Indoor RV Games for Family Fun on Rainy Day
Unless you are the world's luckiest camper, there eventually will come a time when you will have to deal with lousy weather. Rain, snow, sleet or hail might not stop postal workers from doing their jobs, but most campers don't really want to waste their precious vacation time sitting at a campsite while precipitation is coming down. Luckily, you are a Jayco RVer, and you have a comfortable shelter to weather the elements and still have fun.
As a family, we enjoy spending time together outside exploring, but when the weather takes a turn for the worse, we are given a great reason to spend time together playing inside instead of exploring outside. We have a large collection of games at home, and when we hit the road, we try to pack light and select smaller games that everyone in the family enjoys. Read on to see some of our top fun family RV games for "rainy days" you should try.
Games to Make You Laugh
These five games have been on rotation for over a year or longer in our Jayco for good reason. If you want a good laugh, any one of these board games will surely be a hit with your family. They are definitely with ours!
Exploding Kittens
In this game, players take turns drawing cards from a deck with multiple Exploding Kittens cards inside. If you draw one of these cards, and you don't have the necessary cards to deal with it, you are out of the game. The game gets more intense as the deck starts to shrink in size.
We love this game because of all the crazy artwork on the cards, intense late game action and sneaky but simple gameplay.
This is Preston's current favorite card game.
Poetry for Neanderthals
Have you ever wanted to talk like a caveman before? No? Well, you should! Think of a word guessing game like Taboo where you can only use one-syllable words to help other players figure out what you are saying. If you use a word with more than one-syllable, you get hit with an inflatable caveman club.
We love this game because of how hilarious it is to watch the "Neanderthal" players try to describe something complicated with a simplistic vocabulary. Frustration has never been more fun!
This game is Jason's favorite current card game.
Headbanz
If you are looking for a game that can instantly be picked up and learned in seconds, this might just be the one for you. After strapping a headband to your head and attaching an unknown card to it, you have to guess what the card is by asking "yes" and "no" questions before the time runs out. Watching your family members' puzzled looks as they frantically guess various objects is a bit hilarious.
Not Parent Approved
Do you enjoy your humor a bit edgy but still PG rated? Then, give this game a try.
Like Apples to Apples, you are competing to get other players to select your card in order to accumulate the most cards and win. The difference is, the funnier your response card, the better your chance of winning. Humor absolutely rules in this game. Also, you start the game with a burp-off…yep...a burp-off.
This game is Alison's favorite current card game.
Speak Out
It's time to get gummy! If you enjoy the feeling of visiting a dentist office and having your mouth stretched open while laughing uncontrollably, you should play this game. Try to say different word combinations that are notoriously difficult to express with your mouth wide open. It's a game that always cracks us up with both strange looks and sounds.
Games to Make You Think
These six games are currently in our Jayco for their ability to get us thinking. They are all relatively small, so you can pack them all without worries, and they have the added benefit of getting those neurons really working.
7 Wonders
Out of all the board games on the list, this one might take the longest to learn, but in our opinion, it's worth the time to learn. 7 Wonders is an addictive game that has been awarded numerous strategy board game awards for good reason. Think of a simplified version of the computer game Civilization where you have multiple playstyles or paths to achieve victory. It's basically a card drafting game where you can win through military, science, trade, monument creation and other strategies. 7 Wonders has found a spot in our current rainy day game rotation because of its brilliant, ever-changing gameplay.
This game is Grayson's favorite current board game.
Connect 4
Who doesn't love a good game of Connect 4? This two-player game is a great way to pass the time on a rainy day or when it's exceptionally hot outside. We've spent numerous camping days battling it out with one another playing this simple strategy game. Just get four disks in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, and you'll come out feeling like a champ.
Chess/Checkers Combo
These games need no introduction. Both have been around for over one thousand years and are still excellent strategy games you should keep in your camper. Checkers takes minutes to learn. Chess takes a lifetime to master. Both can be found in very portable options, so neither will take up much space in your RV. These are excellent classics!
Playing Cards
If you don't have a set of playing cards in your RV, you are missing out on one of the most flexible game options you could have while RVing. Coming from a tent camping background (insert link to Meet the Takacs Crew article), Alison and I would always keep a deck of cards in our car for those rainy days when we were sometimes stuck in a tent. With our Jayco, it's still nice to have playing cards even though we now have much more room for other games. Go fish, blackjack, poker and countless other games can be played with this smallest option on the list.
The Mind
I'm thinking of a number from 1 to 100. Did you figure it out? Well, if you are partially psychic and the quiet type, you'll love this game. The Mind is a team-oriented game where all the players in the game have to place cards down one at a time in ascending order without communicating. You do this over several rounds until it gets to an exceptionally difficult level. We really struggle to win at the top levels. This game is perfect if you just want something quiet (actually, silent) to play and need a break from the louder games on the list.
Code Name: Pictures
If you've ever wanted to be a spy, here's your chance. Code Name: Pictures is a fun game where you must deliver coded messages to your teammate to win. It has very creatively drawn cards that are enjoyable to interpret and try to get your teammate to guess. With this game, we have found we are always deep in thought, studying each card thoroughly to send the perfect messages to our teammates. It's perfect for anyone that loves great art, clandestine operations, and lots of thinking.
We hope you enjoyed this list! If any of these eleven games we currently have in our camper sound interesting to you, and you would like to purchase one, you can find them in our Amazon store. We are always swapping out our travel games, so check back in with us regularly to see new recommendations.
