10 Travel Games to Boost Cognitive Skills on Your Family Trip
If you’re heading out on a family trip this summer and want to keep your kids’ brains engaged in the car, at the hotel, or on the campsite, we’ve got some suggestions that span a variety of ages and interests. These travel games aren’t just about entertainment; they can actually help boost cognitive skills—the core skills our brain uses to think, read, learn, remember, reason and pay attention.
On-the-Go Travel Games for the Whole Family:
Apples to Apples – To Go (Ages 12+)
The portable version of this award-winning card and party game provides portable fun for the whole family with 100% new content. Players simply select the card from their hand that they think is best described by a card played by the judge. Whoever’s card the judge chooses as the best (or funniest!) match wins that round.
Cognitive skills: Executive processing, inductive reasoning, logic & reasoning, planning, problem solving
Bananagrams Duel (Ages 7+)
Divide the letter cubes in half (for two players) and place the banana cards within reach of both players. The first player to form their own crossword grid using any side of their 12 letter cubes calls “Bananas!” is rewarded one banana card. The winner is the first player to collect 10 banana cards.
Cognitive skills: Auditory processing, divided attention, executive processing, logic & reasoning, planning, processing speed, problem solving, sequential processing, short-term memory, sustained attention, word attack
Battleship Grab and Go (Ages 8+)
This compact mobile version of the classic two-person game is small enough to pack in any travel bag. Track shots with the red and white pegs to be the first to sink your opponent’s vessels.
Cognitive skills: Logic & reasoning, planning, problem solving, working memory
Simon Micro Series (Ages 8+)
Follow the game’s patterns using different colored lights and sounds with this hand-sized version of the popular game. Play in Solo or Pass It mode.
Cognitive skills: Deductive reasoning, executive processing, inductive reasoning, math computations, numerical concept, numerical fluency, planning, processing speed, selective attention, sequential processing, short-term memory, sustained attention, visual processing
Magnetic Puzzles (Available for a variety of ages starting at 3+)
Take these magnetic puzzle books on your road trip or flight to provide entertainment while promoting brain development and mental stimulation.
Cognitive skills: Deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, planning, problem solving, short-term memory, visual processing, working memory
Connect 4 Road Trip (Ages 6+)
This road trip edition of Connect 4 provides gameplay in a convenient and sleek portable case. Just be the first to get four of your discs in a row. Players can pause the game and close the case to return later and pick up where they left off. In this version, players can earn an extra turn if they see a car in the same color as their discs.
Cognitive skills: Divided attention, executive processing, logic & reasoning, planning, problem solving, sequential processing
Travel Cribbage (Ages 8+)
With a foldable design, these travel cribbage boards store everything for on-the-go game play. Play and group cards in combination to gain points.
Cognitive skills: Divided attention, executive processing, logic & reasoning, mental math, numerical concept, problem solving
Sequence Travel Tin (Ages 7+)
The travel edition’s self-contained tin keeps everything together. Play a card from your hand and place a chip on a corresponding space on the game board. When you have five in a row, it’s a sequence.
Cognitive skills: Logic & reasoning, planning, problem solving, sequential processing, visual processing, working memory
SET (Ages 8+)
Race to find as many SETs as you can in this award-winning game that appeals to a wide range of ages.
Cognitive skills: Logic & reasoning numerical concept, planning, problem solving, visual processing, working memory
Travel Mastermind (Ages 8+)
Take this travel tin version of one of the best-selling games of all time on your next trip. Players take turns setting secret codes and solving them. More than 2,000 possible combinations make the game different every time it’s played!
Cognitive skills: Divided attention, executive processing, logic & reasoning, planning, problem solving, simultaneous processing
