• Start Here
  • Home
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting

What Do We Do All Day

Books and Activities for Kids

You are here: Home / Games / Game of the Month / Game of the Month: Ticket To Ride

Game of the Month: Ticket To Ride

November 25, 2014

648shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

My son received the Ticket to Ride board game last year as a gift, and it quickly became a favorite family game and perfect for my game of the month series. We’ve played it again and again and you don’t even need to have a train obsessed child to enjoy it.

Favorite family game - Ticket to Ride.

(This post contains affiliate links.)

Ticket To Ride has won a number of international awards. It’s also a Parent’s Choice honor game. It requires players to put their strategy and planning skills to the test. The rules are complex, but surprisingly easy to understand. I recommend the game for kids age 7 and up. See below for tips on playing with younger children.

Notes on Playing Ticket to Ride

  • Ticket To Ride takes about 30 to 60 minutes to play. You also need a large playing space for the oversized board.
  • Each player receives a set of train cars. The object is to claim various train routes that criss cross the country.
  • At the start of the game, players draw “tickets” with routes available for claim. Each route has a different point value.
  • During each turn players either claim routes or draw colored cards which all them the possibility of claiming a route in the future.
  • Points are assigned based on the types and number of routes claimed.
  • In order to claim a route, players must strategize as to whether to claim a route immediately, or keep their cards to use during a future turn but risk losing the route before that can happen.
  • Bonus: Kids will quickly learn place names across North America.

Tips on Playing with Younger Kids

My oldest son has always had such an easy time playing strategy and detail-oriented games I’ve always wondered if my experience was similar to other parents. Now, with my second child I can safely say, that I’ve seen both sides. My just-about-six year old second son has a much more difficult time with games that require patience. That said, playing Ticket To Ride with younger kids at the table is still possible. Here are my tips:

  • Play on teams. This is a standard strategy of mine. My younger child plays with me, that way I can help him strategize and make sure he does not fall too far behind. (He is NOT a graceful loser.)
  • Ditch the points. In fact, we don’t rarely keep score no matter what game we play. My sons find it stressful and we don’t have to worry about making mistakes in the scoring.

Ticket to ride board game is fun for the whole family.

Ticket to Ride Game Variations

There are several versions of Ticket To Ride. The original takes players on cross country routes across North America. Other locations include Europe, Asia, India and the Nordic Countries. If you decide to purchase a game featuring one of these other locations, be sure to make sure you are getting a complete game. Some are are only extensions.

Extension Packs: In addition, we have the 1910 Extension Pack of Cards. I prefer the extension cards because they are a larger size and easier to handle. These cards give new routes to play. I purchased these after it became clear the game was a winner, and it proved to be a good investment.

Have you ever played Ticket to Ride? I’ve heard Ticket To Ride – Europe is even better!

Ticket to Ride board game Ticket to Ride expansion pack 1910

Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
648shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

by: Erica posted in: Game of the Month 5 Comments

« 20 Nonfiction Books for Kids Who Love Facts!
Fun Field Bag Supplies for Kids »

Comments

  1. Kelly says

    November 25, 2014 at 8:23 am

    My map obsessed 6 year would love this! Except for the patience part.

    Reply
    • Erica MomandKiddo says

      November 25, 2014 at 8:28 am

      Lol! My younger son definitely needs my help to stay focused. My older son was much better at that age and probably could have handled the game well. It totally depends on the kid.

      Reply
  2. Even in Australia says

    November 26, 2014 at 10:48 am

    We have Ticket to Ride – Europe! We’ve only played it a few times and found it difficult to keep track of the rules – we being the adults!! Perhaps it takes some more playing to get used to it, as I’ve heard great things about the game everywhere.

    Reply
  3. Melody says

    January 10, 2017 at 11:52 am

    My daughter got Ticket to Ride: First Journey (the “Jr.” version of Ticket to Ride) for Christmas, and we have been playing it non-stop! It is the same idea, with the routes a little bit simplified. And instead of playing for points, you just play to complete 6 routes. We’ve played it a dozen times since Christmas, and it’s fun for adults and kids alike. I would highly recommend it if you’re interested in Ticket to Ride, but worried that your kids aren’t old enough yet!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      January 10, 2017 at 12:14 pm

      Great tip!

      Reply

Feed My Comment Addiction Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

STOP THE WHINING!

SAY, "YES I WANT TO UNPLUG MY KIDS." JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER LIST AND GET 10 WAITING GAMES YOUR KIDS CAN PLAY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

Join over 12,000 parents who subscribe to the most useful newsletter on the planet. 

    We won't send you spam (yuck). Unsubscribe at any time.

    Search

    What Have We Done Lately?

    Indoor Nature Activities for Winter that Kids Love

    Winter Bookmark Coloring Page

    Martin Luther King, Jr. Books for Kids

    A Year of Family Audiobooks

    Favorite Winter Craft: Ice Wreaths

    Snow Day Activities that Make the Best Memories!

    Winter Poems for Kids and a Calming Afternoon


    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
    Copyright 2007-2020 What Do We Do All Day? All rights reserved.

    EXPLORE MORE:

    Awesome Newsletter
    Favorite Resources for Parents
    100s of Book Lists
    Gigantic List of Indoor Activities
    Best Games on the Planet
    Stay At Home Parent Resources


    Privacy, disclosure and copyright policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme Description: This is the Foodie Pro child theme created for the Genesis Framework. Author: Shay Bocks Author URI: http://shaybocks.com/ Version: 2.0.5 Tags: black, orange, white, one-column, two-columns, three-columns, fixed-width, custom-menu, full-width-template, sticky-post, theme-options, threaded-comments, translation-ready Template: genesis Template Version: 2.0.1 License: GPL-2.0+ License URI: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php by Shay Bocks

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you keep using this website we will assume you are OK with that. Read our privacy policy for more.OKRead more