Packing up the car and hitting the open road for a family vacation can create lifelong memories. However, those long drives can also get a bit dull, especially for kids.
The good news is there are many fun road trip games. They can keep everyone laughing, learning, and happily busy for hours.
How Do You Turn Road Trip Boredom into Family Bonding Fun?
Road trips are the perfect chance to connect with your kids. It’s away from home distractions. Don’t miss out on this captive audience! Play games that start conversations. They also foster togetherness and create inside jokes. You’ll reminisce about them for years.
The key is choosing age-appropriate games that provide entertainment for all ages. For example, preschoolers may like simple alphabet spotting games. Teens kick it up a notch with video scavenger hunts and social media challenges. Learn your fellow travelers’ preferences before you can build an all-star game lineup.
The best competition is one focused on family bonding. It’s not focused on winning. Focus more on the joy and memories you’re making together over keeping strict score. Give small prizes. They can be things like the winner’s choice of snacks or the next music playlist. Don’t give anything that breeds serious rivalry. Most importantly, play fair as the parental judge!
What are Some Car Game Classics Every Family Should Try?
You can’t go wrong. These car game favorites have stood the test of time. They will get the whole family engaged.
The Alphabet Game
One of the easiest road trip games for kids is scanning road signs for letters. The letters will help you list or spell words in order. You can organize many rounds. One could be for cities starting with “A”, and another for those starting with “B”. Then, have a race to see who can go from A to Z first!
20 Questions
Take turns thinking of a person, place or thing for other players to guess by asking yes/no questions. Great for pre-readers to practice questioning skills and narrows down possibilities.
I Spy…
This classic takes keen observation skills. One player picks any object they see outside the car. As they look around, they announce, “I see something that begins with S”. Everyone else guesses until they correctly name it.
License Plate Game
Search for license plates from different states and countries. Call out the spot whenever you see a new plate not already named. Customize the game by giving more points for uncommon plates from further away.
What are Some Fun Interactive Car Games for Kids?
In addition to the old standbys, there are lots of new interactive car games that will make the journey fly by:
Car Bingo
Create bingo cards with things you might pass, like buildings, vehicles, and road signs. Be the first to get five in a row by marking squares and yelling “Bingo!”” when you win.
Scavenger Hunt Pit Stop
Write up fun pit stop challenges like “take a team picture with a statue” for bonus points along the way. Not only does it break up driving time, it also puts a fun spin on rest area stops.
Car Trivia
Make a huge list of trivia questions. They should cover destinations on your route and give arrival times. They should also cover car makes and models, and more. Quiz each other to flex those mental muscles!
Backseat Travel Agent
Let kids take turns pretending to be a travel agent planning your dream vacation. Where would you go, how, what’s the weather like? It builds public speaking skills plus geography and research knowledge.
How Can Teenagers Have Fun on Family Road Trips Too?
Don’t forget about entertaining your teens so they don’t just tune out with headphones the whole ride! Get them engaged and bonding with family using these smart game suggestions:
Social Media Challenges
Issue fun photo assignments. For example, say “snap the family jumping” in cool spots. Then, challenge them to get the most ‘likes’ on Instagram. Offer up desirable rewards for the winning pic!
Location Scavenger Hunt
Make a list of odd items or places for teens to spot and capture on camera, like “Mermaid statue”. See who can complete the list first along your vacation route.
Tell Your Life Story
Go around one at a time sharing key life events thus far. What were your highest highs? Most embarrassing moments? This opens up great discussions about the past and dreams for the future.
The Storytelling Game
Kickstart the creativity by having one person start a zany story with a sentence. Then everyone else takes turns adding a sentence to keep the silly tale going. Laugh at the wacky twists and turns!
What Makes for Good Family Vacation Road Trip Games?
At the end of the day, the best road trip games have certain elements in common:
- Simple rules that are easy to understand and follow
- Adaptability to players of different ages and skill levels
- Interactivity that brings out conversation and connectivity
- Entertainment through friendly competition, imagination, and just plain fun!
- Education about geography, culture, history, and more
- Laughter and inside jokes that will have your crew smiling for miles
Follow these guiding principles. Use them when choosing or inventing road trip games for your next family vacation. Getting everyone happily engaged in play
