Car ride games for families

21 Best Road Trip Games to Play in the Car for Kids in 2021

Wondering how you’re going to keep the kids entertained on the next family road trip?  Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!  We’ve put together a list of the best road trip games for kids that will make the next car adventure seem like a breeze.

View Table of Contents

So, if you’re having a hard time thinking up ways to pass the time, keep reading. We’ve done the research and compiled a list of fun road trip games to play with the kids.

You can also check out our guide to planning the ultimate road trip for more fun things to do in the car. See our suggestions below!

1. Name the Artist

The first person to name the artist or group when a song comes on the radio gets a point. Keep playing until you reach your destination and whoever has the most points at arrival, wins. Need a great playlist? Check out our dance party tracks on Spotify here.

2. The License Plate Game

The goal is to spot as many license plates from different states as you can. Whoever sees a plate first and calls it gets to color it in on their map. The person with the most states colored in at the end, wins.

3. The Grocery Game

Choose your first player and ask them to think of an item you can purchase at the grocery store. Everyone else in the car takes turns guessing what it might be by asking a question. Is it something you would find in the frozen food aisle, perhaps? No? Guess again!

4. What Color is It?

Have the adults in the family list a bunch of things that are the same color. For example, they may say “fire engines, apples, stop signs…” They should keep going until the kids yell out, “Red!” Remember, road trips are long. The more items you list, the better!

5. Alphabet Game

Keep an eye out for road signs! The objective here is to find a word on each sign you pass that begins with each letter of the alphabet, starting from the beginning (“A” for  Arby’s, and so on). Call them out as you drive by. First one who gets to Z, wins!

6.

Print out our Scavenger Hunt game card, one per player. First one to complete their card wins.

7. Punch Buggy

An ol’ fashion road trip favorite! See who can spot the most punch buggies, also known as the Volkswagen Beetle, on the road! When you see one, shout it out and include the color of the car (Yellow punch buggy!). Those kinds of sightings are worth one point.

Classic bugs are worth 2, and vans worth 5. Rare models, such as “Herby the Love Bug” are worth a whopping ten! Whoever has the most points by the time you reach your destination wins. Remember, the game doesn’t end until the car is parked!

8. I Spy

Because this one is already so well known, it won’t take a lot of instruction to learn how to play. The first person selects something either on the road or in the car without revealing what it is to the rest of the players in the car. Then they must repeat the phrase, “I spy with my little eye something that begins with the letter …” as it relates to the answer.

The other passengers then try to guess what it might be. While it’s not the most complex car game out there, it is a great way to help young kids develop their spelling and grammar skills, particularly those who are still getting familiar with the alphabet.

9. 20 Questions

We’ll admit that when driving through long stretches of rural area, “I Spy” might not be the best choice to entertain the kids with. 20 Questions, on the other hand, offers endless opportunities for road trip entertainment and is a great choice for games for long car rides.

Pick out a person, place or thing. Everyone in the car can take turns asking yes-or-no questions about what it is, or who it is, you may be thinking of. No two people should ask the same question, and no one can answer more than 20 questions.

Whoever guesses the mystery object first goes next!

10. Triple Threat

Next on the list of road trip games to play on car rides is the Triple Threat. Here, the adults must choose three nouns, like “plate,” “monkey” and “snow,” for example. The kids have to create a story that includes all three things. Be warned: things will get very silly, very fast.

11. Category ABCs

As far as games for a car ride go, this one is pretty straightforward.  Have the first player choose a category and name something that begins with the letter A.

The next person does the same, only their answer should begin with the letter B. The next person is in charge of letter C, and so on. Some examples for the “food” category include Apples, Broccoli, Cookies…

12. Car Color Search

A perfect game for younger kids. Print out one game card per child and let them circle the car colors as they spot them.

13. Would You Rather

Here’s another kid-friendly exercise: Choose one person to think of a question. For instance, Would you rather be the funniest person alive, or the smartest person alive?

You can direct these questions to everyone in the car or take turns providing answers. Of course, when it comes to playing these types of games in a car, it’s important to make sure you’re well prepared.

You can always print out some questions ahead of time to make sure you don’t run out of ideas when on the road.

14. In My Suitcase

Why not sprinkle a fun memory game into your road trip experience? The first person starts by saying, “I’m going on vacation and I packed…” Finish the sentence with any item that begins with the letter A.

The next player must repeat the sentence said by the first player and add an item to the list beginning with the letter B. Keep going and see how many letters you can get through before someone forgets!

15. Name the Most…

Decide on a category and go around the car to see how many related items you can name. For example, you can start with Disney princesses or characters from a specific movie.

You can up the competition a bit by having the passengers bet on who can name the most within the shortest amount of time. If challenged, each opponent must provide an answer within 5-10 seconds. Whoever gets stumped first, loses.

16. Sing Along Challenge

Looking for games that carry a little rhythm? Look no further. To play, one person starts singing a line from a popular song. Passengers must pay attention to the last word sung.

The next person to sing a line must make sure it begins with the same word. See how long it takes until someone gets stuck!

17. The Movie Game

Here’s another fun game to play during a long car ride. Have someone in the family suggest a letter. For instance, if they chose to begin with T, then everyone else in the car must think of movies that begin with T, as in Toy Story and so on.

Once you get through that category, you can begin moving through the alphabet.

18. Hypotheticals

In need of a few more fun car games to get you through the drive? Get everyone in the car to respond to a series of hypothetical questions, like, “What would you do if you won the lottery?”.  Or, “If you could transform into any kind of animal, what would it be?”.

Brownie points for whoever provides the most creative answers!

19. Count the Animals

For this game, you must name a series of objects or animals to look out for when on the road. You can choose any number of things, from cows to road signs to yellow cars and more.

Keep a tally of every object on the list that you spot. Whoever has the most points by the end of the road trip wins!

20. Top 10 Game

This one can be applied to almost any subject. Into cars? Have the family come up with the top 10 favorite models. Maybe you’re a musical fanatic. Ask everyone in the car to volunteer their favorites until you get to 10.

Any Robert Pattinson fans in the family? Come up with his top 10 roles!

21. Backseat Bingo

Looking for more fun games to play in the car? Check out this next activity. Before you hit the road, print out these bingo cards. They have different sheets available for different areas, so print according to where you’re traveling.

Each player should take a good look at their cards and keep their eyes on the road to spot items along the way. The first player to cross out a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line of their bingo sheet, wins!

We hope you enjoyed our list of road trip games to play in the car! Don’t forget to take photos along the way and share on social media. Tag us in the fun! Check back in with us soon for more things to do with the family.

Each week, we’re bringing you some original ideas on how to have family fun at home, at the lodge and when you travel.

45+ Brilliant Road Trip Games for Your Next Long Car Ride

Road trip games can save your sanity when the path is winding and there is no end in sight. As a family of five, we often travel by car, and although I do allow my kids screen time on long car rides, playing travel games can make memories along the way, and many have a hidden educational agenda too.

We’ve done the bulk of the work for you with this list of 45+ awesome travel games to play in the car. Did we miss your favorite? Let us know.

Featured

SAVE!!! A summer treat for you!

As believers in the power of child-led learning, we’ve homeschooled our kids their whole lives while we travel near and far. When you embrace the idea that there is learning in every aspect of life – not just in the four walls of a school – then every day is an educational adventure.

Yes, even on a summer road trip.

Our summer on the road has been powered by Osmo. Why? Learning through play lets my boys build confidence and enhance their creativity. It’s a unique way for us to spend focused time together. And when we combine it with occasional screen time it’s a win-win. Yes, the boys play on electronics, but with Osmo’s unique, hands-on tangible components there is zero parent-guilt when I send them off with screens for independent learning time (eg. a much-needed parenting break).

Ideas for combining play and learning this Summer with Osmo

Special Offer: Shop playosmo.com with promo code SHOP20 for 20% OFF on playosmo.com now until 7/31/21!

BEST ROAD TRIP GAMES USING ONLY YOUR IMAGINATION

• I’m going on a picnic. This game used to confuse me, but now I think I've got it!  Here's the gist:  you can go on a picnic and take something that begins with the first letter of of the alphabet. The next person repeats all the previous letters, and then adds an item that corresponds to the next letter. If you're the fourth person in the game, you might have to say, "I'm going on a picnic and I 'm bringing an apple, a bronco, a candle and a dog. Not only is this our favorite road trip game, it's also the one we play in restaurants that take a while to bring out the food!
• Would you Rather. You can learn a lot about your car mates with this car game. Would you rather…jump off a cliff or eat a spider? Come up with your own questions, or purchase a deck of cards that will do it for you.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Would You Rather . . . ?: The Outrageous Book of Bizarre Choices	$16.36	Buy on Amazon

• 20 Questions. You have 20 questions to figure out what somebody else in the car is thinking. Start broad and get more specific as you go – Is it an animal, vegetable or mineral? Is it furry, green, or hard?
• I-Spy. Sharpen your kids power of perception with this game. Find something and have them guess what it is you found. Give the kids clues until they figure it out. I spy with my little eye….something blue. Round. Smooth. Remember, you can only ask yes or no questions! You can also get I-Spy books.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Vehicle Adventure - I Spy With My Little Eye Kids Search, Find, and Seek Activity Book, Ages 3-8 (I. ..	$7.69	Buy on Amazon

• Fortunately/Unfortunately. This one is pretty simple and fun. It’s a progressive story with a catch – each person adds a sentence to the story, but must start that sentence with fortunately or unfortunately, alternating as you go. So Jim went to the store for a drink. Unfortunately it was closed. Fortunately he found a soda machine. Unfortunately it didn’t take dollar bills. Keep alternating fortunate and unfortunate situations. You get the idea.
• Word Association. What do you think of when I say Spiderman? That’s how you start word association. The first person says something and the next person has three seconds to associate the word with something else. So, Spiderman, Batman, Robin, Bird, parakeet, pet. See? If someone takes longer than three seconds, or the word they say doesn’t make sense, they are out.
• Cows on my Side. This one is my father’s favorite game. It also sharpens your math skills. Count the cows on your side of the road. Pass a cemetery, lose all your cows and start over.
• Name that Tune. For the musically inclined family, hum a little tune. Can you guess this tune in 10 notes? 5? The person who can name that tune in the fewest notes wins.
• Rock, paper, scissors. It’s an oldie but a goodie, and my kids can play forever. Pound your fist three times than come up with a fist for rock, index and middle finger for scissors and a flat hand for paper. Rock crushes scissors. Scissors cut paper. Paper covers rock.

• Team Story Telling. One of my favorite memories with my kids was telling a progressive story around the campfire. It involved an elephant that laid cheesecake eggs. To play this game, have one person start the story and then the next has to pick up where they left off. You never know where things will go.
• Slug Bug. Punch buggy. Beetle. Lesli’s kids call it Slug Bug. My boys say Punch Buggy. When I was little my brother and I called it Beetle. No matter what you call it, this road trip game is all about spotting Volkswagen Bug cars. My boys have added elements too, like ‘punch buggy, no punch backs” then “security safe in a shell,’ whatever that means. And for some reason, a convertible is worth two punches. Unless my husband is involved and he says it only counts as one and vintage bugs are the only thing that counts as two.
• Who am I? This is a guessing game where players use yes and no questions to guess the identity of a famous person. So you might ask Is it a woman? No. Was he ever president? Yes. Was he a general? Yes Did he live in Virginia? Yes. Is he George Washington? Yes.
• Animal Name Game. Each person says their name and an animal that starts with the same name (Sue the salamander). The next person says all the names before them and adds their own. If they mess up – the game starts a new.
• Alphabet Game. This classic road trip game is a fun game to play for all ages, because anyone can play as long as they can identify letters A-Z outside their window! The game is played by finding all 26 letters of the alphabet on things that you pass as you are going down the highway, in order, from A to Z.  Check out billboards, roadside signs, license plates, restaurant signs -- anything! -- and once you see the next letter, call it out.  You can work together as a group, and play as long as you want.
• Telephone. Tell the person next to you a secret, and have them pass it on. When it gets to the driver, have him say it out loud. You’ll laugh at how the message has changed.
• License Plate Game. You can play this a number of ways. Go through the alphabet A-Z or Z-A using the letters on the license plates you pass on the road. For more advanced players, try to spell words. You can also do this with road signs.
• City, Country, River. Pick a letter from the alphabet and come up with a city, country and river that start with the letter. For example ‘S’ could be City: Salzburg, Country: Sweden, River: Shenandoah.
• Bob the Memory Builder. Can you remember all the items needed at the store? The first person goes to the store and gets something that begins with A - probably apples. The second person goes to the store and gets apples, but also something that begins with B - bananas anyone? The third person goes to the store and gets apples, bananas and so on.
• How Long is the Tunnel. When I was a kid we visited my grandparents in NYC and always had to go through the Holland Tunnel. Right before we'd all pick a number, then as soon as we got into the tunnel, we'd start to count. Whoever got closest without going over won. Of course, my brother the cheater would always slow down or speed up so he'd be the winner. This is one of my favorite games to play with my kids.
• First One to See it Gets a Nickel. This game is quick and works best on familiar routes. My father would announce the first person to see the Delaware Memorial Bridge gets a nickel. (Not sure how many kids would do anything for a nickel now, so you may want to up that amount.) Of course, my dad knew exactly where to look and was the first to find it every time, but we always looked and it broke up the boredom for a tiny bit.

EDITOR'S TIP: Still trying to figure out where to go on your road trip? I recommend a stop at the beach, or one of these East Coast destinations.

Need help packing? Try this Road Trip Essentials List from my friend Kim.

FUN ROAD TRIP CAR GAMES THAT ONLY REQUIRE PEN AND PAPER

• Tic Tac Toe. Go first and start in the corners and you’ll win every time. If you don't want to have a pen in the car, you can try this magnetic version. 
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	PlayMonster Take 'N' Play Anywhere - Tic-Tac-Toe Multi Color	$8. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Connect the Dots. This was always one of my favorite games and you can make the board as big or small as you want. Just put dots in rows and try to make a box. When you do, put your initial inside. As long as you can make a box, you keep going. Person with the most boxes wins.
• Hangman. The most fun you can have playing with stick figures. Tip: ask for vowels first. If you don't want to do pencil and paper, this travel hangman set by Melissa and Doug keeps all the pieces in one place, and is durable enough to withstand being stepped on in the car. This is a great word game to challenge kids at all levels (or learn a new language!)
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Hangman Game - White Board, Dry-Erase Marker	$10. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Road Sign Bingo. Before heading out on your trip, print out several Bingo Sheets with road signs on them. Be careful to make sure they are all different. You don’t want to do what I did once and print off one and make copies. As you see the signs on your road trip, cross them off. First person to get an entire row wins. If you want keep going and have the full card be a winner. Don’t want to print out copies, you can purchase a Road Sign Bingo game.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Green Auto Backseat Bingo Pack of 4 Bingo Cards Great For Family Vactions Car Rides and Road Trips	$9. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Cootie Catcher Fortune Teller. OMG my kids LOVED these. Once they learned how to make them, it was a constant – “Mom, pick a number.” Here is a template for making your own fortune teller. If you don’t want to do that, here are some pre-made fortune tellers.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Paper Fortune Tellers!: 30 Fun “Color-in” Fortune Teller Origami Cootie Catchers!	$6. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Battleship. This two player game is perfect for the back seat. Take along some graph paper and label across with letters and down with numbers, then draw your ships on the board. See who can sink the others battleships first. The Hasbro Battleship game is also pretty portable, but all those pegs could be an issue in the car.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Battleship With Planes Strategy Board Game For Ages 7 and Up (Amazon Exclusive)	$14. 84	Buy on Amazon

Note: Looking for some games that will work once you arrive at your destination? Check out 100 Games to Play on a Family Vacation from our friend Kirsten.

FAMILY ROAD TRIPS GAME PURCHASES YOU WON'T REGRET

• Mad Libs. This is one of my favorites!  Not only is it hysterical to read the stories, but kids learn the parts of speech. You can find a Mad Libs for any interest as a road trip car game. My boys love the Star Wars-themed ones.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Vacation Fun Mad Libs: World's Greatest Word Game	$4. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Travel Bingo. Take the classic bingo game on your road trip with special auto bingo cards. Each card has a slide close, so you don't have any pieces to worry about, and instead of numbers and letters, you are looking for roadside features like a church or a school.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Green Auto Backseat Bingo Pack of 4 Bingo Cards Great For Family Vactions Car Rides and Road Trips	$9. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Travel Doodle. The pen is attached to the board, so there are no parts to lose. Kids can draw whatever they like, then swipe right to erase it and start over.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	ORSEN Colorful 8. 5 Inch LCD Writing Tablet for Kids, Electronic Sketch Drawing Pad Doodle Board,...	$13.98	Buy on Amazon

• Travel Memory. My kids and I used to love to play the memory match game. Toymakers Melissa and Doug have created a mobile version that is a bingo type gameboard with squares that slide back. If you make a match, leave the slider open.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game - Wooden Game Board, 7 Double-Sided Cards	$13. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Sticker Books. Kids love stickers. You can get books that will tell a story, or just books with their favorite characters. I’ve found a plain sheet of paper works well too.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Highlights Hidden Pictures Sticker Fun Sticker Books for Kids Ages 3-6, 4-Pack, 64 Pages - Volume 2	$29. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Colorforms. Don’t want stickers stuck all over your car? Try colorforms. These plastic ‘stickers’ don’t have an adhesive side so they adhere to the colorforms board, but don’t get stuck on anything else.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Colorforms Picture Playset - Charlie's City -- The Classic Picture Toy That Sticks Like Magic! --. ..	$8.90	Buy on Amazon

• Travel Scavenger Hunt Card Games. Go on a scavenger hunt right in your car. Find a red car, a stop sign, the letter Z.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Briarpatch Travel Scavenger Hunt Card Game for Kids, Activities for Family Vacations, Road Trips and. ..	$8.01	Buy on Amazon

• Spot It! On the road. Spot It! is one of our favorite games and we play it with just adults too. This simple card game uses symbols, no words, so even small children can play. There are five games you can play with one set of cards, but our favorite is just spotting the symbol that matches. Sounds easy, but not so much.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Spot It! On The Road		Buy on Amazon

• Personalogy. Not all card games are for kids. Personalogy is like the Newlywed game on the road. Predict your opponents answers to questions and you win. So If your opponent could be a fly on the wall - which event would they listen in on and why? a. A war room plotting the capture of Osama Bin Laden. b. The birth of Prince William and Kate's son? c. Michael Jackson's last concert rehearsal d. Judges panel of a finale of a reality show?
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Personalogy - An Absurdly Provocative Game for Thinking People	$18. 08	Buy on Amazon

• IQFit. For the real brainiac in your crowd. IQ fit has brain-teasing challenges that are compact and travel well.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	SmartGames IQ Fit - a fun 3D travel game for ages 7-adult featuring 120 challenges	$11. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Travel Chess. Although this game has a lot of pieces, they are magnetized, so they stay on the game board. You can also get Travel Checkers and Travel Backgammon too.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	QuadPro Magnetic Travel Chess Set with Folding Chess Board Educational Toys for Kids and Adults	$14. 85	Buy on Amazon

• KnockKnock Game Pads. Knock Knock has different game pads that include Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe or connect the dots. It's old school fun, and you don't have to spend 15 minutes drawing dots before you can play.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	On-The-Go Mini-Game Pad	$5. 92	Buy on Amazon

• Travel Boggle. My mother always loved games where you had to create words. Boggle is compact game where you find as many words as you can.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Boggle Classic Game	$9. 97	Buy on Amazon

• Mazes. I always like to follow the mazes. This book will keep you busy for hours with simple, and more intricate mazes.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Maze Puzzle Games Book: Brain Challenging Maze Game Book for Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Senior,. ..	$6.55	Buy on Amazon

• Hidden Pictures. My absolute FAVORITE feature of every Highlights magazine is the hidden picture puzzles. I used to skip right to that page every month when our magazine came. Now you can get entire books of JUST the hidden pictures
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	The Hardest Hidden Pictures Book Ever (Highlights Hidden Pictures)	$6. 27	Buy on Amazon

• Loaded Questions. There are versions for kids, for juniors and even adults only - perfect for a girls weekend road trip. This game isn't a trivia game (thank goodness, I'm horrid at trivia) but simple questions like - What super power isn't so super? Hmm, maybe the ability to freeze things? Seemed to get Elsa in a lot of trouble.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Loaded Questions On The Go Card Game	$9. 99	Buy on Amazon

• Table Topics. This one is another question game, but there are no hidden agendas, or questions to elicit weird answers, just general conversation starters, like what was your all-time favorite vacation?
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	TableTopics to GO Road Trip	$9. 00	Buy on Amazon

• Tangrams. This is a great game for understanding shapes. Make different pictures using the shapes provided. Each shape is magnetized so it sticks to the book.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Wallxin Travel Tangram Puzzle - Magnetic Pattern Block Book Road Trip Game Jigsaw Shapes for Kids. ..	$11.99	Buy on Amazon

• Simon. This game is fun, and easy to pass around the backseat. It's a memory game that uses electronic lights. Just be sure to bring extra batteries.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Simon Electronic Memory Game	$31. 90	Buy on Amazon

ROAD TRIP BOOKS

• Where's Waldo. If your kids can read in the car, the Where's Waldo books are a great way to pass the time. And it's a fun challenge, no matter your age. Perhaps I like these so much because I'm such a fan of the hidden picture books.
  

  Preview	Product	Price
  	Where's Waldo? The Boredom Buster Book: 5-Minute Challenges	$8. 79	Buy on Amazon

• LeVar Burton Kids Skybrary. If your kids get sick reading in the car, or are too young to read yet, try getting books from the former Reading Rainbow host. For adults you might want to try LeVar Burton's podcast - billed as Reading Rainbow for adults.
• Audible. Lately I've found that books on tape keep me glued to the car seat even after we've reached our destination. If you download audible, Amazon has a special where you can Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks. In addition to adult titles, they also have children's books, as well as popular young adult series.

And if you need a break on your road trip, here are some ideas to find the perfect pit stop. 

Follow us here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube

All articles belong to 365 Atlanta Family LLC, and all photos belong to us as well, unless otherwise noted. It’s all copyrighted. Please don’t repost anything elsewhere without asking me first. All rights reserved. This site uses cookies to enhance your experience.

We make no guarantees of any price listed on our site. We are not responsible for content on external web sites linked from ours, including linked resources, an external blog post, any partner site, hotel property sites, or affiliate sites. We only write about places we love in an attempt to help you in your adventures, but we can’t guarantee you will love them, too.

Posts may contain affiliate links at no cost to you. Several of our trips are also compensated by the respective tourism boards for the city or state we are visiting. This never impacts how we share the destination with you – opinions are always our own and we pride ourselves on that. We do not sell links or accept unsolicited guest posts under any circumstances. Don’t even ask.

United States Copyright, 365 Atlanta Family, LLC

View our Privacy Policy | Subscribe to our Newsletter | Contact Site Owner | View Terms & Conditions | About Us

• About
• Latest Posts

Sue Rodman

Co-Founder at 365 Atlanta Traveler

Sue came to Atlanta after finishing the Walt Disney World College Program where she was a tour guide then guest relations hostess (and no she did not moonlight as Snow White). Sue spent 25 years in PR before adding freelance travel writing to her resume. Prior to 365 Atlanta Traveler, Sue published an award winning family travel blog called Field Trips with Sue for eight years, and produced a TV segment with the same name on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta. Her favorite place to visit is anywhere with her husband and three sons. Sue believes anytime is a good time for dessert and there are no bad field trips, just better stories.

Latest posts by Sue Rodman (see all)

I put in my backpack, Forbidden words, The best day of life, Numbers with meaning and other non-banal entertainment.

Related materials

3 mistakes when transporting children - we all make them (at first)

Anyone who loves to travel with the whole family knows that five minutes after the start, the children begin to languish. Of course, for a while they can be distracted by a phone or tablet, put on a selection of songs, turn on Children's Radio or an audiobook. You can stock up on children's crossword puzzles in advance and guess them together. But after some time, this will get boring, the children will want more active entertainment, and then you will need to turn on your imagination.

Fun games on the go are uplifting, and it's great if the whole family is involved.

I see what you don't see

The rules are simple. The host marks (for himself) an object in the field of view of travelers, and the task of the players is to guess it by asking a minimum of questions. Moreover, only “yes” or “no” answers are allowed. Warning: the game is addictive.

Guess people or animals

Begins: "I think you know him." And then, for example: "This animal can fly." And with the help of leading questions, you need to guess what kind of animal it is. Alternatively, you can guess someone from your family or friends. For example, this person wears glasses. The question is when do you read? Yes. The next question is is it old? No. Does he have children? Yes. That is, in this case, the answers can also be only “yes” or “no”.

Guess the song

The players alternately hum or whistle the song. Others guess its name or artist. Whoever recognizes the song first wins. Children's songs, famous pop singles, whatever musical memory has to offer will do. At the end, the guessed song can be sung together - this will cheer everyone up.

Hit Parade

Together you are looking for a song that everyone knows. For example, "Let the pedestrians run clumsily through the puddles." The parent assigns in what mood you should perform it. For example, sad or cheerful, in the style of a march or hip-hop. Who won? Yes, who will come out funnier, although here is the case when the process is more important than victory.

I'm putting in my backpack...

The first player starts with "I'm putting in my backpack. .." and comes up with something, like a hairbrush. The next player repeats the item of the first player and adds his own - a comb and a bottle of water. The one who forgets at least one of the previous items will lose. True, it is advisable for the host to keep a list so as not to make a mistake.

Forbidden words

"Don't take white and black, don't say 'yes' and 'no'." There is a leader and there is a player. The task of the presenter is to force the player to say forbidden words, and it is important for the player not to let it slip for as long as possible. Questions should be asked tricky, for example, it can be difficult to evasively answer the question: “What color is sugar?” or “Tell me, do you really like ice cream?” Alas, sooner or later the player lets slip, the main thing is to deftly lull his vigilance! If a word is accidentally said, the players switch roles. For reference, the first question can be answered: "The same as printer paper."

In the classic version of the game, it always started with the question: "Will you go to the ball?", but today's children may not know about balls, so you can ask any questions.

The best day of their lives

The children are asked one by one to describe how they see the best day of their lives. A serving of chocolate ice cream for breakfast instead of porridge, and then jumping on the bed to exhaustion. Then dress up and go to an amusement park, ride a ferris wheel there, go to an upside down house, eat your fill of french fries, ride a pony, and end the day in a cafe where you can get three cream cakes and a big vanilla cocktail. Or is your child's ideal day completely different? The long journey is a great opportunity to learn about it. You may be very surprised by its history, and some dreams can be realized already on vacation - at least about ice cream.

Your color

Here each player names their favorite color and then looks for it in things around. The first one to find ten objects of this color is the winner.

"Scary" stories

In the "black-black room sat a black-black man" - do you remember? Let's create stories together. The host tells the end of the story, others guess how it happened. Example: there are red shoes in the meadow, they are stained with mud, but their hostess is not around. What happened to her? This is more suitable for children 5-7 years old and older, the kids will not understand and may be scared.

Vehicle signs

Related materials

10 ways to entertain your child (and yourself) on the road

And this is a game for schoolchildren: all participants receive a piece of paper and a pencil. Now they have about 10 minutes to look at the license plates of cars passing along the road. Everyone writes down five numbers of their choice without telling the other players. Then one of the adults tells the children the numbers of the cars that he sees himself. If the child already has such letters and numbers, he crosses them out of his piece of paper. Whoever crosses everything out first wins!

Or another option: you keep looking at license plates of passing cars and trying to make sentences out of them. It often turns out funny, even the baby "gets infected" and laughs along with the older children. For example: N *** TV - "You must be lying!" or M *** SK - “Misha is a super pump!” The winner is the one who quickly comes up with a coherent and funny phrase.

Who will be the first to see

And this is fun for very, very little ones. It is unpretentious - "whoever sees it first" on the road or along it. For example, a red car or a dog, a grandmother with a wand or a mother with a stroller. And believe me, this is also very exciting, especially if you say the terms funny and show them with facial expressions and gestures.

In general, it is important to choose the game that suits the age and character of your child. Good mood and fun tireless journey!

If you enjoy other games on the road, tell us about them in the comments. Let's make the second part of the publication!

Photo: Depositphotos

The best racing games for PS4 and PS5

COMPLETE BUYER'S GUIDE

Start your engine and race in a frenzy to awaken your speed demon

Kart Racing

Hit the gas pedal and race to victory in living fantasy worlds.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

ALL 10+: Provocative Humor, Drawn Violence / In-Game Purchases
Developer: Beenox
Short Description: Fun for the whole family
90 90 players online, 2-8 online

A remastered version of the classic PS4 kart game - if you're looking to jump right into a whirlwind of racing battles, then Crash is the mischievous marsupial you're looking for. This game features a vibrant cast of quirky characters, from Crash's hilarious sister Coco Bandicoot to the evil Doctor Neo Cortex, as well as a plethora of power-ups, customization options and fast vehicles for up to eight players to enjoy online.

Learn more

Team Sonic Racing

ALL: Mild Illustrated Violence / Online Play
Developer: Sumo Digital
Short Description: cartoon racing in your favorite gaming universe
Number of players: 1-9009 online 2-12 online