The car ride is long, the queue barely moves, the food still hasn't arrived. Handing over a phone is the quickest fix, and sometimes that's fine. But waiting can also be a chance to play together, and the games below need nothing but your voices. Along the way, children practise listening, remembering, playing with words and thinking about numbers.
A few tips before you start
- Keep games short. Play a few rounds, then switch or stop.
- Let your child choose. Offer two games and let them pick.
- Match the place. Quiet games for waiting rooms and restaurants, louder ones for the car.
- The driver only talks. Whoever is driving keeps their eyes on the road and joins only the games that need no looking.
Word games
- I'm thinking of an animal. One person thinks of an animal. The others ask yes-or-no questions: "Does it have four legs? Does it live in water?" Count how many questions it takes.
- Word chain. Each new word starts with the last letter of the one before: cat, tiger, rabbit, train... Younger children can use the first sound instead of the letter.
- Name five. Name five fruits, five things that are red, five animals that can swim. Make the category harder for older children: five things that are both round and soft.
- Rhyme time. Say a word and take turns finding words that rhyme with it: hat, cat, mat, bat. Silly made-up words count if everyone laughs.
Number games
- Car count. Everyone picks a colour and counts cars of that colour for five minutes. In a queue, count people wearing hats instead.
- Guess my number. Think of a number from 1 to 20 (or 1 to 100 for older children). Your child guesses, and you answer "higher" or "lower".
- How many more? "There are 6 people in front of us. When 2 more are served, how many will be left?" Real situations make good problems.
- Count the seconds. Guess how long the red light or the wait at the counter will take, then count to check.
Observation and listening games
- I spy a colour. "I spy something blue." The others look around and guess.
- Sound hunt. Everyone closes their eyes for 30 seconds and listens. Then each person lists the sounds they heard: a door, a bird, a cup.
- What did we see? After passing a park or a shop window, ask: "How many dogs did we just see? What colour was the door?"
- The packing game. "I'm going on a trip and I'm packing a hat." The next person repeats the list and adds one thing. How long can the list get?
Story games
- One sentence each. Take turns adding one sentence to a story. "A bear found a red umbrella..."
- Three words. Pick three random words, such as "moon, sandwich, bicycle", and make up a short story that uses all three.
- What happens next? Look at people or things around you and invent a quiet story: "Where do you think that bus is going?" Keep it kind and about places and things, not about strangers.
Which game for which place
| Place | Good choices |
|---|---|
| Car ride | Car count, word chain, I'm thinking of an animal, the packing game |
| Queue | Guess my number, how many more, I spy a colour |
| Restaurant table | Name five, three words, a quiet sound hunt |
| Waiting room | Rhyme time in a whisper, one sentence each |
A little boredom is fine too
Not every minute of waiting needs a game. A little boredom isn't harmful, and it often gives children room to look around, daydream or invent their own games. If your child starts making up a game, follow their lead.
In short
- Waiting can become playtime with games that need only voices.
- Word, number, observation and story games each practise different skills.
- Keep games short, let your child choose and match the game to the place.
- A little boredom is fine and can spark your child's own ideas.
Read more: How much screen time is right for children, and how to choose a safe learning app