Owning a camper van that acts as a mini-house and mode of transportation all in one can be a great convenience, save you some money, and provide you with a different type of travel experience – one where you can see all sights and sounds from a much closer view than through a tiny airplane window. This mini house is especially awesome when the weather is nice and you can spend most of your time outdoors. Exploring nature, going on adventures, surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, hiking, climbing… whatever you wish.
But if the weather turns sour and usually at some point it will, when it gets rainy and windy and cold, you will have to spend a lot of time inside your van. Depending on how big your van is and what kind of amenities you have inside this will be more or less annoying. But even with bigger vans, if bad weather days keep piling up, you will get bored and tired of being inside that small space all the time. What that happens my first suggestion is to gear up and head outside anyway, at least for a little while. Go on a short hike or a bike ride or even just go for a walk around the town. Rainy weather is also perfect time to catch up on your reading or work on your computer. And then finally, there are some awesome games that you can play inside the van.
This article will give you four fun and simple game ideas for those rainy days or pit stops when you need to kill time. With little to no preparation involved, these easy ideas will make for some hilarious, unforgettable trip memories that you’ll be recounting to family and friends for years to come. So here we go:
Hot Seat
Some of the best games to play in groups involve moments where you learn something new about a person unexpectedly, even an old friend, or include them in some light-hearted embarrassment. Games like 21 Questions and a personal favorite, Hot Seat, definitely bring some laughs and curiosity to any room.
21 Questions is quite straightforward and one that many of us have grown up with, but instead of trying to guess an object or thing, why not pry some secrets or funny stories from your friends? In Hot Seat, one person sits in a chair facing the rest of the room and every other person has one or two minutes (time should be tracked on a stopwatch) to ask whatever he or she wants to whoever’s turn it is. After the time is called, a rotation starts with a different person on the “Hot Seat.”
For friends that have known each other their entire lives or ones that met that same day while filling up the gas tank, this game is sure to entertain groups of any kind.
Strip Poker
A twist on the classic casino game, strip poker is a fun, happy-go-lucky activity that can be played from anywhere with just a deck of cards. It’s great for road trips or rainy nights and will be sure to create a night-to-remember for you and your girlfriend/boyfriend or friends. Most of us have seen it played in our favorite movies and series, but how many of us actually understand how to play the right way?
While the rules for this game may be a bit more flexible than the original version, it’s still important to know them before jumping straight in. And you may be surprised to learn that there is actually some intense strategy available, as described by the great Edwin Silberstang in his book, Playboy’s Book of Games. For example, the dealer should even take into account what the player is wearing before beginning a game.
For a relaxed, first time game in the van where some may have no poker experience, five-card draw is perfect. To start, deal five cards face down to each player. Previous to this you should make rules amongst your group concerning the bets – how many items of clothing have to be removed and when, if people can raise bets or not, etc. The rest is a knockoff version of normal poker without the expectations of technicality and all the expectations to have lots of fun.
What’s in the Bag?
An extremely simple, no-prep game that can be played from pretty much any location at any time, “What’s in the Bag” requires only a bag you have laying around your van and any object to place inside it.
One by one, players will take turns reaching their hand inside the bag while turning their head, unable to see the object, and try to guess what is in it using one of their five senses – touch. If you want to up the ante a bit, try this game while blindfolding participants and instead of touch, use smell.
Mirror Charades
An alternative to the classic game, mirror charades is quite literally exactly what it sounds like.
Very similar to the normal version of the game, the only difference here is that even more laughter will ensue because the person doing the charade is required to stand behind the guesser while his teammate “mirrors” him, standing in front but not knowing what he or she is actually trying to imitate.
If you’re not much of a game person, you can also use this time to get fit on the go and incorporate a bit of exercise into your travel day.
But rather than remembering being bored on a long 8 hour drive through the middle of nowhere, or having to wait for a snow or rainstorm to pass through before being able to get back on the road, you’ll remember your friends in nothing but their socks, losing to strip poker, or laughing uncontrollably at an awful attempt at charades.
With these game ideas and willing participants, there are truly no dull moments in van life.