Having the right games in your arsenal of road trip boredom busters makes the difference between a peaceful journey and one filled with the constant barrage of “are we there yet?” questions.
There are road trip games for every age; some are classic and some are adaptations to all technology has to offer.
License plates
License plates can provide endless entertainment, depending on the age of your kids. Younger kids can call out letters in alphabetical order, the first one to Z wins. Older kids can collect out-of-state plates they see and the winner is the one that finds all 50 states. Another option is to build words or phrases using the letter sequence in the plates. A plate with the letters J, P and N could be short for "Japan," but it could also be converted into a phrase like "John packed nothing" or something of the sort.
Name that tune
You can either hum, whistle or sing the song the conventional way, or use the seek button on your radio or shuffle button on your MP3 player. The winner is the one who figures out the name of the mystery song first, just like the classic game show. Narrow down a theme for the game, such as show tunes, movie or TV themes, or famous singers (like Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber - Oh Baby!).
Download the app
Welcome to the new age where you can download some fun through available apps onto your phone or tablet. Apps that have the road trip game essentials include Road Trip Fun, Road Trip Bingo, Road Trip Scavenger Hunt and Fun Car Games. Many are available for free, so if one doesn't seem to be a hit, try another!
Geography lesson
While geography may not be all the rage in school, it can be fun on the road. Choose a theme of countries, cities or states (or go wild and try rivers, lakes or capitals). The first player names a location, and the next player finds another location that starts with the last letter of the previous player's answer. For example, if the theme was cities and the first player chose Chicago, the next state would have to start with O, like Omaha. The A could then be Anchorage, and so on. This one can go on for hours, so be sure to look for signs of frustration!
Twenty questions
Parents love this one because it encourages creativity and deductive thinking. One player thinks of a famous person, place or thing. Everyone else gets to ask the player 20 questions, which must be answered "yes" or "no." For example, "Is it bigger than a breadbox?" is a valid question, but "What's its favorite book?" is not. Remember that lying is not allowed because it would ruin the game. If a questioner guesses the correct answer, they win and get to think of the answer for the next round. If 20 questions are asked without a correct guess, then the answer has stumped the questioners and that person gets another turn.
Games make the road trip fun, so get creative and start thinking of your own! Anything goes and don't be afraid to try them out, no matter how outrageous. After all, you have all the time in the world!
More road trip "fun"
Road Trip: 1 mom & 3 kids & 8 hours
OHmommy of www.classychaos.com drives from Cleveland, OH to Chicago alone with her three children. Multiple rest stops and singing...
Name that tune
Download the app
Geography lesson
Twenty questions
Comments on "5 Favorite road trip games"
+ Add Comment