We all know that road trips can be fun and full of adventure! We also know they can get a little boring. It can be difficult to pass the time for adults and children alike. Of course, in the world we live in, we often have access to all kinds of devices. While I am certainly not above letting my kid watch a movie or two, or play some mind-numbing game while we travel, I don’t want him stuck to a screen the entire trip!
Wouldn’t it be nice if we actually looked around a little, talked and had fun as a family? As my family prepared to go on a trip that would have us in the car for about 12 hours, I wanted to have some fun activities to do (that didn’t come with a screen). I did some digging and here’s the list of awesome road trip games I came up with:
Games
Pro Tip: Consider using a clip board or 3-ring binder to keep the paper printouts/games together.
- License Plate Search: If you are staying in one state, this may not work as well as it would if you are headed cross country, but you will likely still see several different plates. I found a great printable here. Print one for each rider & either laminate them or put them in a plastic page protector. Give everyone a dry erase marker to mark off the plates they see. First one to see it, gets to mark it off.
- 20 questions: Think of a person, place, or thing. Other riders take turns asking 1 yes or no question and can guess what it is after their question is answered. If no one guesses correctly after 20 questions, you get a point.
- Hangman: When my son was young, we had this magnetic travel version and it was great. You can also use window markers to play on the windows (I assume this is safe for tinted windows, but I haven’t personally tried it)!
- Counting Cows: If you are the first person to spot a cow, you get a point. If you pass a cemetery on your side of the road, you go to zero and start over. The person with the most points at the end of the trip wins (or you can set a limit…first person to hit 50 wins). Don't want to count cows? You can substitute just about anything. Count windmills, construction vehicles, RV's…anything goes!
- Rubberneckers: This is an “I Spy” style game where players get cards of things to look for. Compete against other riders to gain points.
- Categories: As a family, choose a category. It can be anything. Take turns naming things in the category. BUT as a fun twist, each person must choose a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word. The last person that can think of something wins that round. Example: Category is kitchen. 1st person says “stove,” next person says something that starts with last letter of the previous word (E)…“eggs.”
- Kanoodle: A brain boosting puzzle game. There is Kanoodle Jr. for ages 4-7 and Kanoodle for ages 7 and up that is more challenging.
- King Of…: Just like the Categories game above, but without the last letter part – better suited to young riders. Pick a category. Everyone gets a turn to name something in the category until you can’t think of anymore. Last one to think of something is the King of (or Queen of) the category.
- Brain Quest For The Car: If you don’t know about Brain Quest cards in general, I HIGHLY recommend them. They are filled with all kinds of interesting questions and fun facts. They are a great way to get a jump on learning if you have little ones. But, today we are talking about road trips. I JUST learned that they have a car version and I can’t wait to try it out!
- Progressive Story Telling: Each person adds one word as you go around the car to create a story. Some really strange and silly stuff can come out of this one!
- Road Trip Bingo: Who doesn’t like BINGO? Want to make it even more fun, have a stash of small inexpensive prizes to pass out to the winners.
- Alphabet Game: This one is a classic. Each person watches for the letters in the alphabet. Start by looking for the letter “a.” It can be on a road sign, store sign, license plate, car make or model, etc. Once you find an “a,” you move on to the next letter and so on. Each player must stay on their letter until they see it. The first person to complete the alphabet wins.
- Go Trio Travel Game: a fun tic-tac-toe game with a twist.
- Puzzle Books: Sudoku, crosswords, word finds, & mazes.
- Would You Rather: Another classic! Would you rather be able to teleport anywhere or be able to read minds? Ummm, teleport please!!! You can make up your own questions, find some on the internet (here are a few good ones), or buy the book (travel edition).
Other ways to pass the time:
- TALK: Hey, now there’s an idea! Talk about your best memories of specific vacations, specific events, favorite things about your room, your house, your school, your friends, each other, favorite memories with specific teachers, field trips, etc. Discuss your future goals, individually and as a family. Brainstorm your next vacation (my personal favorite)! The list of topics is endless!
- Print A Map: Print off the map of the route you will be driving. Highlight the route and let your kids follow along (no more asking “are we there yet?”)
- Google It: As you pass through a town, Google it & read interesting facts. WARNING: It’s a good idea for parents to read the Google facts first. You may find some facts you’d rather not share with your kids. You could also do this ahead of time if you'd prefer.
- Goodie Bags: Have a few secret goodie bags for little ones. Give them a bag to open every few hours (you can mark on the map when they get something). Dollar store items and small pieces of candy work great for these!
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- Sing Songs: “100 bottles of beer on the wall” anyone? You can also create a fun playlist before you leave of fun, upbeat songs that you can all sing along to (Bohemian Rhapsody, Sweet Caroline, Don’t Stop Believing, I Will Survive – see you want to start singing already, don’t you?😉)
- Books: Obviously you can pass a lot of time reading a good book. If you have younger kids, try picture books or Weird But True books (my kids is a tween and he is still obsessed with these).
- Audio-books & Podcasts: There are many family friendly options out there that you can all enjoy together! When my son was younger, we listened to all of the Narnia books in the car. They were so well written and narrated really well so they held my interest as well as his. Have older kids who enjoy fantasy? Try The Elemental Trilogy (The Burning Sky is book #1) by Sherry Thomas. It’s perfect for teens & adults. So many options!
- Draw & Color: There are tons of fun, fancy coloring books available these days and coloring pens or pencils (that won't melt in your hot car). Lots of kids also enjoy simply drawing on their own on plain paper. Ever heard of draw starts? On a plain piece of paper, just draw something random. It might be a squiggly line, a shape, part of a shape, etc. Then have your kiddo make it into something. My son loved doing these when he was younger (oh wait, he still does)! You'll be amazed at what they can come up with. Here's an example (before & after):
With all of these great ideas, there is no way you or your kids will be bored on your next road trip (or arrive with a screen-time hangover). Road trips can be a great opportunity to have really fun quality time together if you approach it with a great attitude and begin your journey prepared. With these road trip games, you are sure to be entertained for hours. Let me know which of these fun games & activities you enjoy the most!
✔PRO TIP: Make sure you grab your free packing checklist! It has everything you'll need in an easy-to-use PDF checklist that you can use over & over!
If you enjoyed this article, you are sure to love these as well!
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Until next time…
Until next time…
About The Author
My mission is to inspire and empower families to prioritize travel now, creating unforgettable memories and deeper connections with their loved ones.
I provide guidance and practical solutions to help busy parents integrate travel into their lives, fostering joy, fulfillment, and stress-free adventures. Don’t wait until it’s too late; the time to travel is now.
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