When we traveled two months ago to spend spring break with family, I reread a post I wrote in 2014 to refresh my mind with ideas of games my girls could play while we were on the road. That post (19 Zero-Technology Road Trip Games) contains so many good ideas! There are games for kids of all ages, even young kids like my 3-year-old.
Instead of having to pull up that post, I decided I wanted to have the road trip games and their descriptions in a portable format. Thus, I’ve taken the games from that post and placed them in a handy printable. You can print them directly onto sheets of 3×5-inch note cards (Avery 5388) and tear these at the perforations. If you don’t have sheets of note cards, you can print the games onto regular paper and use scissors to cut them out. If using the latter option, I suggest covering the paper cards with self-laminating sheets to increase their durability. Once you have the cards, you can secure them in a stack with a rubber band or you can (as I’ve done) punch a hole in the upper left-hand corner of each and secure them with a binder ring.
(Click on the image to download a printable version of the road trip games.)
Here are the games contained on the cards:
Buzz Word
Before you leave on your trip, choose a word that will be “taboo” for the entire trip. Choose a somewhat common word like “hungry,” “mom,” or “tired.” Give each member of the family 10-20 clothespins. When someone says the taboo word, another family member can say “Buzz!” and collect one of his or her clothespins. The family member with the most clothespins at the end of the trip wins.
I Spy
One family member looks around and chooses an object that the others must guess. The only clue he or she provides is this: “I spy with my little eye something that begins with ___ (insert the first letter of the object’s name).” The clue can also be the object’s color, which is more suitable if you have younger children participating. The family member who guesses the correct object gets to go next. Be sure to spy something that will stay within sight for a time (e.g., a distant mountain range, a forest), because an object that whizzes by and is then out of sight will be very difficult to guess.
Spelling Bee
Select words that can be used in a spelling bee. You may need to select sets of words that are suitable for younger, middle, and older family members. One at a time, prompt family members with words. A correctly spelled word earns the participant a place in the next round. An incorrectly spelled word means he or she is eliminated from the competition. Keep going until you have a winner.
20 Questions
One family member thinks of something. Just about anything will work (a famous person, a toy, a household object, an animal, etc.). Family members then try to discover what thing is being thought of by asking yes or no questions. For example, you could ask “Will it fit in this car?” or “Is it alive?” Family members can guess if they think they know the answer. Once 20 questions have been asked, everyone has one last chance to guess before the thing is revealed. Another family members then starts a fresh round.
Slug Bug or Punch Buggy
I don’t know if this really constitutes a game, but if you grew up in my generation, chances are you’re familiar with the concept. Every time a family member sees a Volkswagen Beetle (often called a Bug), he or she punches his or her seatmate. As you can imagine, this punching can get out of control quickly, so you might want to keep score some other way, such as by tapping your seatmate or counting on your fingers. The family member who spots the most Bugs wins. Because Bugs are not as plentiful on the roads today, you might choose an alternative such as convertibles of any make, vehicles that are a certain color, or motorhomes.
Fortunately-Unfortunately
One family member makes an “unfortunate” statement. For example, someone might say, “Unfortunately, the museum we were going to visit burned down.” Another family member will counter this with a “fortunate” statement. For example, a family member might answer, “Fortunately, all of the expensive works of art were out for repairs.” This game provides an opportunity to think critically and positively. Exaggerated and silly statements make the game especially fun!
Would You Rather?
Family members take turns asking “Would you rather…?” questions that each member of the family must answer. The questions can be simple (“Would you rather eat a hamburger or a hot dog?”), complex (“Would you rather have dinner with your great-grandparents or your great-grandkids?”), or silly (“Would you rather bathe in a tub of pudding or Jell-O?”). This game can be very eye-opening! If you think it will be difficult to come up with questions on the spot, then consider getting a book of questions in advance.
The Alphabet Hunt or Where’s the Alphabet?
Family members utilize road signs, billboards, restaurant names, and other scenery to find objects that begin with each letter of the alphabet, in alphabetical order. If someone spots an airplane, there’s your A. If someone sees a Burger King, there’s your B. You continue all the way to the letter Z. Because the scenery changes, you can play this game over and over again.
Count the…
This game is very simple, so it’s especially suitable for younger family members. You count things along the road. You can count convertibles, cows, trains, blue cars, barns, etc. Any object you see repeatedly can be counted.
Name That Tune
Family members take turns singing, whistling, or humming well-known songs. The rest of the group tries to guess the songs. The first family member to guess correctly scores a point. The family member with the most points at the end of the game wins. If you’re having trouble guessing the songs, then it might be helpful to choose a theme (e.g., Christmas songs, TV themes) so the song possibilities are limited.
The Picnic Game or The Grocery Game
One family member says, “I went on a picnic Saturday and I brought ________ (some item that begins with the letter A, such as apples)”. The next family member says the opening phrase (“I went on a picnic Saturday and I brought…”) and repeats the A item and adds a B item (“…apples and beans.”). The third family member repeats the opening phrase, the A and B items, and then adds something that begins with C. You continue all the way through Z! Some families use “I went to the grocery store yesterday and I bought…” as the opening phrase instead of the picnic phrase. Either works just fine or you can come up with your own. Family members will likely have to help one another complete this excellent memory game.
Group Storytelling
One family member begins by creating the first line of a story (“Once upon a time there lived a young prince…”). Family members then each contribute to the story one line at a time until a full-length story has been created. If you have older kids or lots of adults in the vehicle, you can make the storytelling more challenging by making a rule that each line must rhyme. Younger kids can use crayons and paper to illustrate the story.
I Wonder Where That Car is Going?
As you drive along the road, choose interesting vehicles and make up stories about where the vehicles and their passengers are going. Silly, unbelievable stories can be quite entertaining!
The License Plate Game
Watch the license plates of passing cars and make a list of those you see. Try to find license plates from all 50 states. To make the game more interesting, have goals and prizes, such as a special snack when someone finds a license plate from Mexico or Canada.
Fun activities not included on the cards
A handful of the games I mentioned in the original road trip game post refer to items that need to be printed or purchased. I didn’t include these on the cards because you won’t be able to procure the needed items once you are already on the road. However, I’ve listed them here because some are excellent activities that may interest you. If they do, you can buy or print the needed items before your trip.
Mad Libs
Mad Libs have always been a personal favorite of mine. They are a type of word game where short stories have various words missing. When playing the game, you elicit various types of words (verbs, nouns, exclamations, adverbs, etc.) from participants in order to fill in these blanks. You then read the completed story. Given that participants are not provided with context when they are prompted for words, the results are often hilarious!
Icebreakers or Conversation Starters
Icebreakers are questions designed to get conversation flowing within a group. These are great because they get your family talking about topics that would likely not come up during everyday activities. In my experience, hours of entertaining and insightful conversation often results when you use icebreakers. There are many lists of icebreakers available for free online (see here for an example). Card sets and books containing icebreakers are also available for purchase.
Road Trip Bingo
A simple bingo game can make the passing scenery more interesting for kids. You can make your own game, print copies of one that is available online (such as this one), or purchase one.
Brain Quest
Brain Quest is an educational question-and-answer game contained on cards that are conveniently bound in one corner. Most sets are designed for particular ages or grades (e.g., kindergarten), but some are based on particular themes (e.g., For the Car). These can occupy hours of time!
Journal Jotting
Provide each child with a simple journal to document the trip. Kids can draw pictures of landmarks and collect souvenirs (e.g., flowers, postcards, stickers) to glue in the journal.
Have fun!
Will you be traveling this summer? If so, I hope your family has a safe and fun trip.
What games have I missed? What games does your family play during road trips?
Oh so fun! We used to play so many car games when my boys were little. Pinned
It’s a great way to pass the time, isn’t it? There are a number of games here that I hadn’t heard of previously.