The question that marks the beginning of the end of your kids attention spans on long road trips. What they are really saying is “I know we’re not there yet but I’m bored”. Here are 10 ideas for kids road trip games that will relieve their boredom and give you a (hopefully) more peaceful drive.
1. I-Spy
“I spy with my little eye…” A great game as it only requires your imagination, leaving you with a lot more space in the vehicle for necessities.
2. License Plate Bingo
A road trip spin on bingo! Before you leave, print out bingo cards with different province license plates and bring something to mark them with. If you want to get really fancy, you could laminate them and bring dry erase markers to make them re-usable. The keep the kids attention for even longer, bring prizes.
3. Name Game
Start with a category like cartoons or celebrities, and then someone starts it off with a name, say Taylor Swift. The next person has to name a celebrity with a name that starts with S (the first letter of the last celebrity’s last name). This has the potential to go on for a really long time, so try to keep it going!
4. Collaborative Story
One person start the story, and the next person continues after a few lines.
5. 20 Questions
The classic 20 questions. A good go-to when you’re in need of fun game that lasts a while. To add a twist to the game, make a rule where one word can’t be said – if someone says that word their question is null.
6. Books On Tape
Not a game but just as effective! Take some requests before you leave home. Listening to stories is always a good option… especially because it often leads to sleeping.
7. Puppet Show
This one requires some supplies but would consume most of the trip.
Step 1: Bring puppet materials. Step 2: Let your kids go to town on fancy puppets. Step 3: Tell them to create a puppet show with their new puppets. Step 4: Enjoy the show!
8. Colour Safari
Pick a colour and name all items you see in that colour.
9. The Alphabet Game
This is a fun collaborative game. Start at the end or the beginning, and then as you drive everyone has to look for a sign that starts with A and then B and so on, all the way to z.
10. Map Game
The best game by far to stop the “are we there yet” question from coming up. What you do: Go through your route and print out different signs that you’d be passing (town names, etc.). Mix them up and give the same number of signs to each kid. Also give them a larger map with the starting and ending point. When they see the sign, whoever has it will shout it out and they can plot it out on the map.
They know exactly how far there is to go, but are also distracted by finding the signs!
