Fun Kids Games for Long Car Rides

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If you’ve decided to make this summer’s family vacation a road trip, you’re probably
already wondering how the little ones will fare during those unending hours on the open
road. It’s a great opportunity to show your kids the country, while seeing several different
destinations much more cheaply than if you flew everywhere. But it’s also all too easy
for boredom to set in, leading to stressful arguments and frustrating misbehavior. You
can combat all of these potential issues in advance by planning out a bunch of games
and activities to keep your kids occupied while on the road. Many cars come with built-in
televisions, but if you don’t want your kids zoning out to movies the whole time, here are
some fun kids games for long car rides.

The first option is more an activity than a game, but one your adventure-minded
children will love. Get them a map of your journey so they can keep track of your
progress. They can draw on it in highlighter, keeping up with each mile you cross during
the day. Older children may love pulling out a compass and helping mom and dad
navigate. And for younger children, consider showing them how to make their own map.
Draw your part of the country on a large sheet of paper, with home at one end and the
destination at the other. Every time you stop somewhere, have them draw their favorite
sights from along the way.

The license plate game is another classic option that modern kids still love. Print out
a map of the United States, ideally one that shows each state’s license plate. Then have
your kids keep an eye out to spy the license plates of each passing car. The child who
spots the most and colors them in, wins. Another great license plate game involves the
letters on plates. Have your kids write down the letters on each plate they pass, and then
come up with fun phrases made from words that start with each letter. Once you’re all
done cracking up, look for a new plate to pull from.

If your kids need more organized games, head to the game shop and look for some
travel board games. Bingo is a great option, but you’ll also find mini card games, classic
board games like battleship, and even travel-sized video games. Just make sure you
keep them in some sort of bag, as the pieces are small and easily lost. Mad Libs and
crossword puzzles are great options for the kids that are old enough to read and write.
Be ready with several of them to keep the kids occupied.

If you don’t mind a bit of noise in the car, there are a couple of great interactive
games that don’t take much at all. The alphabet game is one example that should
keep them busy for hours and hours. You basically just start at the beginning of the
alphabet and look for a word somewhere, either on a license plate, a sign or billboard,
or a passing truck that starts with that letter. Once you’ve found it, move down in the
alphabet. The first child to make it all the way to ‘Z’ wins a prize. Singing is another great
option for car rides, as is reading out loud. If none of these fits the bill, try checking out
websites that offer car or truck games 365 days of the year. They are constantly updating, so you’ll
always find something new.