Games to Keep in Your Go Bag (That Aren’t Just Uno)

When you’re stuck somewhere like an evacuation center, a shelter, a hotel, even your in-laws’… boredom can turn a bad situation into an unbearable one.

Games are a simple, tiny thing you can pack that help with morale, connection, and passing the time without screens. Especially with little ones.

But you don’t need to default to just Uno. Here’s a better list.

Pack compact, versatile games

Think games that are small, lightweight, and flexible for different group sizes.

Some ideas include:

• Love Letter: a tiny card game that’s easy to learn and super replayable.
  • 2-4 players, 8+ up, 20 minute average playing time
• The Mind: a weird little card game about reading each other’s timing and energy.
  • 2-4 players, 8+ up, 20 minute average playing time
• Dobble/Spot It: a fast, visual matching game that’s kid- and adult-friendly.
  • 2-8 players, 4+ up, 15 minute average playing time
• Fluxx: a fantastic card game where the rules change every time you play. Literally.
  • 2-6 players, 8+ up, 5-30 minute average playing time
• Sushi Go: a great lightweight game but fair warning, it makes you end up craving sushi probably half of the time.
  • 2-5 players, 6+ up, 15 minute average playing time
• Uno: ok maybe include Uno too.
  • 2-10 players, 5+ up, 30 minute average playing time

Also worth including a mini-deck of normal playing cards, too, if you know of a few solid options there. That aren’t War. War is the absolute worst.

Pick games that are low stress

In a crisis, no one wants to learn a 24-page rulebook. Or play War. Seriously.

Choose games that are easy to explain, quick to set up, and don’t require a lot of brainpower to be fun.

Quick wins are essentially games that emphasize co-op and collaboration over competition, games that take under 20 minutes per round, and a special bonus point to games that don’t need a flat table surface to work. Lookin’ at you, dice tower games.

Include low-tech DIY options

You don’t even have to buy anything fancy.

Toss a Sharpie and a blank notebook into your go bag, and you’ve got endless options:

• Make your own charades prompts
• Doodle games like Pictionary
• Tic-tac-toe, hangman, storytelling games, 20 Questions

Sometimes the best games are the ones you invent on the spot with what’s lying around.

3 Takeaways

1. Bring small, flexible games that work for different group sizes and moods.
   
2. Focus on easy-to-learn, low-stress games – crisis brain doesn’t want complicated rules.
   
3. Include a notebook and pen for DIY games you can make up on the fly.

Feature image courtesy lil artsy/Pexels