The best table games for kids while you wait in a restaurant are quiet, quick to explain and need almost nothing: a pencil, a paper napkin, a couple of small toys or simply what you can all see from your seats. Word and guessing games such as I spy suit younger children, pencil-and-paper games such as noughts and crosses or dots and boxes suit school-age children, and simple storytelling games work for the whole family. Keep a short list in your head, rotate games before boredom sets in, and keep screens for emergencies.
Use this checklist to build your own waiting-time repertoire.
Key takeaways
- Pick games that are quiet, seated and need nothing you would not carry anyway.
- Match the game to the age: colours and sounds for little ones, strategy for older children.
- Rotate every few minutes, before restlessness starts.
- A pencil and a small notebook cover most pencil-and-paper games.
- Turning screens off at the table keeps the meal sociable and the conversation flowing.
Before you leave: a small games kit
You do not need a toy bag. A few items in a pocket or handbag cover almost every game here:
- A pencil or two, plus a small notebook or a few index cards.
- A pack of ordinary playing cards for older children, used for simple games such as snap or pairs.
- A couple of small, quiet objects, such as a toy car or a figure, for hiding games.
- A short list of game ideas on your phone, so you are not trying to remember them while hungry.
Paper napkins and the back of a children’s menu work too, if the restaurant provides them.
Talking and guessing games for younger children
Little children love games where they can shout out answers, so these work best with a reminder to use an indoor voice.
- I spy. The classic. One person picks something everyone can see and gives a clue. Wikipedia’s entry on I spy notes that for preschoolers a colour version (“something blue”) works better than a starting letter, and older children can try sound clues.
- What’s missing? Put four or five small objects on the table, let your child look, then cover them with a napkin and remove one. Can they spot what has gone?
- Hot and cold. Hide a small toy under a menu, a cup or a napkin. Your child guesses where it is as you say “warmer” or “colder”.
- Animal sounds. Take turns making a quiet animal sound for the others to guess.
- Copy me. Tap a simple rhythm on the table edge with your finger, and your child copies it. Make each one slightly longer.
These games also suit toddlers, and pair well with the practical advice in our step-by-step plan for eating out with a toddler.
Pencil-and-paper table games for kids
Once children can hold a pencil confidently, a whole world of quiet games opens up.
- Noughts and crosses. Quick, familiar and endlessly replayable.
- Dots and boxes. Draw a grid of dots. Players take turns joining two neighbouring dots; whoever completes a box claims it and goes again. The dots and boxes game dates back to the 19th century, and a small grid is best for beginners.
- Hangman, kindly renamed. Many families play it as “guess the word” with a flower that loses petals instead.
- Squiggle drawing. One person draws a random squiggle; the other turns it into a picture.
- Consequences. Each person writes a line of a story, folds the paper to hide it, and passes it on. Read the whole thing aloud when the food arrives.
| Game | Best age | What you need | Rough length |
|---|---|---|---|
| I spy (colours) | Preschool | Nothing | A few minutes |
| What’s missing? | Preschool | Small objects, napkin | A few minutes |
| Noughts and crosses | School age | Pencil, paper | A minute per round |
| Dots and boxes | School age | Pencil, paper | Several minutes |
| Consequences | Older children and adults | Pencil, paper | Until the food arrives |
Games the whole table can play
Mixed ages at the table call for games where everyone can join in:
- Twenty questions. One person thinks of an animal, object or person; everyone else asks yes-or-no questions.
- Story chain. Each person adds one sentence to a story. The sillier, the better.
- Category round. Pick a category, such as fruits or animals, and go round the table naming one each until someone gets stuck.
- Would you rather. Light, funny dilemmas that spark conversation.
Group games like these also make longer family meals more fun. If you are planning a bigger occasion, our checklist for choosing a family-friendly restaurant covers tables, space and staff attitude.
Where screens fit in
Plenty of parents have handed over a phone at some point, and there is no need for guilt. It does help to keep it as a last resort. Nemours KidsHealth suggests turning off devices during meals, and that preschoolers aged 2 to 5 watch no more than an hour a day of high-quality educational programming. Keeping the table screen-free protects the part of the meal that matters most: talking to each other. Our piece on why family meals matter explains why that time is worth guarding.
Frequently asked questions
What if my child gets too loud during a game?
Switch to something quieter, such as a drawing game, or a whispering version of the same game. Making “restaurant voices” part of the rules helps.
How long will these games keep children busy?
It varies with age, mood and hunger. Expect to switch games often, and treat each one as a few minutes of calm rather than a solution for the whole wait.
Are board games or card games acceptable in restaurants?
Small, quiet ones usually are in casual places, as long as they do not spread across the table or get in the way of plates. Pack them away when the food arrives.
Keep a few games in your back pocket
Choose three games from this list that suit your children’s ages and practise them at home. When the next restaurant wait comes along, you will be ready before the first wriggle. You will find more ideas for playful family time in our Leisure & Games section.
