Do you love to play games with your kids? Do you yearn for interacting in a fun way with your child that does not involve a screen? Have you have played every board game in your house and want something a little, well, less “board” and more “brain”?
Here is a list of board-less games that require no batteries. All you need is your own brain, a partner with a brain, and perhaps your hands. Let the games begin!
- Guess the Vehicle My son made this one up! Describe a vehicle (dump truck, tractor, mail truck, ice cream truck, bus, train, etc.) and the other person guesses what it is! It could also work with animals, insects, food items, Disney princesses… whatever your child is interested in!
- Alphabet Animals Starting with “A”, name an animal whose name starts with that letter. Each person takes a turn until you can’t think of any more. Again, this could work with a variety of items, like Disney characters and words, kitchen items, toys in your house, etc.
- Rhyme Time The youngest person starts by saying a word. Going in a circle, everybody says a word that rhymes with that word. Somebody can ‘pass’ if they can’t think of one. When you can’t think of any more, pick a new word.
- Name That Tune Hum or sing a song that the guessers / kids would likely know and they have to guess what the song is.
- Let’s Tell a Story The person with a “good idea” starts a story with “Once upon a time.” If nobody can think of a beginning, the adult starts. Going in a circle, each person continues the story with their own twist. Somebody can always “pass” if they can’t think of the next part of the story. (A good rule? No “potty” plot twists or words.)
- What’s for Lunch? Each person makes up a meal using food items that either rhyme or start with the same two letters (alliteration). For example, “For dinner, I want to have beautiful beans with beets and bologna.” Spice it up by picking a letter that everybody has to use.
- Story Math Problems The adult makes up a math problem that the kids have to solve – the sillier the better. For example, “Martha was eating beans for dinner. She had 10 beans on her plate and the dog ate three! How many beans were left?”
- Secret Shopper Before you start the game, you decide who is the Shop Keeper and what the Shoppers will buy (the Item). For example, a Pet Store and a Collar. The goal is for the Shopper(s) to buy the Item without ever saying the name of the Item. To spice it up, the Shopkeeper can also decide 2-3 items that the Shopper cannot say, like “dog, blue and walk.”
- Climb the Green Tree Players take turns making sentences that have double-letters in them. Like: “I see the Green Tree.” Or “I put on my boot and heard a boom.”
- I Spy This classic is always a hit. Pick something in the room that’s a specific color and say, “I spy something ___green___ with my little eye.” The guesser has to guess what the item is.
- Alphabet Search This is a good game for the car or waiting room. Looking at signs, magazines, books, and other objects with writing on them that are around you, see if you can find all the letters in the alphabet.
- What is that cloud? Again, a classic game that also inspires wonders and awe at the natural beauty in the sky! Look at clouds together and ask each other, “What does that cloud look like to you?”
- Pack Grandma’s Suitcase This is a great idea from BeaFunMum. “Pick an item that starts with A, next person B, C, etc. Each person in the line repeats all the previous items until you can’t remember anymore.”
- Virtual Hide and Seek From USA Today: “Pick a place in your house in which to hide, and imagine that you are there. You are allowed to be as small as a mouse in this game. Have children take turns asking questions like, “Are you in the kitchen?” Let the kids work as a team to discover that you are hiding in the silverware drawer or sitting on top of the remote control.”
- Twenty Questions What are you? Animal, plant or mineral? Bigger than a bread box? Pick something the kids are familiar with and let them ask questions (kids are good at that!) to figure out what you are.
- Human Dictionary Take turns making nonsense words, and crafting definitions for them. Kerpuzzle? The act of messing up a finished puzzle!
- Riddles Verbal riddles and puzzles are always fun, and can be adapted for any age. Challenge yourself to make some up using simply the power of your brain. For example, “What is deep underground and pitch black dark, even in the middle of the day?” A cave! Kids LOVE guessing the answer to riddles.
- Knock-knock jokes Who doesn’t love a good knock-knock joke? Or even a not-so-good knock knock joke? Here is a list of toddler-friendly knock knock jokes from my blog. If you google “knock knock jokes” you’ll find a ton…. but make up some, and let your kids do the same! They may not make sense, but you’ll laugh anyway!
- Rock-Paper-Scissors 1…2…3…. rock beats scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock.
- Thumb Wrestling 1,2,3,4, I declare a thumb war!
Like this list? Print this PDF and take it with you!
About Mary Beth Cox