It’s summer, which means one thing – road trip!!
When we were kids, it seemed like there was an ongoing game of Slug Bug that didn’t end with childhood and continued on into our teens (ok, maybe even in on through college!). For our kids though, we’d like to keep their road trip games a little more fun and a little less bruise-worthy. After all, being on the road for an extended period of time can be grueling enough for kids with small attention spans and even smaller bladders (you know what we mean, right!?). So we thought we’d pull together five easy and engaging road trip games to make the journey just as fun as the destination. And hopefully keep the “Are we there yet?” questions to a minimum!
- I Spy – this game can be played anywhere, any time, but make it last a bit longer for road trips by using the alphabet – I Spy an Apple, I spy a Bay, etc.
- Out of State Plates – See who can spot the most out-of-state license plates in a set period of time.
- Counting Games – Unless you’re driving through a desert in the middle of the night, the roadways are full of opportunities for counting games – how many red cars can you spot in an hour? How many cows in a five mile span? Be specific and set limits to make it more challenging (and time consuming!).
- Bingo – Either stick with the classic game or create your own custom cards based on your travel plans (think beach, countryside, or camping essentials themes).
- Word Games – One person picks a word based on something they see out the car window and everyone else has to come up with a word that rhymes with, then whoever came up with the last rhyming word gets to pick a new word. Or try it with alliteration – semi-truck could be silly shaped semi-truck or gas station could be great gobs of gas station, etc. Each person could take a turn at the word to see who comes up with the funniest phrase.
You can also click here for USA Today’s list of 10 travel game apps if you and the kids are techies who love their iPhones and iPads. And if playing a DVD is an option, consider road trip themed movies or a movie that features your planned destination to get them excited for what adventures lay ahead.
Whatever games you choose for your road trip, always be sure to bring snacks, have fun, and be safe!
And if being on the go is something your child really loves, keep the inspiration going at home with our transportation themed personalized growth charts and personalized shirts for kids.
