With the holiday weekend vastly approaching, many of you might be hitting the road to visit friends and family across the country to celebrate the 4th of July or maybe it’s the perfect time for that summer vacation. Whatever the reason for travel with family is, it ultimately means the enviable question your little ones will ask, “Are we there yet? So, how can you help your little ones escape the boredom? I’ve compiled some great road trip games and activities the whole family can take part in to help ease the whole families’ boredom.
Activities And Games To Play On A Road Trip
According to AAA, Road trips are one of the most popular forms of family vacations. Here is how to make your road trip more fun.
10 Road Trip Games to Keep Everyone Entertained In The Car for Hours
Are you gearing up for a road trip but dreading the inevitable boredom that can set in during long stretches of highway? Fear not! With these 10 road trip games in your arsenal, you’ll be sure to keep everyone in the car entertained for hours on end. From classic favorites like I Spy and License Plate Bingo to interactive challenges like Storytelling and Car Karaoke, there’s something for every member of the family to enjoy. So buckle up and get ready for a journey filled with laughter, fun, and unforgettable memories! Fun road trip games are always a great way to still make the trip interactive and fun.
1. Beetles & Bugs:
One of my family’s staple games for long road trips that took an eagle’s eye and pumped the competitive juices in the family!
How To Play: Each individual tries to spot the most old Volkswagen Bugs and new Volkswagen Bugs (Beetles) to gain the most points. When an individual sees a Bug or Beetle, they should call out “Bug” or “Beetle” depending on which it was, to earn points (whoever yells it out first earns the point value of the car).
Rules:
- If you scare the driver, you are automatically deducted two points (so, don’t yell too loud!)
- If you “falsie” (i.e call out Bug or Beetle and it isn’t a Bug or Beetle) you are deducted the point worth of whatever you called. For example, Jill yells “Beetle” and when the car comes closer it becomes apparent that it is not a beetle but a mini-van–She would be deducted 1 point from her score. Additionally, if you falsie the type of Volkswagen you are deducted the point worth of the type you yelled (i.e You yell “Bug” and it’s a “Beetle”, you would lose 2 points and vice versus)—so make sure before you yell it out!
- At least one other person has to see the Bug or Beetle for it to be scored
- If it can’t be determined who yelled Bug or Beetle first—the driver gets to decide who earns the point. It is at her or his discretion to spilt the point/s or award them to one individual
- The game ends when you leave the car (of course you can start a new game when you get back in the car!)
Scoring:
Each Volkswagon Beetle: 1 point
Each Bug: 2 points
Extras:
Color of the Day: A family member (we always chose the driver) gets to decide the color of the day. The color of the day means if you spot a Bug or Beetle in that color you earn an extra point.
2. Twenty Questions:
The family-friendly guessing game!
How To Play: One player starts out thinking of something that falls under these categories “person, place, or thing” and shares which category theirs falls under. Then, players must ask “yes” or “no” questions to determine who or what the player is thinking of. The goal is to guess the answer in 20 questions or less.
Rules:
- Only “yes” or “no” questions
- Whoever guesses correctly gets to choose the next thing
3. Act It Out:
Much like charades but a little bit more road-trip friendly!
How To Play: One player thinks of someone everyone in the car knows whether it be a family member, friend or neighbor, or even a fictional or historical character. Then give clues about the person’s identity by acting like their character. The other players can ask questions pertaining to the character’s life, characteristics, hobbies, etc. as long as they are “yes” or “no”. The player continues giving clues and the other players continue asking questions till someone guesses correctly.
Rules:
- Only “yes” or “no” questions”
- The game doesn’t end until someone guesses correctly
- The player who thinks of a character must act like the character until someone guesses correctly
- Whoever guesses correctly gets to choose the character they want to act as
4. Memory Game:
How good is your memory?
How To Play: One person starts by naming something they could buy in a grocery story or picnic (there are a lot of varieties), that begins with the letter ‘A’ then the next person says the word previous to theirs and then adds something they could buy that begins with ‘B” and so forth. For example, person 1 says “apples,” then the next person would say, “I could buy apples, and bananas at the grocery store”.
Rules:
- If you mess up, you’re out and the last person standing is the winner!
5. License Plate Game
Are you ready for the next challenge? License Plate Bingo is up next! As you scan the passing cars, keep an eye out for license plates from different states. This game is a fun way to test your observation skills and see how many unique plates you can spot. Get ready to compete and see who can find the most states.
6. “No, it is not___”.:
Are you a good guesser?
How To Play: A game of clues, rhymes, and stumping. One passenger is “it” and must think of a word (the more common and easy to rhyme, the better) and present a clue to the other passengers. If the word was “fly” as in a housefly, he or she might say, “I’m thinking of a word that rhymes with cry, but it isn’t pie.” The other passengers make guesses by giving clues to the “it” person, without revealing their guess word. “Is it something men wear around their neck?” The “it” person must figure out their clue and respond, “No, it is not a tie.” If a passenger guesses the right word, they win and become the next “it” person. Or, if a passenger stumps the “it” person with their clue, they also win and become the “it” person.
7. I Spy
Next, let’s shift our focus to a classic game that never fails to entertain: I Spy. This game is perfect for passing the time and keeping everyone engaged as they search for objects both inside and outside the car. Plus, it’s a great way to encourage observation skills and creativity among players. Here’s how it works:
- The Spy gives the other players a clue about the object by saying, “I spy with my little eye, something that is…” and then gives a descriptive clue about the object’s color, shape, or another characteristic.
- The other players take turns guessing what the object might be based on the clue given by the Spy.
- If a player correctly guesses the object, the Spy reveals it, and that player becomes the new Spy, choosing the next object.
8. Road Trip Bingo
Looking for a way to add some excitement to your road trip? Try Road Trip Bingo! This classic game is a perfect way to keep passengers of all ages entertained while on the road. You can buy road trip bingo cars or make your own bingo cards. DIY cards are particularly fun when you have been the route before and you know some good odd ball items to include. Get ready for some friendly competition and lots of laughs with Road Trip Bingo!
9. Road Trip Trivia
Challenge your friends and family with DIY Road Trip Trivia! Put your knowledge to the test with fun and engaging trivia questions that cover a wide range of topics. From pop culture to history, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a trivia buff or just looking for a fun way to pass the time, DIY Road Trip Trivia is sure to keep everyone entertained on your next journey.
10. Questions
For a more introspective and thought-provoking game, try asking your fellow passengers questions. You can take turns asking questions like “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” or “What’s your favorite childhood memory?” This game can lead to interesting conversations and help you get to know your fellow road trippers better. So get ready to dive deep and learn more about each other as you pass the miles on the road.
6 Road Trip Activities
Road trips can be a lot of fun! Here are some ideas for things to do to make the journey more enjoyable:
- Books On CD: My mom loved picking out great stories for us to listen to on road trips! And I remember it as one of my favorite things to do when hitting the road. We would all make a trip over to the library and come to a consensus on which stories we would listen to on the way.
- Coloring Books and Crayons: Don’t forget to include a plain notebook for your little ones to get creative on their own!
- Disposable Cameras: While disposable cameras may be a thing of the past, they are relatively cheap and you can still have them developed. So, give one to each of your munchkins and let them capture the trip through their eyes. You might be surprised by some of the cool things they capture along the way!
- Window Markers: Let your kids go crazy with creativity over the car’s windows with some glass safe markers! After, you can simply remove it by wiping down with baby wipes. Easy and simple but loads of fun!
- Sticker and/or Activity Books: Give them some MadLibs and let younger kids and older kids alike go crazy and have fun!
- Podcasts: So many fun ones like these from NPR.
Conclusion
Next time you hit the road, try out these 10 road trip games to keep everyone entertained for hours. Whether you’re playing classic car games or interactive challenges, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Make your journey memorable with these fun and engaging activities!
Playing fun car games like “I Spy,” the alphabet game, and 20 Questions are a great way to pass the time on a long road trip. There are tons of road trip games and activities you can do with your whole family. All it takes is a little planning ahead! Do you have a favorite classic road trip game? What are some of your favorite road trip activities?
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Stacy says
Road trips are the worst if there is no plan to keep the kids occupied. This list of the best road trip games should make it easy. Thanks so much for sharing with us!
My kids love the alphabet game. Starting with the letter “A,” players try to find words outside the car (e.g., on signs, license plates, or buildings) that begin with each letter of the alphabet in order.
Heidi Rogers says
No problem, Stacy! I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks for your comment =D