Pen and paper games are great for players of all ages and perfect for when you’re traveling, waiting, or just hanging around. They’re prefect for hot summer days when you’re looking for something to do that won’t make you sweat and you can do anywhere with just some paper and pens. Today we’re going to cover 5 easy pen and paper games that you can play just about anywhere.
We love a good puzzle type game here. We’ve covered the Hex game and the Ruma game that is a solo game that will have you really thinking.
In this post we’ll cover 5 different pen and paper games that are easy and fun to play: Nim, Hold the Line, Knight Chase, Dandelion, and Number Chain. Grab a pen and paper and gets let to it.
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Easy Pen and Paper Game: Nim
Nim is a very straightforward game that looks super simple but will actually challenge you. To play, you will need to make a pyramid of lines starting with one line on the top of the pyramid. Then a line of three line, then a line of 5 lines and finial a line of seven lines on the bottom.
To play, decide who will play first. This player can now choose to cross of any number of lines in any one row. The second player can now cross off as many lines in a row as they would like. The object is to force the other player to be the one who will cross off the last line.
For extra fun, we’ve created a download with all the games from this post in one PDF. Look for Paper and Pen Games in our free Fun Library. You can get your password by signing up for our newsletter in the black box below.
Easy Pen and Paper Game: Hold the Line
For this easy pen and paper game you will start with a grid of four dots by four dots. The first player starts by connecting as many dots as they’d like in a straight line. On your turn, you may connect as many dots as you’d like in a straight line, including a diagonal line. You can draw from either end of the line but you must Hold the Line, that is you must continue the line. The player who forces their opponent to be the last person to continue the line is the winner.
Hot Summer Game: Knight Chase
In this easy pen and paper game, you move like the Knight piece in chess. You start with a grid of 8 x 8 squares. Each player starts by placing a dot in a corner box that is across from each other. On your turn, you can move to a square that is 2 spaces over and one space down or one space over and two spaces down – just like the knight in chess. Once you have picked a spot to move to, place your dot in that square. You will then put an X in the space that you were just one. Once a square has been crossed off, you or your opponent can’t land on that spot again. The second player will now do the same. You can move in any direction as long as it follows the knight’s allowed movements. The object is to land on your opponent. Alternatively, if you are the player who makes the last legal move, you win.
Don’t forget to get the Pen and Paper games free download in the Fun Library!
Easy Pen and Paper Game: Dandelion
For this game, you will need a grid of 6 by 6 squares and an 8-sided line star on the side as a compass. One player is the dandelion. This player gets to start the game by placing a line star in any space that they like. The other player is the wind. This player now gets to choose a direction from the compass star. They will then put Xs in each square from the dandelion to the edge of the grid in the direction that they chose.
Now the dandelion gets to place a second flower in any empty square on the grid. Again, the wind gets to choose an empty direction and blow the seeds by placing Xs in the boxes from each flower to the edge of the grid in that direction.
Play until the wind has blown in 7 directions. The dandelion wins if there are no empty spaces. The wind wins if there is at least one empty space.
To keep track of the current direction that the wind in blowing, first outline the direction chosen and after you play, fill in the outline.
Easy Pen and Paper Game: Number Chain
For our last game you will need pens in two different colours. You will also need a grid of 6 by 6 squares. To start, each player will write the numbers 1 to 3 starting in opposite corners and moving in a diagonal direction, so they meet in the middle in their chosen colour.
On your turn, choose one of your numbers to draw a line to a connecting box and marking that box with the next number in the sequence. You can start your chain on any of your numbers that you like and you will add one to the number that you started on. For example, on one turn you could chain from the 3 and write 4. On your next turn you could chain from the one and write 2. Numbers can be chained in diagonal lines. The game is over when there are no more empty spaces. The winner is the player who was able to write the highest number.
Write on Fun
I hope you liked these easy pen and paper games. You can play at any time and all you need is some paper and one or two pens. Kids of all ages—even the adult ones—will love them. And you won’t have to play tic tac toe all the time! Don’t forget to get the free printable Pen and Paper game pack with all of these games in one PDF from our Fun Library!
Check out our Hex game and Ruma too. And if your kids love puzzles check out our line of Printable Save the Day escape rooms! Visit our Family Game Shelf shop for even more fun with card games, dice games and seasonal games like our Whacky Putt – dice mini golf! So much fun!
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