Vacation Must-Haves

What moms like about Fridgeplay's GoPlay Magnetic Games for Travel: Pieces stay put and store inside the case, which is compact enough that you can stash several in a carry-on bag. The metal box unfolds into a good-size surface, so more than two can play. Available in Four in a Row, Sudoku, Checkers, Bingo, and Hangman. ($10 each; flight001.com)

"Bingo and checkers saved us when our flight was delayed a few hours. It kept the kids from fighting -- they played on their own for forty-five minutes!"

-- Julie Gahm, mom of Ryan, 8, and Lily, 6, Louisville, KY