11 Brilliant Tabletop Games (that fit in your pocket) to Save Your Sanity in Restaurants, Planes & Waiting Rooms
If you’ve ever handed over your phone in a desperate bid for five minutes of peace while waiting for food or sitting in a waiting room… same. 🙋♀️
Over time we’ve built a little “grab-and-go games box” where these toys live in the playroom. I usually keep one or two in my handbag and grab a few extra from the box to take with us to restaurants, on trips, and anywhere we know there’ll be waiting around. These are compact, easy-to-teach tabletop games that work really well for kids (and grown-ups) when you need calm, connection and something other than screens.
You might also like my list of 25 No Equipment Games to Play on The Go!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What Makes a Great “Out & About” Game?
For restaurants, travel and waiting rooms, I look for games that are:
Small – fits on a tiny table or in a pocket/handbag
Quick – short rounds so you can stop mid-game if you need to
Simple – rules you can explain in under two minutes
Durable – waterproof, wipeable or sturdy tiles
Low-faff – minimal/magnetic pieces so you’re not constantly crawling under tables
Everything below ticks most (or all) of those boxes.
For most of the card games, we try to use a Little Hands Card Holder, it really levels things up for little hands and allows them to see their cards and compete!
Dobble is a fast, spot-the-symbol game where everyone plays at once, no long waits between turns. The waterproof version is extra handy for:
Spilled drinks at restaurants
Poolside or beach holidays
Sticky little hands
Why it’s great out & about:
Comes with a netting bag that helps cards to dry and fits in pocket/handbag
Super short rounds, you can play a few games while you wait for food
Works for mixed ages: the kids are actually better at this one than us now!
2. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
This one is pure silly fun and a huge hit with kids. You take turns laying down cards while chanting “Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza” in order. When the picture on the card matches the word being said, everyone has to slam their hand on the pile, last hand in takes the stack.
Why it’s great out & about:
Super simple rules - kids get it in minutes
Comes with a drawsting net bag that lets cards to dry and fits in pocket/handbag
Great for burning off that pre-dinner fidgety energy while still staying at the table
If your kids enjoy Dobble or “Can You Find It First?”, they’ll love the fast, shouty energy of this one.
3. Skip-Bo
Skip-Bo is a number sequencing card game that’s strangely addictive for adults and kids alike. You’re racing to get rid of your stockpile by placing cards in order. I haven’t found a waterproof version of this one yet…
Why it’s great out & about:
Lovely gentle number practice for school-age kids
Can be played quite calmly (ideal for quieter restaurants)
Easy to pause at any time if your food arrives or your appointment is called
4. Waterproof UNO
Same beloved UNO chaos, but now spill-proof. This waterproof version is brilliant for restaurants, holidays and anywhere drinks and kids are involved.
Why it’s great out & about:
Waterproof, wipeable cards - we have played this one on beaches, at restaurant tables sitting on swimming pool steps etc.
This version comes with a really handy clip to keep all the cards together.
Short, snappy rounds: perfect for “we’ve got 10 minutes until the food arrives”
We keep a few different UNO decks around the place can even keep a regular UNO at home and a waterproof deck in my bag.
5. Waterproof Playing Cards
A simple deck of cards is one of the most versatile things you can carry. With a waterproof deck, they last much longer, particularly with rough hands playing competitive snap!
Play classics like:
Go Fish
Snap
War
Rummy
Or let the kids invent their own games.
Why it’s great out & about:
Ultra-compact and light
Infinite game possibilities with one deck
Waterproof = longer life
6. Memory Match
A simple memory game is perfect for younger kids. You lay out tiles face-down and take turns flipping two at a time to find pairs.
Why it’s great out & about:
You can use as many or as few tiles as your space allows (just select a few pairs)
Great for boosting memory and turn-taking
Easy for toddlers and preschoolers to join in
On a tiny café table, just play with a smaller set of tiles so you’re not covering the entire surface.
7. “Can You Find It First?”
This is a travel version of our all time favourite full size Can You Find It First where everyone races to spot a particular picture or item first.
Why it’s great out & about:
High-energy fun without needing loads of space
Can be played alone or with big groups
Brilliant for mixed ages - even younger kids can join in by shouting when they see it
Helps with visual scanning and attention skills
This one has small pieces and the board is not particularly small but it’s so good I had to include it.
8. OK Play
OK Play is a deceptively simple tile game (a bit like connect four but laid flat on the table) with chunky, colourful tiles that clip onto a keyring-style holder.
Why it’s great out & about:
Designed for travel – tiles stack and clip together
You can play on any flat surface
Short rounds, easy setup, easy pack-away
It’s a lovely “starter” game while you’re waiting for menus or a quick “one more round!” before you leave.
9. Snakes and Ladders
A proper old-school classic, and kids still love it. Roll the dice, climb the ladders, slide down the snakes.
Why it’s great out & about:
Ideal for younger kids who aren’t ready for more complex rules
Great for practising counting and taking turns
This version is small, magnetic and entirely self contained
10. Rummikub
Rummikub is a gorgeous mix of rummy-style sets and runs using tiles instead of cards. You’re constantly rearranging and adding to groups of numbers on the table.
Why it’s great out & about:
Brilliant for older kids and adults to play together
Encourages flexible thinking, planning and mental maths (without feeling like homework)
Perfect for longer waits, holiday evenings or rainy days away
If you’re bringing it to restaurants, a smaller or travel-friendly set is ideal so it doesn’t take over the whole table.
11. Kluster (generic version which is also called magnet chess)
This one is actually brilliant, and so good for grown ups to play too. The objective is to get rid of all of your magnets but they act unpredictably so it’s a game of both skill and luck.
Why it’s great out & about:
Magnetic pieces
Great for grown ups too!
Super easy to explain, set up and pack up.
You can make it easier or harder depending on the size of the rope circle that you use.
My kids are super competitive when it comes to this one, we’ve actually combined 3 sets into a mega set!
12. Magnetic Chess (Actual Chess Set)
For little strategists (or grown-ups who like a quiet game), a magnetic chess set is a lifesaver.
Why it’s great out & about:
Magnetic pieces = less sliding and fewer escapes onto the floor or down the side of seats
This version is small, magnetic and entirely self contained
Great for calm, focused one-on-one time
Perfect for travel days where there’s lots of sitting around or a long car trip
You can also use it to teach basic moves, or let younger children move pieces around without worrying they’ll vanish.
13. Guess Who
Guess Who is a brilliant yes/no question game where players try to figure out the other person’s mystery character by asking about features.
Why it’s great out & about:
Encourages kids to think about describing people and asking good questions
Great for siblings to play together while you have an actual grown-up conversation
Travel or compact versions work well on small café tables
How We Use Our “Out & About” Games
A few tips to make this actually work in real life:
Make a “games bag”
A small pouch with 2–4 favourites (e.g. Waterproof Dobble, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Waterproof UNO, OK Play) that lives in the car.Rotate what you bring
Swap in different games every so often to keep things feeling fresh.Set clear expectations
“We’ll play a game while we wait for the food, and then the games go away so we can eat.”Let kids choose
Offer a choice of two games so they feel involved and are more likely to engage.
Final Note
There are also loads of no equipment travel games you can play, You might also like my list of 25 No Equipment Games to Play on The Go.
The links above are Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
