player 6 cards face down in 2×3 grid. Each player flips two cards (usually the two in one row). Remaining cards form draw pile; top card to discard.
Objective: End with the lowest total card value. Assign values: numbers = face value; Wild = 0; Draw Two/Skip = 5 (or choose values beforehand). Face cards can be 10.
How to play:

1. On your turn draw from deck or take top discard.
2. Swap the drawn card with any of your 6 (replacing a face‑down or face‑up card). Put swapped card on discard.
3. If you draw and immediately discard, you can also choose to discard without swapping (house rule).
4. When a player has all cards face up (after replacing), everyone gets one more turn.
   End: Reveal grids and total values. Lowest score wins the round. Play 6 rounds (par 54) or agreed number.

Variations: Wilds = −2 for more drama.

3) Uno Snap / Slap

Players: 2–6 • Time: 5–15 min • Quiet: medium (slapping) • Ages: 8+ (avoid on planes)
Setup: Each player has a small face‑down stack or all players share central deck to flip.
Objective: Win all cards (or most) by spotting matches quickly.
How to play:

1. Players take turns flipping one card into a central pile (or all flip simultaneously in rounds).
2. If two consecutive cards match in number or color (decide rule), first player to slap the pile wins it and adds to their stack.
3. If a false slap occurs, penalty (e.g., give top card to pile).
   End: Game ends when one player has all cards or after preset time; most cards wins.

Variation for travel: replace slap with calling “Snap!” and taking pile to avoid noise/bumps.

4) Uno President (house rules)

Players: 3–7 • Time: 10–30 min • Quiet: low–medium • Ages: 10+
Setup: Shuffle; deal entire deck evenly. Players set down cards in turn to a central pile.
Objective: Be the first player to shed all cards and become President; last becomes Scum (or similar).
How to play:

1. First player plays one or more cards of same number (e.g., two 7s).
2. Next player must play same number of cards but with higher rank (pair beats pair). If unable, they pass.
3. Special cards (choose house rules) can clear pile or skip. When all players pass, last player to play starts next round.
4. After a round, players reorder seats/cards by finish position; top players may exchange worst cards with lower positions.
   End: After agreed rounds, the player with best rank (President) wins.

Variation: Use Uno special cards as wild modifiers (Wild = highest).

5) Uno Memory / Concentration

Players: 1+ • Time: 5–15 min • Quiet: very quiet • Ages: 4+
Setup: Shuffle Uno deck; spread face down in grid.
Objective: Collect most pairs by memory.
How to play:

1. Players take turns flipping two cards.
2. If the two match by number or color (decide criteria), the player keeps them and takes another turn.
3. If not, flip them back face down and next player goes.
   End: When all pairs are taken, highest pair count wins. Great for quiet waits.

Five Regular‑Deck Card Games (How To Play)

These work with a standard 52‑card deck. For numeric values: Aces = 1 (or 11 in some variants), 2–10 = pip value, J/Q/K typically 10 (or special).

1) Four‑Card Golf

Players: 2–6 • Time: 10–20 min • Quiet: low • Ages: 6+
Setup: Deal 4 cards to each player face down in a 2×2 grid. Each player flips two prechosen cards to start. Deck = draw pile.
Objective: Finish with lowest total value after agreed rounds.
How to play:

1. On your turn draw top card from deck or top discard.
2. You may swap that card with one of your face‑down or face‑up cards. If you swap with a face‑down, you flip the replaced card to the discard (or keep face‑down depending on house rule).
3. If you draw and discard, your turn ends.
4. Play continues until someone calls “done” (after everyone has had equal turns) or when deck runs out — then each player has one last turn.
   End: Reveal your grid and total card values. Lowest wins that round. Play agreed number of rounds.

Variation: Triple rounds (6 cards) for more depth.

2) Garbage (Trash)

Players: 2–6 • Time: 10–25 min • Quiet: low • Ages: 6+
Setup: Deal 10 face‑down cards to each player in a row (for shorter travel, do 6). Players flip the first two to start. Rest = draw pile.
Objective: Be first to arrange cards into a sequence Ace → 10 (or Ace→6 for shorter).
How to play:

1. On your turn draw a card. Place it in correct position in your row if you can (e.g., place a 3 in position 3). If that card was face down, flip the replaced card and continue placing until you draw a card that doesn’t fit. Then discard and next player goes.
2. If you draw a Joker (if used) or extra card, use as wild (house rule).
   End: First to complete sequence wins the round; winner scores and new round begins.

Variation: Shorten to 6 positions for young kids.

3) Palace

Players: 2–6 • Time: 15–30 min • Quiet: low–medium • Ages: 8+
Setup: Each player gets 3 face‑down “palace” cards, 3 face‑up on top of them, and a hand of 3 (draw from deck).
Objective: Be the last player with cards.
How to play:

1. Players take turns playing a card equal to or higher than the top of the discard pile. If unable, they pick up the pile into their hand.
2. Special cards (common house rules): 2 = play again/safe (resets pile); 10 = burn pile (remove pile from game); 7 = must be less than or equal to 7 on next play (optional).
3. Replenish your hand to 3 from deck after each turn until deck is gone, then play from hand, then face‑up palace, then face‑down palace. Face‑down plays are blind — flip and hope to play it.
   End: Last player with cards wins.

Tips: Agree special card rules before play.

4) Casino (Cassino)

Players: 2–4 • Time: 20–40 min • Quiet: low • Ages: 10+
Setup: Deal 4 cards to each player and 4 face‑up to the table. Remaining deck = draw pile.
Objective: Capture table cards to score points: most cards, most spades, capturing big cards (10♦) etc.
How to play:

1. On your turn play one card from hand to capture table card(s) by matching rank (e.g., play 7 to capture a 7) or by building combinations that sum to your card (e.g., play 9 to take 4+5). You may also trail a card (place on table).
2. Builds can be increased by later players. You can also capture builds by playing a card equal to build total.
3. After all players play their 4 cards, deal 4 more until deck exhausted. Last player who captured takes remaining table cards.
   Scoring (classic): 1 point for most cards, 1 point for most spades, 1 point for each Ace, 1 point for 10♦, 2 points for 2♣.
   End: Play to an agreed point total (e.g., 11).

Note: Casino/Cassino has many regional rules — pick one and stick to it.

5) Knockout (Pass & Match)

Players: 3–8 • Time: 10–20 min • Quiet: low–medium • Ages: 8+
Setup: Deal 1 card face up to each player. Deck = draw pile.
Objective: Be the last player remaining.
How to play:

1. First player draws a card and either keeps it (replaces their face‑up) or passes it face‑down to the left. If they keep it, they discard their previous face‑up to discard pile or bottom of draw.
2. If any two neighboring players end up with matching ranks face‑up, both are out (or both drop their cards depending on variant).
3. Play proceeds quickly around the circle until only one player remains.
   End: Last player wins the round. Play multiple rounds for match play.

Variation: Swap elimination for point scoring (players eliminated get small penalty points).

No‑Card Travel Games (Rules)

These are quiet, portable and require little to no supplies.

Silent Seatmate Story (quiet collaborative)

Players: 2–6 • Time: 5–15 min • Quiet: very quiet • Ages: 4+
Setup: None. Optional: notepad.
How to play:

1. One player whispers one sentence to the next. The next adds another sentence and whispers on. Continue until everyone contributes.
2. At the end, the last player reads the full story aloud (or write it down).
   Variation: Use one word per person for a shorter, sillier result.

License Plate Categories

Players: 2+ • Time: 10–60 min • Quiet: very quiet • Ages: 6+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. Spot license plates; mark states seen. First to complete a set (e.g., 10 different states) wins.
2. Variation: Create categories — states starting with vowel, states with two words, etc. Score rarity: rare plates = bonus points.

Fortunately / Unfortunately

Players: 2+ • Time: 5–15 min • Quiet: low • Ages: 8+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. Player 1 opens: “Fortunately, …” Player 2 replies “Unfortunately, …” and so on. Alternate between Fortunately and Unfortunately.
2. Keep going until story collapses into silliness.
   Variation: Do a timed round for the funniest chain.

Travel Bingo (DIY)

Players: 1+ • Time: 10–30 min • Quiet: very quiet • Ages: 4+
Setup: Draw or print 3×3 grid with travel items (coffee cup, stroller, dog, gate number, red suitcase, etc.).
How to play:

1. Players mark items as they see them. First to get a line wins a small prize.
   Tip: Make multiple unique cards before trip to reuse.

If you want, I can make printable 3×3 cards.

Reverse 20 Questions

Players: 2+ • Time: 5–15 min • Quiet: very quiet • Ages: 8+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. One player thinks of an object/person. Other players ask yes/no questions (up to 20). But the twist: questioners give up to 2 clues first, then ask yes/no to narrow it.
2. Guess before 20 questions ends. Helps develop deductive reasoning.

Alphabet Road Signs

Players: 2+ • Time: 10–30 min • Quiet: very quiet • Ages: 6+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. Start at A and advance to Z finding words/signs starting with each letter (food, town, brand, etc.). First player or team to complete alphabet wins.
   Variation: Do only A–M or N–Z for shorter games.

Movie Taglines

Players: 2+ • Time: 5–15 min • Quiet: low • Ages: 12+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. One player paraphrases a movie tagline or gives a short line. Others guess the movie.
2. Keep score or play till airport gate calls your flight.

I Spy — Sound Edition & Texture Edition

Players: 2+ • Time: 5–15 min • Quiet: low–very quiet • Ages: 4+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. Sound Edition: “I spy something that makes a beep.” Others ask yes/no until someone guesses.
2. Texture Edition: Pick textures to spot (leather, fleece) — great for car when kids can touch seat materials.

Slug Bug Lite (No Punching)

Players: 2+ • Time: 5–20 min • Quiet: low • Ages: 5+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. Spot a Volkswagen Beetle. Instead of punching, award a point or do a silly gesture. Keep score on a notepad.
2. Variation: Make color a bonus (yellow Beetle = 2 points).

One‑Word Story

Players: 3+ • Time: 5–10 min • Quiet: very quiet • Ages: 6+
Setup: None.
How to play:

1. Players sit in order and add exactly one word each to build a sentence.
2. Continue until sentence completes or collapses into nonsense. Hilarious and quiet.