Reading car games

10 Car games to get your child ready to read

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Whether you’re going on a long trip or just running errands, these car games are perfect for helping your child get ready to read!

Today I’m very excited to welcome Jodie of Growing Book by Book! Jodie is sharing a guest post while I do some behind-the-scenes blog work. Be sure to sign up for her newsletter so you don’t miss any of her fabulous literacy activities.

Here’s Jodie…

We are always looking for fun and playful learning activities to do in the car. With young children, I know how important it is to develop phonological awareness. So, we came up with 10 playful phonological awareness activities to enjoy when traveling in the car.

Phonological awareness… what’s that?

Phonological awareness is one of 5 things your child needs to be able to do before they are ready to sound out words. It is the ability to hear differences in the ways words sound.

Just as young children need to hear language before they can talk, they also need to hear language before they can read.

Children with phonological awareness can:

identify initial sounds in words
count syllables in words
identify words that rhyme

Having a strong phonological awareness is a precursor to being a strong reader!

10 Phonological Activities for the Car

1. I Spy in the Car“

Say, “I spy something in the car that begins with /s/.” Let your child guess the object. For /s/ it might be seat or seatbelt. Take turns being the caller and the finder.

2. Count the words.

Have your child make two fists. Say a sentence and then have your child say it with you. As each word is said, tell your child to put up one finger. Count how many words are in the sentence. This activity helps your child build an awareness of words.

3. Clap the syllables.

Take #2 a step further. Clapping is a fun hands-on way to determine parts (syllables) of a word. Say a word and have your child clap the parts of the word.

4. Listen to music.

Create a new play list of music for the car. When traveling play these 12 phonological awareness songs in the car. You can make this a joint activity by having everyone sing along with the music.

5. Play rhyming games.

Check out #3 in this post.

6. Play with beginning sounds.

Have your child name something they see outside their window. Repeat the word and ask, “What sound do you hear at the beginning of ______?” Then, say the word again and let your child respond with the correct beginning sound.

7. Create tongue twisters.

Alliteration is the repetition of a sound in a sentence. It is also known as a tongue twister. Name the color of the car in front of you and determine the beginning sound of that color. Then, create a tongue twister with that same sound. Let each person in the car try to say the tongue twister. Who can say it the fastest?

Red racers rode recklessly round and round.

8.“Stretch it Like a Rubber Band”.

For this activity you will say a short word such as bed, fun, or cat. Have your child use their hands to stretch the word out like a rubber band and say each sound he hears in the word.

9. Clip cards.

Make a busy bag for the car with these counting sounds clip cards.

10. “Name That Sound.”

This game involves listening and speaking. Ask your child to be very quiet and listen for sounds on your trip. When she hears a sound, have her name it. For example, she might hear the beep-beep of a horn. Then, have her tell you the beginning or ending sound of the object that made that sound. In this example the beginning sound is /h/ and the ending sound is /n/.

Play these phonological awareness games in the car to help your child develop pre-reading skills!

More games and activities to help your child get ready to read

Carrot sound boxes (free printable)
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus rhyming activity
Songs to build literacy skills
Literacy activities in the car

Jodie is the creator of Growing Book by Book where she shares book lists, reading and writing activities, and literacy building tips for young children. She is also the proud mom of 2 little boys- check out their playful preschool year! You can connect with her on Facebook and Pinterest.

Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources ... all free!

20+ Car Games and Activities

If you’ve ever traveled with kids {even a short distance}, you know that it is a challenge for sure! And when you’re traveling longer distances over school breaks, having a few car games and activities in-hand helps the time pass faster AND makes the car ride a little more fun!

Here are 20+ car games, activities, and tips I’ve gathered for those road trips.

*This post contains affiliate links.

While we do travel with a DVD player, we do our best to keep it off most of the time. You may be traveling while school is out. And for some of you, you may have a LONG distance to go with young kids. Here are a few ideas we have used on longer car trips to make the ride more enjoyable and fun.

All of the printables I am sharing in this post are FREE. I highly suggest slipping all the game boards into plastic sleeve protectors or laminating them, then using dry erase markers to cross things off. That way, you can use them again on the way home. And if you have a youngster {or two} that might be tempted to mark on other things besides the paper, I recommend Crayola’s washable dry erase markers, as the regular ones do not wash out well at all {even out of clothing}.

I Spy Car Games

A simple game of “I Spy” while you’re traveling along is always a family favorite. We include things outside of the car as well as things in the car.
I Spy Colors, “I spy something _____ (red, blue, green, etc.)…”
I Spy Alphabet- “I spy something that starts with…”
I Spy Rhyming- “I spy something that rhymes with…”

I Spy Shapes – cross off the shapes when you find them. Download this free printable by clicking on the image or HERE.

Printable BINGO Car Games

You’ll find plenty of printable BINGO games on the internet for the long car ride below, with a wide variety for different age ranges.

Road Trip BINGO

Interstate BINGO
Truck BINGO
Car Colors BINGO {from Oopsey Daisy, she has several FREE printable BINGO boards on her blog}

I’ve put our bestest and funnest {yes, I know that ain’t good grammar}
into our NO PREP Road Trip Games Pack!

ABC Car Games

Play ABC Cars- using the make or model of a car, see if you can find cars from A to Z {or adapt this idea from No Time for FlashCards. }
ABC Game- Find words OR objects that begin with letters of the alphabet. We always play that you have to find them in alphabetical order, but you can adapt it for your kid’s needs. I’m including a printable page for an ABC Car Game. Download it HERE or click on the image below. As letters are found, your child can cross them off the page.

Reading & Writing on the Road- Small Types has a FREE printable pack with lots of literacy activities. One of them includes an ABC game!

Number Car Games

There are so many numbers on the road. Take advantage of looking for numbers on signs. Can you find the numbers 0-9 on signs in their correct order?
You can also assign a place value when looking for specific numbers. For example, see if you can find the numbers 1-9 {in that order} in the tens place on signs.
How many numbers can you find that are MORE than 100? LESS than 100? If your child’s not ready for larger numbers, stick to smaller numbers. You can also challenge them by saying, “Let’s see how many numbers we can find between 25 and 75 on the signs we pass.”

Download these FREE Printable Number Pages HERE and adapt it as you see fit, based on the suggestions given above.

More Low-Prep Car Games

20 questions– One person thinks of an object. The others in the car can ask up to 20 yes/no questions {questions that can be answered with yes or no} to figure out what the object is. If you have younger kids, we’ve found it helpful to limit the object to a specific category, such as animals.
Would You Rather? Cards– The Measured Mom has a large set of Would You Rather? cards, which can spark great conversations in the car.
No Prep Activities– I love I Can Teach my Child’s no materials required activities you can do with your child while waiting. Many of these would work VERY well in the car.
Cow Counting Game– Count cows {or another object of your choosing, such as water towers} on your side of the car as you travel along. If you pass a cemetery, all your cows “die”, so you have to start at zero again. The goal is to have the most number of cows at the end of the trip.

Coloring Pages

When I’m looking for a coloring page, I like to go check out Kids Activities Blog: 90+ FREE Coloring Pages. There are several different kinds and styles from which to choose.
You can also find lots of coloring pages at Making Learning Fun.
Go to the $1 store and buy a few coloring books.

Bring along your favorite How to Draw books. My boys LOVE these!

Map It

License Plates- Watch license plates to see if you can collect plates from all over. Print a map of your country before leaving home so that kids can “x” out that state as you find them. You can do this one without a map as well.
Map Your Route- Help kids read a map as you travel along or try it on your phone. Kids can even highlight on a hard copy map the route you are taking. If you are traveling through many states, have them color in the states they travel through.

More Helpful Tips for those Long Car Trips

Road Trip Activities for Kids Ages 2-8 {The Measured Mom}
11 Screen Free Activities for the Car {No Time for Flash Cards}
Traveling with Kids Hacks {Your Modern Family}
These are some our favorite products for traveling:

<A HREF=”http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_cw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthireamam-20%2F8010%2F4a5f0878-6eb9-4e45-bdae-f6df443b8319&Operation=NoScript”>Amazon.com Widgets</A>

Enjoy teaching!
~Becky

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Car Racing Games - Game-Game

Car eats car 2

Endless Truck

Two tricks

Table racing 2

Spy car

Car Eats Car: Angry Cars

Managed traffic online

City car stunt 4

Rushing Hill 2

Next racer

Death Race

Transport driving simulator

Blaze and the Wonder Machines Race to the Top of the World

Furious street racing

Scrap metal

Russian driver: Zil 130

Fury Road Desert

Kogama: Roller Machine World

Machines

Death Race

Turbo Tastic

Taxi at Pixel Road

Truck Destroyer

Monster Race

Trick in the old town

Lunar City Trick

Truck testing

Punk racing for two 2

Car Eats Car Dungeon Adventure

Free gear

Flying Car Stunts 2

Crazy Truck

Toy car racing

Kogama: World Class Racing

Car eats car 6

Car Eats Car: Winter Adventures

Mighty Engines

Sprint Club: Nitro

City car stunts 3

Car eats car: sea adventures

Zombie Derby 2

Monster Truck: Forest Delivery

Cube City Race

Taxi Driver 3D

Free Rally 2

Kogama: Radiator Springs

Kogama: Island

Car Madness 3D

Africa Jeep Race

Real Gangster: City Simulator

Kogama: Rollercoaster World

Rally driver

spongebob racing tournament

City derby stunt and drift

Grand City Tricks

Passion for parking

Road traffic

Dead Paradise 3

City Race

Paper Racer

Extreme Asphalt Car Racing

car race slot

Street harassment

Drift Hunters 2

Flying car tricks 4

City car stunt 2

Monster truck on the island

Pixel Map

Kogama Drift Race

Desert City Trick

Russian driver

Punk racing for two

Racing Boys

Webgl

Html5 games

Skill games for girls

3d

Sensory games

Android Games

Kids racing

Online games

Racing Girls

Circuit racing

Truck Racing

Parking lot

Arcade

Jeep racing

Drift

Shooting games for boys

Tricks

Collection items

Zombie

Police

Action

Taxi

Destruction

Formula 1

7 years old

Winter

Race car rally

Police car

Vehicle seizure

Rage Freeway 3

Real sports flying car 3d

Grand Extreme Racing

Ambulance simulator

Death Road

Speed racing

3D Racing Master: City Drift

Truck cross country

Jeep Passenger Offroad Mountain Simulation Game

Limo Taxi Driving Simulator

Car for children

Ford GT40 Simulator

Crazy Block Machine

TOP 10 driving simulators

This page contains the best Android games of the Driving Simulators genre, which can be downloaded from Google Play for free and in Russian. Today in the gaming market you can find many different car driving simulators. At the same time, not all of them can boast of good graphics and realism.

Driving simulators are educational games for those who have already received a driving license or are just planning to get a driver's license.

These games are designed specifically for self-training of novice drivers. Applications will be useful both for students of driving schools and for those who are just planning to start learning. With the help of a driving simulator for Android, you can understand the basic principles of driving a car, as well as prepare for a theoretical exam in the traffic police.

1. DRIVING SCHOOL

One of the best driving simulators for Android in which you will learn how to drive many different cars. Driving School boasts incredible levels that include cities, country roads, highways, deserts, mountains, and more.

In the game you will learn how to drive a classic gearbox (mechanics) with clutch shift or use an automatic gearbox (automatic). Use the virtual steering wheel or other control options that suit your needs and interests. Get more knowledge about traffic rules with this new driving simulator. Show your driving skills and get your driving license now.

Features and Benefits:

100+ cars.
15+ detailed maps.
80+ levels.
Smooth and realistic controls.
Multiplayer modes.
Realistic damage system.
Gamepad support.
Online rating of players.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

2. CAR SIMULATOR

Another good driving simulator in Russian with which you can feel like driving a car. Ride your car around the city with your friends and explore the city. The game has online racing missions (multiplayer mode) where you can compete with other players, defeat them and earn more money.

During the game, do not accelerate too fast, drive carefully so as not to crash it. Beware of the traffic police, for violation of traffic rules you face a fine. Pay attention to interactive tips and don't forget to fill up your car with gasoline at the gas station.

Features and Benefits:

Daily bonuses.
First person control.
Fully detailed car models.
A wide variety of car tuning.
Interactive gas station.
Fun missions in quest and arcade style.
Additional missions in multiplayer mode.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

3. DRIVING SIMULATOR VAZ 2108

Play the most realistic driving simulator VAZ 2108! At your disposal is a huge Russian countryside and off-road, in which you have to go from a beginner to a professional in your field. Enjoy modern graphics and effects. Also, thanks to advanced physics, your car will deform from impacts and will feel differently on sand or asphalt.

Race with local drivers, learn how to park, conquer off-road, drift or plunge into the intriguing events of the game in the story mode. The game will delight you with a huge variety of modes. Thanks to a huge selection of styles and a choice of car colors, you can create your own unique style.

Features & Benefits:

6 Radio Game Radio
Smooth and natural control.
Multiplayer and free modes.
Spectacular damage system.
Online ranking of leaders and awards.
Realistic weather conditions and engine sounds.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

4. TRUCK SIMULATOR: EUROPE

Run your own business that keeps growing even when you complete your truck deliveries. Become the king of the road by playing Truck Simulator: Europe. The game provides an unparalleled driving experience that put it in the position of the most popular truck driving simulator in Europe.

A large number of settings will allow you to customize the control of the car from the most simple to the most complex and realistic. The game has a change of day and night, so you can ride at any time of the day.

Features and Benefits:

Nice graphics.
Realistic interiors.
Change of time of day and weather.
9 modern trucks to choose from.
60+ levels.
Over 25 languages supported.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

5. CAR SIMULATOR 2

Try another realistic car driving simulator 2022. In this part you will find a new open world, more than 20 new cars and amazing gameplay. Playing online allows you to play with live players from around the globe, win and earn money to buy new cars, tuning, garages and houses.

Drive cars around the city with your friends, upgrade your cars, participate and win racing races, explore the big city and become the best.

Features and benefits:

Online and single player modes.
Daily bonuses and tasks.
First and third person controls.
Car interior 3D.
Beautiful physics and sound effects.
Various missions.
Dynamic change of time of day.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

6. CAR DRIVING SCHOOL SIMULATOR

Get behind the wheel and start your training around the city in the most realistic car simulator for Android. This is a game that not only tests your driving skills, but also requires full attention to traffic rules. While driving, you will need to pay attention to signs, traffic lights, and remember to turn on the turn signals and use the windshield wipers when necessary.

The latest developer update changed the very structure of the game. Now you can not unlock the whole map and do not complete all the tasks, but immediately choose the option of the tasks you like. In addition, the add-on has completely new features, such as: a new map "Tokyo", which is open for fast driving, and now a free movement mode has become available in the simulator.

Features and Benefits:

26 unique vehicles.
Convenient operation.
Multiplayer online mode.
Multiple cameras, including first person view.
100% free game.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

7. RACING SIMULATOR: RUSSIAN CARS

Simulator of street racing on Russian cars. You can choose from both classic cars of a Russian manufacturer, as well as more powerful modern models. Cars have their own technical characteristics and real engine sounds. Car models have a detailed body and interior with a working dashboard, which gives a feeling of full presence and realism from racing.

The app offers 4 unique tracks with different weather conditions, road sizes and number of lanes. The choice of any time of day is available, which will dynamically change in real time. The abundance of settings will allow you to choose the degree of realism of the physics of the car, in which you will need to show your skills and driving skills. Record video replays of your favorite gaming moments and share them on social networks. You can edit recorded video replays and voice them using your gadget's camera and microphone.

Features and Benefits:

Modern beautiful graphics.
Realistic physics.
Change of day and night in real time.
Detailed cars.
Four slopes with different weather conditions.
View from the 1st person or from the salon.

DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY

8. DRIVING AND PARKING SCHOOL

Developer Games2win, with over 5 million downloads and a rating of 4.3, presents another cool car driving simulator. Take full responsibility for your new car and hit the road.

Use a driving simulator, obey the rules and traffic signs, master difficult parking spaces (parallel parking, reverse parking, parking between two vehicles, parking in a garage, etc.). Practice your driving in realistic extreme weather conditions.

Features and Benefits:

More than 100 kinds of cars.
280 levels.
7 exciting chapters.
Day and night free driving mode.
Extreme weather conditions - fog and rain, hail, frost, etc.
Convenient control technology.
Available in 8 languages, including Russian.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

9. DRIVING SIMULATOR ZIL 130

Quite a realistic driving simulator of the legendary truck of the times of the USSR - ZIL 130. Feel the full power of the tractor and go the way from a novice truck driver. Build your career, participate in races, learn how to park and hitch a trailer, conquer off-road terrain, perform maneuvers on the move, climb mountain peaks, overcoming difficult obstacles.

The game will surprise you with a huge selection of different modes. Complete a number of tasks and become a hardened trucker. You will have to drive between cities and villages, park, take part in races, deliver certain goods along mountain serpentines, country roads and city streets.

Features and Benefits:

Realistic gameplay with changing weather and time of day.
Advanced damage visualization.
90+ types of cargo.
Large selection of styles, upgrades, upgrades and accessories.
Game radio with the ability to play your own music.

DOWNLOAD IN GOOGLE PLAY

10. CAR SCHOOL DRIVER SIMULATOR 2019

Try another cool driving simulator in which you have to drive a car and follow all the road signs. Don't make wrong turns, follow the signs, fasten your seatbelt - this is your only chance to become a good driver.

Enjoy driving at different levels with loads of useful material to learn. 150 levels with over 80 unique road signs to explore and master. You can get real driving lessons in virtual driving school and improve your real driving skills.

Features and Benefits: