long journey car games

30 Best Road Trip Games That Are Super Fun

Road trip games can make any journey more enjoyable and fun whether you're going on a long drive across the country or spending a few hours in the car with the kids.

Our list of the 30 of the best road trip games will provide entertainment for children and adults alike, ranging from music-related games and foodie challenges to word contests and devious pranks.

You will never have to think of what to do on a long car ride again! The following is the ultimate list of games you can play on a road trip.

1. The Story Game

Entertaining for adults and kids alike, this is storytelling with a twist - you go round the car and each passenger adds just one word following on from the player before.

See how crazy you can make the story, and get someone to record it on their phone so you can listen back to the hilarious progression of the plot as you make way along your road trip. You could go from sunbathing in Spain to training alpacas in Chile in a matter of seconds.

Trust us, you're in for a laugh with this one and if your passengers are good, these stories can get seriously long!

2. I'm Going On A Road Trip

This road trip game requires a bit more brain power than some of the others, but is still really entertaining and great for all ages. To play, passengers take it in turns to state 'I'm going on a road trip and I'm bringing…' followed by an item of their choice.

The next person has to repeat the phrase, saying the last person's item and adding one of their own and so on - eventually you'll have a really long list of crazy items to try and remember, and it's always amusing watching people try and get it right a few rounds in.

Be sure to throw in a few weird and wonderful items to confuse the rest of the players!

3. The Quiet Game

This game is a bit of a joke for the adults who want a few minutes of peace and quiet from their squabbling kids. The rules are hilariously simple - just say 'who can stay quiet the longest?' and breathe as the competitive siblings fall instantly silent.

Just a word of warning though: don't expect it to last very long, so have another kid-friendly car game lined up for when they get bored.

4. The Banana Game

This game is all about the color yellow and is super simple - points are awarded whenever a passenger spots a yellow vehicle.

Come up with a scoring system for different types of vehicle (e.g. one point for a car, two for a van, and three for a lorry) and whether you saw it parked (one point) or in motion (two points). Add any extra rules you fancy, and prepare to get competitive about who saw it first.

5. Never Miss A Beat

This game may be more of a singalong than a game, but it's still awesome!

Never miss a beat offers another chance to show off your singing skills and unusually gets everyone playing together rather than against each other.

All you need to do is stick on your family's favorite song or a song everyone knows the words to and start singing. Someone then needs to turn it down for 10 seconds whilst everyone keeps singing, before turning it back up again to see if you've kept the beat and stayed in time.

This game is mainly just a bit of fun, but you could always turn it into a competition by splitting into teams!

Another classic you've probably played a thousand times before but never get bored of.

Passengers take it in turns to find an object either inside or outside the car and say "I spy with my little eye something beginning with…" the first letter of whatever the object is.

The other passengers must then try and guess the answer (clues can be given if it's really hard), with the winner taking the next turn. This is an easy car game to play with kids and always a great one to keep bored passengers entertained for a surprisingly long time.

7. 20 Questions

This classic road trip game probably doesn't need much of an introduction - simply choose one passenger to start by thinking of a random object, and the other passengers take turns asking 20 yes-or-no questions to guess the object.

Whoever finds the answer first gets to think of the random thing in the next round, but if the object has everyone stumped, they get to keep their role for the next round.

There are no rules on the object you can pick, but lying in your answers is strictly forbidden!

8. Car Bingo

This kid-friendly game takes a little prep before you set off, but it's well worth it if you need to keep the kids entertained on a long journey.

Make a list of things the children might see along the road trip route - e.g. cows, a tractor, a red car etc, to give to them when you get into the car.

As you drive they can cross things off as they see them, not only distracting them from boredom but also encouraging them to look around and learn about the places they're visiting.

Make the list as specific to the place you're going as you want. In Texas you might have anything mentioning the Lone Star and in Wyoming you might be on the lookout for elk!

You can tailor the difficulty and number of things to find depending on the age of your children.

9. Sweet Or Sour

The rules of this road trip game are super simple: passengers take turns waving at passing pedestrians or people in nearby cars. If they wave back they're sweet, if not they're sour. You win a point for every sweet passerby you get, so aim to find as many friendly people as possible along the way.

For obvious reasons, the driver should opt out of this one, but it can be extra fun if they divert the car through a busy area of town to rack up some extra waving opportunities!

Remember not to distract other drivers!

10. Secret Place Race

Make use of that old road map that sits in the car seat pocket to entertain the kids. All you need to do for the secret place race is pick a place they're unlikely to know such as a tiny village, river, or mountain, and see how long it takes them to find it on the map.

This can be incredibly entertaining in a Where's Waldo kind of way, except their mission in finding the village can be made critically important for the driver to be able to find the right way!

Have a reward on hand if they're able to find it in less than 5 minutes, and watch as they're completely engrossed in the task. A simple yet satisfyingly effective game.

11. Punch Buggy

First gaining popularity as part of one of Volkswagen's marketing campaigns in the 1960s, the aim of this game is to give your fellow passengers a playful punch whenever you see a VW Beetle drive past.

This is one of those road trip games that is universally loved by children (as long as you monitor the punching to avoid disaster), although we don't see why the adults wouldn't enjoy it too.

Granted - in some parts of the world, seeing a Beetle is incredibly rare, so if you're struggling to see many Beetles, you could always choose a specific color of car or another funny model as the target instead to make it a touch easier.

12. Regional Car Pantry

One for the foodies. Stretching across the full duration of your road trip, collect as many local snacks as you can at every stop along the way to build up your car pantry.

Make sure you take pictures of each snack (or buy duplicates if they'll keep) so you can see what you've managed to collect at the end of the trip, and be sure to take some weird and wonderful treats home for friends and family to try.

Do some research beforehand and make a list of all the foods you want to find, or just wing it and see what local delicacies you stumble across as you go.

13. The License Plate Game

You'll need pens and paper for this game so make sure you've packed some before you head off. The aim is to spot license plates from as many different countries or US states (depending on where your road trip is taking place) as possible.

Write a list of the places you've seen and compare it with the other passengers at the end of the drive. This is the ideal game for those long stretches of boring motorway where you'll probably rack up a surprisingly long list, and the person with the most countries gets to ride shotgun for the next leg of the journey.

The end of this road trip game can get very controversial - if you spot a real game winner, photographic evidence is a good idea so get your phone out and take photos in secret!

14. The Fortunately - Unfortunately road trip game

This is similar to the Story Game (see #1 above), however players get a little more control and creativity. You can say more than one word this time!

One player starts off with a 'fortunately' sentence, and the next has to follow with an 'unfortunately' sentence to build a story of luck and misfortune. For example, one player might start with 'fortunately, the sun was shining' with the second player adding 'unfortunately they had a long drive ahead of them' and so on.

This game can make it a little easier to remember the long string as everything has to be either fortunate or unfortunate! Get as creative as you can and you'll find yourself at your destination in what seems like no time at all.

15. The Complete Food Menu Game

This is the perfect road trip game to play if you're passing through a few towns on your way although roadside restaurants and chains will do just fine.

Print out a sheet with all the food types you can think of in a grid against the names of people in the car.

Every time you drive past a restaurant of some kind, the first person to spot it gets to collect the tick for the food type it serves. Steaks and pizzas should be easy to collect by everyone, but you might just win if you're the only one who spotted the seafood restaurant in the middle of Oklahoma!

16. The Name Game

This is another simple game that keeps your brain occupied during a long drive without being too strenuous. One person simply says any name they can think of and the next person must say another name that begins with the last letter of the name before, and so on.

For example if passenger one says Tom, passenger two might say Mary. If you've made any friends during your road trip, try and include their names to make it a tad more topical.

Obviously adding the rule of not repeating the same names once they have been mentioned makes this a whole lot more interesting as the game progresses although you're guaranteed to have a disagreement over whether a name has or has not been mentioned already!

17. Guess The Song

If you're comfortable in your musical knowledge you'll definitely want to suggest playing this one. The rules are simple: get the front passenger to play the first few seconds of a song and whoever can guess the artist and song title the quickest wins a point.

This is much easier if you can connect your phone to the car for the road trip and play songs from there so you can easily search and pause the music.

The person with the most points after half an hour gets control of the music for the rest of the journey, so there's a lot at stake...

18. Sing The Next Line

A variation on the Guess The Song game above, except this game relies on your vocal chords.

Instead of just guessing the song after a few seconds, players have to rack their brains and try and sing the next line, and the person who successfully remembers it first wins a point. Think of a reward for whoever wins, and if you attempt it but get it wrong you have to do a forfeit chosen by the driver.

19. Radio Roulette

This game's a little less hands-on but no less entertaining. Use your road trip driving time to discover all the local radio stations of the place you're visiting by re-tuning every ten minutes and choosing a new station at random.

You'll probably find some pretty wacky programs and get to know traditional and popular music in that country - a great way to appreciate culture even when you're between destinations.

If you a radio station that is really wacky, let us know!

20. Would You Rather

This road trip game can be be as PG or as outrageous as you like depending on the age of the passengers.

Take turns asking the car whether they would rather do one thing or another (e.g. 'would you rather go to France or Spain?') and see what they answer. Make it as difficult as possible to choose between the two options for maximum entertainment value, whether that's making them equally amazing or equally horrible, it's up to you…

You can see how this game can get as interesting in group of adults as with kids - answering the question is compulsory and providing reasons is where it gets fun!

21. Car Rules Road Trip Game

Everyone in the car gets to make up a silly rule, e.g. whenever we cross a bridge everyone has has to touch their nose, or whenever we stop at a red light everyone has to touch the roof of the car.

The last person to join in when an action is enforced gains a point, and the person with the most points at the end of the drive loses. Get as creative as you like with the rules and try and catch people out where possible so you can take the victory.

The loser has to go pay for parking or buy ice creams at the next stop!

22. Hot Seat

If you're that nosy friend that wants to find out all of your companions' deepest secrets then you'll like this one. Passengers take it in turns to be in the hot seat and are asked 5 questions, one of which they're allowed to veto and the other four must be answered honestly.

This is best played in an adult-only car (questions get notoriously cheeky) and is the ideal way to pass the time finding out some interesting new facts about your road trip friends.

You can use it as a warm up or a step up from the car version of Truth or Dare (see #27 below) depending on how close your friendships are!

23. People Watching

Someone picks a car full of people that everyone can see (this works best if you're stuck in traffic), and together you make up a story about the people - who they are, where they're going, what they do for a living. The funnier and more far-fetched the story, the better - just make sure you're not staring too obviously at your subjects or it might get a little awkward...

Use your imagination to make the stories controversial and see how far you can go with making things up!

You might just surprise yourself how the most innocuous of road trip games will make you spot things you would never otherwise see just by looking at the cars around you.

24. Kiss, Marry, Avoid

Another one for the older crowd. Take turns listing three famous people and the other passengers in the car have to choose which person they would kiss, which they would marry, and which they would avoid.

Make it really hard to decide so that everyone has a bit of a laugh, and try to predict each other's answers to add an extra twist to the game.

If you want to add a little spice to the game, use people you all know or move to people in the car!

25. While You Were Sleeping

There's nothing more tempting than pulling a prank on a passenger who falls asleep en route, and whilst we don't dispute the whole drawing-a-mustache classic, we've got something even craftier.

Whilst they're taking a nap on the road trip, have a brainstorm with the awake members of the party and come up with an epic story or scenario of something that they missed during their nap.

The aim of the game is to get them to believe the story, so make sure nobody laughs or breaks character (come up with a forfeit if they do), and keep the lie going for as long as possible. If you manage to pull it off this is far better than a DIY mustache... but by all means, draw one on for good measure.

This classic road trip game can really take a turn for the worse if you want it to. A simple horror story about a truck that followed the car for miles that you just managed to pull away from before getting a flat tyre can go a long way as you're parked on the side of the road. Peer into the rear view mirror in horror and watch their face when a random truck appears on the horizon!

26. Categories

Popular with kids and adults alike the world over, Categories can be an awesome game to play on road trips as well.

The premise is simple - somebody picks a category which can have multiple different answers. Fruit or Beatles' songs can both be great options.

Players have to then take turns to name one item from the category at a time. Players are eliminated when they can't name one until there's one winner. Either the winner or the next person in turn gets to choose the next category.

That brings our list of the best road trip games to an end. Do you have other games you enjoy? Get in touch to let us know and we'll add it to our list!

27. Truth Or Dare (The Car Edition)

The old classic can and should be played on road trips! Players take turns to either answer an embarassing question truthfully or perform a dare set by other players.

The dares obviously have to be contained to the realms of the car or the roadside so you'll have to get creative.

Needless to say, this game is very different when played with kids as a family or with adult friends and is equally great in both cases!

28. 6 Degrees of Separation

This is a road trip game that will require some imagination and provide plenty of topics for conversation.

Take turns and pick two people who you may know or make them up (e.g. a Shaolin monk). The more different the background and location of these people the better!

Then proceed to discuss how these two people are connected through 6 connections or less. You don't have to know the whole chain - that's actually where the fun is.

How is a gaucho from a remote farm in southern Argentina connected to Prince Charles? The gaucho must know his ranch's boss (1). The boss knows the boss of the company that buys beef from local producers (2). That company has a liaison manager in a UK-based Argentinian beef importing firm (3). This manager has a colleague who imports fine wines from around the world for the same company (4). The colleague personally provides the fine wines to the Royal sommelier (5) and the sommelier personally knows Prince Charles (6). Bingo!

29. The Stop Joker Card road trip game

If you're going on a long trip and you're going to be driving all day or even longer than that, this is a great way to give everyone in the car, kids included, a way to have a bit of control.

At any point during the trip, each person can enact their Stop Joker Card - this means the car has to stop wherever they are passing and spend some time there doing an activity or just relaxing.

Your kids might see something really fun halfway along and use their card to break up the journey and everyone gets to have their stop along the route!

30. Pick One Car road trip game

This one is a game of patience and opportunity. Every person in the car has one chance during the journey to pick a car that you can see on your way as their ultimate One Car. The objective is to pick the coolest/fastest/most amazing car possible.

Once you've chosen a car, you can't change it - you only have one go so you better make it count - if you're passing something that is decent but not stellar, you might have to make a tough choice.

The game is made even more difficult by the fact that the first person to call the car out gets to have it so you have to be alert and on the lookout if you haven't got one yet.

Join our email list!

By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. Your email will not be provided to third parties.

Related posts

• Entertainment & News
• Career & Money
• Health & Wellness
• Love Quotes
• Expert Advice
• Radical Acceptance
• search articles
• find an expert
• sign up for newsletter

30+ Fun Road Trip Games To Pass The Time While Traveling

Long drives are fun at first, but after a while, you need something to do..

By Deauna Roane — Last updated on Jul 11, 2023

There’s no better feeling than the freedom of the open road. The destination that awaits you evokes excitement and joy.

Where are you going? Maybe you’re traveling to the hot spot of the summer or visiting your boyfriend, putting a stop to long distances. You can feel the energy building up inside you on this journey to somewhere new. But what do you do when the road trip seems never-ending?

It can be hard to keep your mind occupied behind the wheel or in the passenger seat. No matter where you’re sitting, there are ways to make the trip more bearable .

RELATED: 7 Sneaky Ways Traveling Actually Makes You Healthier, Says Science

Whether you’re alone or with friends , it’s beneficial to have some go-to activities for the car. Luckily, there are plenty of fun road trip games to play in the car to pass the time while you’re en route.

30 Fun Road Trip Games for Long Car Rides

1. categories.

Start by picking a category such as colors or vegetables and take turns naming something in that category until someone is stumped. Red, green, yellow, pink... you lost! This is a fun way to use your brainpower and react quickly to someone possibly taking your answer.

2. The License Plate Game

You’ll inevitably pass some out-of-state drivers. Take advantage and see how many of the states you can find before you reach your destination. Feel free to print out a map before your trip and mark which states you discover.

In another variation of the License Plate Game, most license plates contain three letters and this game makes use of them. Interpret each potential acronym in a funny way. For example, PMP could be “purple mashed potatoes” and LSB could be “Lexi smells bad.” Be creative!

You may not have thought of yourself as a writer until now. One person says a word to begin a story and all the players take turns adding another word to the story. It will be fun to see where the story ends up.

4. Celebrity

One person chooses a famous person and plays out their character. They will answer questions as if they are this celebrity and the first person who guesses correctly wins. It will then be their turn to take the stage.

5. The Alphabet Game

Take turns going through the alphabet and find letters in the car or passing license plates and road signs. This simple game gives you a chance to search for things instead of focusing on the time it’s taking to get where you need to be. Good luck to whichever player gets X.

6. My Father Owns a Grocery Store

A fun guessing game that involves some deep thinking. Begin by saying, “My father owns a grocery store and in it, he sells something that begins with the letter...” Once someone has guessed the food item you were thinking of, it’s their turn.

7. Going on a Picnic

This memory game continues to build until you mess up or forget. The first person says, “I’m going on a picnic and I’m going to bring...” Then the next person says, “I’m going on a picnic and I’m going to bring...” and must list the first person’s item before adding their own. As the list grows, it becomes harder to remember all of what was said.

8. Deep Questions

Pull out your phone and head onto Pinterest or the Internet for some great conversation starters . You’ll be sure to get to know your friends better while exploring your own answers to some deep questions.

9. Guess the Song

Put a playlist on shuffle and see who knows music the best. Whoever can name the song and artist first wins. This competitive road trip game allows you to work on your listening skills and maybe come across some new music.

10. While You Were Sleeping

This is a great game if you have sleepy passengers. When a passenger is sleeping, the awake parties in the car must create a story. Once the passenger awakes, the game is on.

The passengers must now make the sleeping person believe their story. If someone goes off-script or breaks character, they lose points; if you're successful, you win points. If the sleeping passenger ends up joining in on the story and correctly fools the car, they win.

RELATED: 25 Exciting 2-Player Card Games You Can Play Anywhere

11. Did You Hear That?

This is a great game for those interested in the news and pop culture. The object of the game is to fool your car mates. You will say, "Did you hear that (blank) happened?" You fill in the blank with something you either have or have not heard and your car mates must decide if it's true or not.

They are to respond with, "That didn't happen" or, "Tell me more." If they say, "Tell me more," the points double if they guess correctly.

12. 21 Questions

One person thinks of something (it can be anything). Then, the car has exactly 21 questions to figure out what the thing is. Whoever guesses it right gets to start the next round.

13. The Movie Game

This is a great game for movie buffs. One person begins by naming an actor or actress, and then the next person has to name a movie that person was in. The person after them has to name another actor from that same movie, and on and on it goes.

14. Riff Off

If you've seen "Pitch Perfect," you know exactly how to play. A person starts singing a song and the next person has to connect that song (using the lyrics) to another song. If you mess up, you're out. Last person singing wins.

15. Alphabetical Categories

Want to make Categories a bit harder? Make your car mates do it in alphabetical order. The same rules apply as regular Categories.

16. Regional Food Master

The object of the game is to get as many local snacks as possible before you reach your destination. The rule is that at every gas station you stop at, you must find one snack item that is made within that region.

17. The Name Game

Someone randomly says a famous person's name. The next person has to name another famous person's name which starts with the first letter of the previous person's last name. If someone says a famous person who has the same letter for both their first and last name, the game reverses in order.

18. Word Association

The object of the game is to see how far you can go. Someone begins with a word and the next person has to say a word that is associated with it. The game continues until someone messes up or says something too far-fetched.

19. Cows On My Side

This is great for those driving through country states. The object of the game is to grab as many points as possible. To gain points, you have to A) Yell, "Cows on my side" if you see cows on your side of the car, or B) Yell, "Cows on your side" before that person can claim them.

If you see a cemetery, however, you can yell "Ghost Cow" and you steal all of the points from the other side.

A classic car ride game to play is I-Spy. In this car ride game, someone spots an object and says, "I spy with my little eye something (blank)," and fills in the blank with a descriptive word of the object. The remaining players have to guess what it is.

RELATED: 5 Therapy-Inspired Games That Can Strengthen Any Family Bond

21. Punch Buggy

Want a semi-violent but fun road trip game to play in the car? Punch buggy is it. Whenever you see a Volkswagen Bug, punch someone in the car and say, "Punch buggy, no punch back." You can get creative and add more rules, like having to name the color of the car or if it has a spoiler or not.

You can also do variations of this game for other cars. For example, on family road trips, my husband and I pinch each other when we see a Prius.

22. In My Suitcase

This memory game is great for long road trips. It begins with someone saying, "In my suitcase, I packed..." You begin the list with the first letter of the alphabet and continue on.

So the first person will begin with A, then the next person has to continue the list from the beginning and add on with their letter. Whoever messes up first loses.

23. Who Am I?

This game is very similar to 20 Questions except the player starting the round has to be a person. You can decide whether you will play with people who are living or dead.

24. Two Truths And a Lie

This game is self-explanatory. You say three "facts" about yourself, but one of them is a lie while two of them are truths. The rest of the players have to guess what is the lie.

25. Color Search

Before you begin your road trip, decide on a color you want to look for. Once the color is decided, you can start earning points by shouting out objects that are that color like "yellow car." Most people like to stick to just cars, but you can broaden the search to just about anything. It's great for younger kids, too!

26. Would You Rather?

Would You Rather? is a fun game to play to pass the time and get a few laughs. You ask your fellow car mates, "Would you rather..." and give them a choice of two situations. They must then choose which one they'd rather pick. The questions can become quite outlandish so buckle in for some laughs.

27. City, Country, River

You go in alphabetical order. On each turn, you have to name a city, a country, and a river that starts with the letter you are on. If you can't think of one, you're out. It goes until there is only one person left.

28. How Long is The Tunnel?

Whenever you get to a tunnel, pick a number. Then, once you enter the tunnel, whole car begins counting. Whoever was closest to how long it took you all to get out of the tunnel wins.

29. Road Trip Olympics

You can get really stiff while on a road trip, so whenever you stop it's good to get exercise. On the Road Trip Olympics, at every stop, have your car mates compete in a physical challenge, whether it's jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, or another activity. The person who can do the most within the time limit you set wins.

30. Spot The Cracker Barrel

As you go along your road trip journey, keep a lookout for Cracker Barrel locations. Call them out to win points. The winner receives a free meal at the next Cracker Barrel stop. You can obviously switch out Cracker Barrel for any franchised restaurant like Wendy's or McDonald's.

RELATED: 21 Fun Activities & Outdoor Games For Kids

6 Ways to Pass the Time on a Solo Road Trip

1. listen to a podcast..

One of my favorite things to do on solo road trips is to listen to my most-loved podcast. Time seems to escape when I’m listening to familiar voices. It also makes the drive seem less lonely because I feel like I have company.

2. Talk to yourself.

As weird as it may sound, sometimes all you need is to talk to yourself . Vocalize your thoughts and listen to your own voice. If there’s something weighing on your mind, let it out and come up with a solution. Who gives better advice than you?

3. Listen to your favorite songs.

Alone time in your car is the perfect opportunity to sing your heart out. It’s always nice to have a road trip playlist with some of your favorite songs. Play it on repeat and get excited about where you’re heading.

4. Call a friend.

Another great way to pass the time is to talk with a friend or family member. Always be safe and use your speakerphone. But enjoy a good conversation with a person you don’t normally get to talk to.

5. Listen to an audiobook.

If you love storytelling, this is the perfect option for you. Before you leave for your trip, download the book you’ve always been wanting to read. When you’re in a good headspace and ready to listen, play the audiobook and enjoy the story.

6. Think about what you will do when you reach your destination.

Sometimes there’s nothing better than future thinking. If you don’t already have plans set in place, now’s the time to figure out what you’ll do once you get to where you’re going. This will also make you excited and help the drive go faster.

RELATED: We Met On Twitter — And Our First Date Was A Week-Long Road Trip

Deauna Roane is an associate editor for YourTango who covers pop culture, lifestyle, astrology, and relationship topics. She's had bylines in Emerson College's literary magazine, Generic, and MSN.

Sign in to add this item to your wishlist, follow it, or mark it as ignored

Sign in to see reasons why you may or may not like this based on your games, friends, and curators you follow.

Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops..

Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

Why Early Access?

Approximately how long will this game be in early access, how is the full version planned to differ from the early access version, what is the current state of the early access version, will the game be priced differently during and after early access, how are you planning on involving the community in your development process, buy long car journey - a road trip game.

Report bugs and leave feedback for this game on the discussion boards

About This Game

Key features:.

• A big world with many roads. Each will lead you somewhere new! Find out yourself!
• No map, you can only count on a compass (if you find it yourself)
• Fix, refine, and tank your car so that the journey lasts for as long as possible! (Or explore the map… on foot; which we don’t recommend at night)
• animals Running onto the Road!
• Explore abandoned places, buildings, venture into the abyssal wasteland!
• trade, Buy, and Sell Objects You Find!
• random Events (maybe A Hitchhiker?)
• day and Night Cycle
• Varying temperature — You’d better check the state of your battery if you want to spend the night in the car! We recommend heating up the car to the max at night!
• car tuning (better engines, extra storage etc)
• physics! put things in the trunk, watch out, they may fall out!
• Possibility to sell found items
• 2 game modes - Regular mode ( hunger, fatigue, body temperature, health), Simple mode (without life bars, just chill)
• several cars to buy
• eye-pleasing Low Poly Graphics

System Requirements

• OS *: Windows 7,8 10
• Processor: I3 3220
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics: dedicated graphics card 2GB
• DirectX: Version 10
• Processor: I5
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: GTX 1050

More like this

What curators say, customer reviews.

You can use this widget-maker to generate a bit of HTML that can be embedded in your website to easily allow customers to purchase this game on Steam.

Enter up to 375 characters to add a description to your widget:

Copy and paste the HTML below into your website to make the above widget appear

Popular user-defined tags for this product: (?)

Sign in to add your own tags to this product.

55 Fun Car Games For Families On Long Road Trips

By In The Playroom

April 10, 2023

Are you planning a family road trip and dreading the inevitable cries of “Are we there yet?” from the backseat? Don’t worry! We’ve compiled a list of 50+ fun car games perfect for keeping the whole family entertained during those long car rides.

Family road trips are a cherished tradition for many, especially during the long hot days of summer, offering the perfect opportunity to bond, explore new places, and create lasting memories.

As you embark on your next long road trip, you may be seeking ways to keep the whole family entertained, from younger kids to older children and we have compiled a list of the best road trip games and car ride activities that will ensure a good time for all!

From word games that challenge the mind to fun road trip classics like Rock Paper Scissors, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. So buckle up, and get ready to make your next stop a memorable one with these great car games.

Huge List of Fun Car Games For Road Trips That The Whole Family Can Enjoy

• I Spy (Little Eye)

A fun game that kids of any age can play, the first person selects an object they see and says, “I spy with my little eye, something that is (color/shape).” The other players then guess what the object is. You can also play this game with the alphabet, I spy with my little eye… something beginning with A, B, C and so on.

• Alphabet Game

A classic game for long road trips, family members take turns finding objects or road signs that begin with each letter of the alphabet in alphabetical order. The first player to spot an object for each letter wins.

• Scavenger Hunt

Before your long drive, create a list of items commonly seen on the side of the road, such as a stop sign or a cow. Pass out the list to each player and see who can find the most items by the end of the trip.

Hearts is a fantastic card game ideal for families on road trips, offering engaging gameplay that promotes strategy and social interaction. It’s perfect for passing the time and fostering family bonding during long journeys. If you’re without a deck of cards, you can easily play Hearts online at sites like Hearts.land , ensuring the fun continues even when you’re on the move.

• License Plate Game

A road trip classic, players try to find license plates from different states. Keep a list and see who can find the most by the end of the game.

• 20 Questions

A great way to pass the time, one player thinks of a person, place, or thing, and the other players take turns asking yes or no questions to figure out what it is. The game continues until someone guesses correctly or all 20 questions have been asked.

Players take turns naming famous people, with the next player having to think of a name that starts with the last letter of the previous name. If someone gets stuck, they’re out until the next round.

• TV Show/Movie Game

Similar to the name game, players take turns naming a TV show or movie, with the next player having to think of a title that starts with the last letter of the previous title.

• Favorite Song Game

Players take turns singing a line from their favorite song, with the next player having to sing a line from a song that starts with the last word of the previous line.

A fun way to get to know your family members better, one person is in the “hot seat” and must answer questions from the other players for a set time limit.

• Memory Game

The first player names an object, and the next person repeats the object and adds another one. This continues with each player adding an object to the list and trying to remember the entire sequence. When someone forgets an item, they’re out of the game.

• Spelling Bee

A simple game that’s perfect for older kids and adults, take turns choosing longer words for the other players to spell. If a player spells a word incorrectly, they’re out of the game.

• Road Trip Bingo

Before your trip, create or purchase car bingo cards featuring common sights like a red barn or a motorcycle. As players spot these items, they mark them off on their card. The first person to get five in a row wins.

You can use our free printable travel bingo game for this activity.

Travel Bingo Free Printable Game for Kids

A classic road trip game for a good laugh, players take turns filling in the blanks of a Mad Libs story with words chosen by the other players. Read the completed story aloud for a hilarious time.

• Grocery Store Game

A fun memory game for kids of all ages, players take turns naming items found in a grocery store in alphabetical order.

• Rock, Paper, Scissors

A simple and classic game for a quick time pass, players simultaneously choose rock, paper, or scissors. Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, and paper beats rock. Best of three wins.

• Trivia Games

Test your family’s knowledge on various subjects with age-appropriate trivia questions. We have put together a huge list of road trip trivia questions here, or you can create your own questions or use a trivia book or app.

100 Trivia Questions For Road Trip Fun

• Degrees of Separation

A great game for movie lovers, the first player names an actor and a movie they starred in. The next player must then name another actor from that movie and another movie they appeared in. The game continues until someone can’t think of a connection.

A favorite for parents on long journeys, challenge the kids to see who can stay quiet the longest. Whoever makes a noise is out of the game.

• Sticker Books

Provide each child with a sticker book and a selection of stickers to keep them entertained for hours. Look for books with themes that interest your children.

• Alphabetical Order

Players take turns naming items in a specific category (such as animals or foods) in alphabetical order. The game continues until a player can’t think of an item for the next letter of the alphabet.

• Road Trip Activities

Bring along activity books, coloring books, and puzzles to keep the little kids entertained during the drive. There is no harm bringing their iPad along the way for a long trip too.

• Own Sentence Game

The first player starts by saying a word, and the next player repeats the word and adds another one. Continue until the sentence becomes too long or doesn’t make sense anymore.

• Car Pictionary

Give each player a piece of paper and a pencil. One person draws a picture related to the trip, and the others try to guess what it is within a time limit.

• Word Association

A player says a word, and the next player must say a word related to the first word. Continue around the car until someone can’t think of a related word.

• Two Truths and a Lie

Each player shares three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one is false. The other players try to guess which statement is the lie.

• Would You Rather

Players take turns asking each other “Would you rather…?” questions, prompting fun and often hilarious discussions.

• Storytelling

The first person starts a story with one sentence, and each player adds a sentence to continue the story. See where your collective imagination takes you!

• Road Sign Game

Each player chooses a specific road sign (such as a stop sign or a speed limit sign) and counts how many they see during the trip. The person who spots the most signs wins.

• Guess the Distance

Players take turns guessing how far away a specific landmark is. The person closest to the actual distance wins.

• Alphabet Categories

Choose a category (such as animals or cities) and have players take turns naming items in the category that start with each letter of the alphabet.

These are just a few examples of the many fun car games and activities available for your next road trip. With a little creativity and preparation, you can ensure that your family stays entertained and engaged during those long car rides.

So go ahead, plan your next family adventure, and enjoy the journey just as much as the destination! Here are a few more ideas….

• The A-Z Restaurant Game

Players take turns naming restaurants or fast food chains for each letter of the alphabet, in alphabetical order.

• Word Ladder

Choose a starting word and a target word. Players take turns changing one letter of the current word to create a new word, eventually reaching the target word.

• Celebrity Baby Names

Players try to guess the unique names of celebrities’ children. This can lead to some interesting discussions and laughter.

• Radio Roulette

Quickly switch through radio stations, and each player must guess the title and artist of the song currently playing.

• Cloud Shapes

Take turns looking at the clouds and describing what shapes, animals, or objects they resemble.

Divide the car into two teams – one on each side. Each team counts the cows they see on their side of the road. If a team spots a cemetery on the opposing team’s side, they can shout “Ghost Cows!” and reset the other team’s count to zero.

• License Plate Slogans

Players make up funny or clever slogans based on the letters on license plates they see during the drive.

One player thinks of a character or famous person, and the other players ask yes or no questions to figure out who they are.

• Story Cubes

Use story cubes (dice with images) to roll a random set of images, and take turns creating stories that incorporate those images.

• Pass the Story

One player starts a story, and after a minute, passes the story to the next player to continue. The story changes with each player, often leading to hilarious twists and turns.

• Odd One Out

Choose a category (such as animals or movies) and list four items, with one being the odd one out. The other players must guess which item doesn’t belong.

• The Humming Game

One player hums a tune, and the others try to guess the song.

• What’s Missing?

One player chooses an object in the car and secretly removes it from sight. The other players must figure out what’s missing.

• Animal Sounds

Players take turns imitating animal sounds, and the others have to guess the animal.

• The Prediction Game

Each player makes a prediction about something they think will happen during the trip, such as spotting a specific type of vehicle or hearing a certain song on the radio.

• The Compliment Game

Go around the car and have each person give a genuine compliment to the person on their left. This game encourages positivity and boosts morale during long trips.

• The Laughing Game

One player starts laughing, and the others must join in the game without smiling or laughing. The last person to keep a straight face wins.

• Invention Game

Players take turns describing a fictional invention, and the others have to guess what problem the invention is meant to solve.

• Print Out Word Searches

Create or download themed word searches that your children can complete during the trip. Tailor them to your children’s interests or your destination for a personalized touch. You can find various word search templates online, or create your own using word search generator tools.

We also have free word searches for you to print out on all kinds of themes from black history month to ramadan , halloween and beyond.

• Print Out Coloring Pages

Keep the little ones entertained with coloring pages featuring their favorite characters, animals, or scenes. Print out a variety of coloring pages before your trip, and pack some coloring supplies like colored pencils or washable markers.

We have all kinds of themes to download free here at in the playroom, from shark coloring , to disney frozen coloring pages , to mermaid coloring and more.

18 Free Printable Shark Coloring Pages For Kids

• Print Out Color By Number

Combine the fun of coloring with the challenge of a puzzle by providing your children with color by number pages. These activities help improve concentration and fine motor skills while keeping them engaged during long car rides. Search our site for printable color by number pages in various themes and difficulty levels for example disney princess color by number , or pokemon color by number .

12 Free Printable Disney Princess Color by Number Pages

8 Pokemon Color by Number Coloring Pages for Kids

We also have tonnes more free printable road trip activities that you can check out here…

Road Trip I-SPY Printable Game for Kids

Road Trip Printables for Kids

Printable Travel Games for Kids

By incorporating these printable activities into your long road trip, you’ll ensure that your children stay entertained and engaged, making the journey enjoyable for everyone in the family. Don’t forget to include the necessary coloring supplies and a hard surface to work on, such as a clipboard or lap desk. Happy travels!

From classic road trip games to new favorites, there’s something for everyone here. Buckle up and let the fun begin!

As your family road trip comes to an end, we hope that these fun road trip games and activities have brought laughter, joy, and a sense of connection to your journey. Whether you’ve discovered a new favorite game or revisited beloved classics, these car ride games have made the miles fly by, turning every stretch of road into an adventure. So next time you hit the open road, remember to pack these engaging activities, and watch as your family comes together to create unforgettable memories. Safe travels and happy gaming!

Recap of the game list….

Table of Contents

In The Playroom

Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables. Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.

• In The Playroom https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/ Easy Fried Egg Paper Squishy
• In The Playroom https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/ Paper Cup Bunny Craft
• In The Playroom https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/ Free Easter Cross Template Printable
• In The Playroom https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/ DIY Amelia Earhart Pilot Costume

300 Charming and Rustic Country Baby Girl Names

2 thoughts on “55 fun car games for families on long road trips”.

• Pingback: 100 Trivia Questions For Road Trip Fun - In The Playroom
• Pingback: Car Seat Safety Tips When Taking a Road Trip with Kids - In The Playroom

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

10 Best Mobile Games For Long Journeys, Ranked

Thanks to the incredible experiences available on mobile, gaming is more portable than ever. These mobile games make great additions to long journeys.

Long journeys, be it by car, public transport, or even a long hike, can be exceedingly dull. But they are a frequent occurrence, such as for work or school commutes. Heading into the holiday season, plenty may be making long and arduous journeys to visit distant loved ones.

But they needn't make these journeys without entertainment. Mobile devices have made gaming more portable than ever, and there is a huge range of quality games that are available on mobile to make these long journeys a little less dull . Whatever journey players may happen to be on, why not try one of these great games to be transported on a completely different journey.

RELATED: The Best Mobile Action Games

10 Ghost Detective

3.4 star review on google play store, ghost detective.

Ghost Detective , by Wooga, is the perfect mobile game for those who would prefer a casual experience to accompany their long journey. It features a charming narrative about the ghost of a detective attempting to solve her own murder. Despite the spooky theme, it is a sweet and relaxing adventure, seeing players work through various hidden object puzzles.

In such a relaxed experience, there is plenty of downtime for more travel-sick players to take a pause, and players could also easily listen to their own music if they wished without detracting from the experience too much. It is available with Netflix Games, for those who have an account.

9 Pokemon Go

69 score on metacritic.

There is a reason that Pokemon Go took the whole world by storm when it was released in 2016. The augmented reality mobile game allows players to catch and collect their own Pokemon, battling with Team Go Rocket, and other trainers, and sending gifts to friends. Players collect everything from Pokeballs to potions by spinning either Gyms or Pokestops, which are all centered on real life landmarks.

Since it tracks walking, and is primarily designed as a walking companion game, it is far better suited for long treks on foot. However, long car journeys can be just as viable, so long as players are speedy with their Pokemon catching and Pokestop spinning, and confirm that they aren't the ones driving. An addictive open-ended game, players are sure to sink hours of journey time into their Pokemon catching endeavors.

8 Fallout Shelter

71 score on metacritic, fallout shelter.

The Fallout franchise is beloved in gaming, with 2015's Fallout 4 being nominated for Game Of The Year and having a Metacritic score of 87. It wasn't the only Fallout game in 2015, as they also released Fallout Shelter , their mobile game, which also received a nomination for best mobile game.

Fallout Shelter allows players to manage their own vault full of survivors, making the Fallout experience portable, and a brilliant companion for a long journey. With this game at their side, players will soon find their journey taking them across the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

7 Reigns: Three Kingdoms

4.1 star rating on google play store, reigns: three kingdoms.

Another Netflix Games entry , Reigns: Three Kingdoms is another casual but highly addictive experience. Players are sent back in time to rule over the ancient Han Dynasty, making various choices in the style of the dating app, Tinder, in order to try and maintain balance between their wealth, popularity, and military might.

With a huge number of situations and choices, as well as an entertaining card game to simulate battles, Reigns: Three Kingdoms can keep players occupied for hours as they attempt to gain complete rule over the Dynasty. However, it is also casual enough that players can easily put it down for whatever breaks they might need to take on their journey.

80 Score On Metacritic

Oxenfree is another incredibly popular game, available for free on mobile through Netflix Games. It is a beautiful branching narrative journey, long enough to see players through their own long journey. On top of this, there is a time loop element to the game, which means players can experience the narrative for far longer than it may initially seem.

Its gorgeously spooky synth soundtrack, by scntfc, particularly 'Beacon Beach', is bound to get in players' heads for their whole journey, and that is definitely not a bad thing. Oxenfree is well worth experiencing , especially since there is a recent sequel, Oxenfree 2 .

5 Spiritfarer

84 score on metacritic, spiritfarer.

The next game is free on mobile with Netflix Games. Not only is the mobile version of Spiritfarer an entertaining but casual game to accompany players on their long journeys, it is also a very thematic companion for any sort of journey. Spiritfarer sees players control an adorable pair of apprentice grim reapers, Stella and her pet cat, Daffodil, as they expand their cheery little boat and collect anthropomorphic spirits .

The ultimate goal is to bond with these spirits and guide them through their emotions until they are ready to pass on. As long as players have some tissues with them on their journey, Spiritfarer provides hours of relaxing gameplay and an emotional journey unlike any other, all at a player's fingertips.

4 Papers, Please

85 score on metacritic, papers, please.

Players looking for a one-off narrative experience, complete with addictive gameplay, should look no further than Papers, Please. Papers, Please was originally released in 2013, when it took the gaming world by storm for its compelling and darkly humorous dystopian narrative. However, it was only released for mobile in 2022.

RELATED: Best Mobile Games Of 2020

Players control a border worker, who must inspect the passports of incoming visitors to increasingly stringent standards. Make too many errors or fail to meet the quota for passports checked, and players may struggle to pay for rent, food, and medicine at the end of each working day. It does cost $4.99 on the App Store, making it cheaper than Slay The Spire, cheaper than its Steam price of $9.99, and an overall bargain.

3 Vampire Survivors

87 score on metacritic, vampire survivors.

Vampire Survivors is a reverse bullet hell roguelike, which players can sink hours into. Its status as a top mobile game can be clearly seen, as it is currently the top-rated game on the Play Store, with a 4.4 star rating out of 53k reviews.

Another highly popular game, Vampire Survivors is actually free on mobile. This easily trumps its $4.99 price on Steam. Whatever the journey, Vampire Survivors is a hugely popular free accompaniment that will keep them entertained for hours on end.

2 Slay The Spire

89 score on metacritic, slay the spire.

Slay The Spire is a highly popular rougelike deck-builder game, with a Metacritic rating of 89, that spawned many similar games, such as Inscryption . Given its nature as a roguelike, Slay The Spire is sure to keep players occupied for even the longest of journeys.

Slay The Spire is a great option for those who want a slightly more challenging mobile game. While it does cost $9.99 on the App Store, it is far cheaper than its $24.99 price on Steam, making it well worth purchasing on mobile as a companion for long journeys.

1 Stardew Valley

Stardew valley.

Stardew Valley is another big name game, also with a Metacritic rating of 89, in which players journey to a farm that they get to manage and expand. Unlike Papers, Please, its gameplay is a lot more open-ended, making it a little more suited for long journeys, and perhaps multiple long journeys.

Players can put hours into managing their farm but, as with some of the earlier entries, it is also casual enough to allow for the frequent breaks that players may need to take during their journey. Stardew Valley also costs $4.99 on the App Store, making it even more of a bargain, as it is $14.99 on Steam.

MORE: Best Mobile Football Games

Printable Road Trip Games

We can all remember those long boring drives as a child, can’t we?  Hours of nothing but the same car interior over and over.  Now most of us are from an era where iPhone, tablets and high-speed mobile internet didn’t exist – But what of the fun we had on those car journeys to our favourite holiday destination?  The family bonding over hours of I Spy and other printable road trip games we used to play as our excitement built whenever we would see another landmark that we knew meant we were ever closer to our destination.  Can you remember the excitement, the buzz, and the energy we all used to feel?  Sometimes that boring car journey became something much more special …

If you want to excite your kids with something more than a mobile or tablet screen and replicate the family fun that you had as a child bounding towards your favourite holiday destination, then Things to do on a Car Journey has everything that you’re looking for.  From I Spy (but bigger and better) to word searches, scavenger hunts, and much more!  Simply read on for the list of car journey games with free printable worksheets for all the family to enjoy!

I Spy Activity Sheets

Now, I Spy should be top of the list for every long car journey game – after all, it is one of the best car journey games there is.  Our free printable I Spy worksheets give you three options to enjoy with all the family!  We have our I Spy traffic sheet – providing a fun and exciting new I Spy experience for children to enjoy – you may even get a few teenagers excited too! The kids can be occupied in the back seat with all three I Spy sheets while they use them to count in the number of farm animals, road traffic items, and beach items that you can find and come as a part of our free printable worksheets.

I Spy is a fantastic educational tool for children.  It sparks an imaginative and creative part within them and can be absolutely captivating for young children.  There are many proven mental health benefits of playing I Spy with your kids, from building a working memory by helping your younger children remember animals using our Farm Animals sheet to enhancing visual stimulation, crucial for younger children. ( More ispy worksheets can be found here )

DOWNLOADS ISPY TRAFFIC ISPY BEACH ISPY FARM ANIMALS

Road Trip Scavenger Hunt’s

What is better than a scavenger hunt? Two of course!  Our first scavenger hunt includes plenty of objects you will pass on your road trip, with tractors, animals, and plenty of different objects for the kids to look out for! Next up is one for the future car fanatics we have amongst us!  What better way to get our enthusiastic youngsters learning about the road than with our Road Sign Scavenger hunt!  The Scavenger hunts are really easy to play and are absolutely perfect for use on long car journeys.  Simply print the sheets off and hand them out to all the family – they’ll be on the lookout for all the signs and objects, checking each one off as you pass by from our free printable worksheets.  This is a fantastic tool to engage your children and promote visual learning through recognising different objects and road signs on your journey.  What better way to turn something relatively normal into competitive fun for all of the family to enjoy! ( More Scavenger hunts can be found  here .

DOWNLOADS SCAVENGER HUNT ROAD SIGN SCAVENGER HUNT

Car Colour & Supermarket Lorry Game

The car colour game is another one of our amazing free printable road trip games that can be used for family enjoyment on long car journeys.  The Car Colour game consists of six colour cars and a checklist alongside each car.  Each person is to pick a colour and the first person to spot 20 cars of their chosen colour wins the game.  This game can be played over and over with the whole family, picking a different colour each time. The fun can last as long as you want it!  The Car Colour Road Trip game is an easy and fun competitive game to play with children of all ages.  But the fun doesn’t stop there, make sure you don’t miss out on the supermarket lorry game.  The same rules apply, simply print off our free printable worksheets and get each family member to pick out a type of supermarket lorry, checking off each type of lorry on your journey, and the first one to get them all wins!

DOWNLOADS CAR COLOUR GAME SUPERMARKET LORRY GAME

Fun Car Mazes

If you haven’t already got enough fun and exciting games to play on car journeys, we also have three mazes for your children to complete.  The mazes consist of a drive to the petrol station where you will be guiding the family through a series of twists and turns to get to the pumps!  Make this even more enjoyable for your children by adding a time limit – we wouldn’t want to run out of fuel now, would we!  Next up is ‘Find the path to the key’ a game with three options; A, B, and C – which is the right path to follow to the key?  Simply follow the lines to the correct answer!  Finally, another maze! A little trickier than the first one but the same rules apply.  All you have to do is guide the family home by choosing the correct path!  Mazes are a great way to keep the kids entertained all by themselves and may even give you a bit of peace and quiet … for a short time!

DOWNLOADS FIND THE WAY HOM E DRIVE TO THE PETROL STATION FIND YOUR KEYS

Wordsearches

Who doesn’t love a good wordsearch?  Well with our free printable worksheets we have two for you!  The first wordsearch consists of different car makes – what better way to get those young car fanatics learning about their favourite cars!  Also included is the vehicle wordsearch covering vehicles from gondola’s to oil tankers!  The wordsearches are child friendly but may even give some of you adults a run for your money! ( Check out our other printable word searches here )

DOWNLOADS CAR WORD SEARCH VEHICLE WORD SEARCH

Car Journey Bingo

Gone are the days of boring car journeys with the car travel bingo game .  This family car journey game will transform that long drive into family fun for all to enjoy.

The car travel bingo game can be printed off and used with ease for maximum enjoyment.

How to use;

• Print off the bingo sheets
• Simply keep your eyes peeled and check off each grid when you see one of the objects on your journey
• You can add in as many games as you like (First to get to a row/line or 4 corners, all the way to the big win of the full house!)
• Shout BINGO when completed! Car bingo is just one of the many games to play on car journeys you’ll find here.  Just read on, print the games out, and let the fun begin.  Before you know it, you and your whole family will be wanting that journey to last just a little while longer.         

DOWNLOADS BINGO CARDS

Design Truck & Van

Included with our free printable worksheets is a design your own trailer and van template, which should keep those budding artists occupied for a while!  There will be plenty of inspiration on your journey for the kids to design their own trailer or van, or maybe they’ll fancy a go at drawing mommy or daddies’ work vans!  Remember to print a few copies so they can design as many as they like!

DOWNLOADS TRAILER VAN

Family Quiz

Finally, we come to our family quiz, an incredible car journey game to pass the time. The general knowledge quiz includes 100 questions that will test all the family.  The quiz includes questions from – General knowledge, film, TV trivia, and plenty more to get all the family thinking!

All of these things to do on a car journey Include free printable worksheets – so before you set off on that summer holiday road trip with all of the kids make sure you check out all of our printable road trip games –  you will be surprised just how much fun you can have on that long car journey! 

DOWNLOAD QUIZ QUESTIONS

The Number Plate Game

The number plate game is an incredibly fun activity to play, not only this it stimulates learning behaviours in your children in a fun and engaging way.  The game is simple to play, take the letters from a number plate on the road and try to make a word with it.  The longer the word the more points you receive.  For example, points can be based on this;

1-3 Letter word – 1 Point

4-6 Letter words – 3 Points

6-10 Letter words – 5 Points

DOWNLOAD PLAYERS SHEET SCORECARD

The Alphabet Game

Starting with the letter ‘A” as you pass each road sign you must find the next letter in the alphabet.  For example, you would look for ‘A’ on the first road sign, then the letter ‘B’ on the next!  This is a great road trip game to play and is a brilliant way to get your younger children to learn the alphabet too!

DOWNLOAD ALPHABET GAME

Other road trip games Ideas

What about some more games to play on long car journeys?  Here are some classics;

Simon Say’s

I’m sure most of you amongst us will remember this old classic, but here is a recap for those who don’t;

One of you starts as the leader – this is the person who will be giving out the commands

The leader will give out commands such as ‘Simon Says put your right hand on your head’

The aim of the game is for the leader to get someone – or everyone to do a command without saying ‘Simon Say’s ‘ for example if the leader says ‘Put your right hand on your head’ without saying Simon Say’s then whoever completes that action is out of the game!

Pick up the speed of the game to make it more difficult!

Brilliant and engaging to play with all of the family – but maybe leave the driver out of the game!

Twenty Questions

Twenty questions is exactly as easy as it sounds, 20 questions of the chosen question masters choice, and everyone must answer.  This game can be really useful in getting to know your kids and teenagers better in a safe and fun environment.

Name the Song

Name the Song or Name the artist (those music fanatics out there can play both) is a really fun game to play along with the radio.  Simply keep score of who can guess the song, artist, or both as each song comes on the radio.  You can also create your own playlist to make this more suitable for all age ranges and can be hours of fun!

What Colour Is it?

Before your journey, create a list of items that are all the same colour.  The list can be as long or short as you like.  Cycle through this list of items of same colour until the kids shout out the correct colour.  For example; Sky, the sea, blueberries until the kids shout the word blue!

Would you rather?

This old classic game has been used on car journeys, meeting icebreakers, and parties for years.  But just to refresh, one person asks the question ‘Would you rather’ then adds their own twist, such as;

‘Would you rather be able to hold your breath underwater and swim for as long as you want or have wings and be able to fly like a bird’

‘Would you rather be an astronaut or a pilot’

Then all of the other players must answer.  Then take it in turns to be the chosen one to ask the questions!

Top 10’s can be applied to pretty much anything!  10 movies, car makes and models, songs, artists, holiday destinations and so many more.  So, pick the genre of your Top 10 and get all the family to list their favourites!  This game is such a fun car journey game and can go on for hours!

Count the ……

Count the sheep, count the road signs or count the car make!  Whatever takes yours and the kid’s fancy is up to you!  The aim of the game is that by the end of the road trip whoever has the highest tally of whatever object you have all decided wins, just get someone to keep count along the way, and you are guaranteed hours of competitive fun!

Finish the ….

Whether it’s finish the statement, finish the movie line or finish the song – you can guarantee loads of fun with this car journey game!  It is as easy as it sounds, simply choose one person to start the sentence, and the first person in the car to finish the sentence wins the round.  Either have the kids shouting out their answers or take it in turns for a challenging points finale!

Name the Most ….

Another game that you and the family can mix up to suit your own preferences is ‘name the most’.  A simple game where you choose the category, for example; Name the most Disney films or name the most songs by a certain artist.  To make it even more competitive add time limits to make this next game to play on a car journey even more fun-filled!

The Shopping Game

The chosen player thinks about an item they can get at a supermarket and the rest of the players have to guess the item by asking questions about it.  For example, they would ask;

‘Can we find it in the fruit and veg aisle’

Keep asking questions and guessing items until finally there is a winner!

The Category Game

First off choose the category, it can be anything you like from food, to songs to films.  Then, after you have chosen the category each player must take it in turns to name an item from that category in alphabetical order.  For example; If you had chosen children’s songs you could start with – Alphabet song, Baby Shark and so on and so forth.  This game can get really challenging dependant on the category and is sure to bring lots of fun!

In my Suitcase

This really fun memory game is such an enjoyable way to pass the time.  The chosen person must start the game by saying; ‘In my suitcase I have packed’ and then the following players must start with something beginning with the letter ‘A” and work their way down the alphabet!  It’s great to see how many letters of the alphabet you can get through before someone gives up or forgets!

Truth or lie

Taking it in turns to say different statements, one passenger must make a statement such as ‘Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike competition and came third’ and the rest of the passengers must decide whether the statement is the truth or a lie.  The statements can be as bold or outrageous as you like and is definitely a great car journey game for adults and children alike!

Did year hear that ….

‘Did you hear that ….’ Is another fun car journey game that is a little bit of a twist on ‘Truth or Lie’.  One passenger makes a statement such as; ‘Did you hear that my teacher used to be a pilot’ and the other passengers have to guess whether the statement is true or false.  It can be as silly or authentic as you like!

The Name Game

To play the name game you must start with the name of someone famous and continue naming names based on the first letter of the last name until someone gives up or gets it wrong!  For example; Harry Potter, Peter Rabbit, Buzz Lightyear and so on!  This is a great game for kids, naming their favourite characters and also is great for teenagers and adults.

Battle of the Bands

To play, two people must pick a category, such as; ‘Children’s songs’ and the two people must battle within a time limit to name as many Children’s songs as they can!  The other passengers can judge the choices and ensure that they keep a tally to decide the winner!

The Word Association Game

First off, one person begins with a word and then the following person must come up with a word associated with that word, then the next player a word associated with the previous word.  Keep on playing until someone gives up or the rest of the car decides that their word is not associated!  For example; Computer, Keyboard, Mouse, Rats and so on! This car journey game is sure to bring endless fun to your trip!

A really fun and interactive game to keep the kids entertained is ‘On my Side’.  Simple choose a number of objects, like sheep, McDonalds or even types of vehicles and get shouting when one of the objects is on your side!  ‘Sheep on my side!’ 

The Counting Game

One of the passengers begins with the number 1, then randomly another passenger must follow with the number 2 and so on.  The game ends when you get to the number 20, or if you and your family are really good why not try to get to 50.  Here is the twist, if two passengers say the same number at the same time you must restart the game again, or if longer than 5 seconds passes without someone shouting a number out, the game must restart again!

The Movie Game

The game must start with an actor or actress and another passenger must state a movie that they were in, the next passenger must name another actor or actress from that movie and the game carries on until someone gets it wrong or can’t think of a movie or actor / actress to go next.  This game can sometimes be a little tricky for younger children but is guaranteed to make car rides fun for teenagers and adults!

While you were asleep

You are almost guaranteed to get some tired eyes during your car journey, and this car journey game is perfect for that situation.  Wait until one of the passengers falls to sleep and when the sleepy passenger wakes up, someone must start telling the story, then the next passenger must add to the story, followed by the next passenger and so on. The aim of the game is to get the sleepy passenger to believe what happened whilst they were sleeping!  To make it even more fun, you can add a points system to the story telling.  Any person telling a believable part gains points and anyone who gets a bit too outrageous loses points!

The Rhyme Game

The first passenger must start with a lyric or rhyme, of their own choosing (this must be completely self-made) then the next passenger must add the next lyric or rhyme and continue around the car until someone doesn’t rhyme it with the previous lyric!

The Rule Game

Passengers must take it in turns to make rules throughout the car journey.  The rules can be anything you like, within reason of being in the car, but you might want to try things like ‘Every time that we pass a yellow car all passengers must clap three times.’  Keep going with the rules until someone forgets to follow one of them and then they are out of the game!  This is one sure fire car journey game for all of the family to have fun with, no matter the age!

Whether it be a fictional character, a celebrity or someone from history – passengers must take it in turns to pick a character and answer questions as that person.  The rest of the passengers then must take it in turns asking questions about the character until one of the passengers guesses correct!

The Quiet Game

This may be your favourite game of all to play with the kids and probably best to play when you need a little quiet time.  Simply challenge everyone in the car to be quiet for as long as they possibly can, the winner is the one who stays quiet the longest!

The Story Game

On your journey you are sure to pass hundreds of different cars, full of families all likely heading to their holiday destination.  Passengers must take it in turns to pick out a car and create the most interesting story they can based on that car.  The stories can be as funny and outrageous as you like and to determine the winner all of the passengers in the car must vote and decide!

Can you spell ….

This is a fun and educational game to play with your kids and can become a great learning tool as well as a competitive game to play on your car journey.  Simply choose words, starting with the easier to spell words and then progressively getting more difficult and get the kids to answer.  You may need to help of google with this one, but this game is highly recommended if you want to add an educational opportunity that feels like fun to your trip!

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Rock, paper, Scissors is definitely up there with I Spy with one of the old classics!  If you don’t already know the rules then here is a reminder;  Two players must count to three, on three each player must make the shape of either a rock (closed fist), paper (flat hand) or scissors (Index and Middle finger in the shape of a pair of scissors), the winner is then determined by these rules – Rock beats scissors, Paper beats rock and Scissors beats paper.  Play in rounds of three to determine the overall winner!

Never have I ever

Never have I ever is another one of the classics and can be enjoyed by all age ranges.  The game is simple, one of the passengers says the statement ‘Never have I ever ….’  Then a statement of their choice, such as ‘Never have I ever been to the seaside’ and the rest of the car has to determine whether the passenger is telling the truth or not!

Health Benefits From Our printable road trip games

Although technology has certainly came a long way in recent years, which is absolutely fantastic, our children now have access to all of the information in the world at their fingertips.  There are, in some circumstances the argument that as we have been able to communicate more freely, we have lost touch with the way we would bond, as families – together.  The purpose of the car journey games you find here are to help pull your kids from those tablets and engage in fun activities with all of the family.  That way, those potentially boring and silent hours on that long car journey can be filled with bonding, understanding and fun – what better way to start and finish your holiday.  Games such as the ones mentioned in this post are brilliant ways to combine fun interaction between adults and children alike, as well as promote healthy learning through visual and cognitive awareness.  Not only this these games touch upon an understanding of words and sentences as well as challenging your child with fun and creative games.

Closing Statements

One of the most special things about holidays is putting work away and really enjoying quality time with your family.  It’s easy to get lost in the daily routine of working life, but these are the moments you’re working so hard for – so make sure you check out all of our free printable road trip games worksheets for your long car journey and make the most of those hours spent in the car with your family.  Not only that, check out www.justfamilyfun.com for more activities, we guarantee we have everything covered with hours upon hours of fun for you and all of the family!

Start typing and press enter to search

30 Fun Games for Car Journeys with Kids

April 3, 2018

Like this? Share it with your network!

Are you planning a long car journey for the holidays? We asked our Mykidstime parents for their suggestions on entertaining the kids en route. Here are  30 games for car journeys and kids car activities to make that journey feel a bit shorter for everyone!

Don’t miss our best content straight to your inbox!  Sign up now  and get our FREE newsletters packed with fun ideas and things to do with the kids, family-friendly recipes, expert advice, parenting tips and great competitions.

A long car journey can mean a lot is needed to amuse the kids. If your child gets car-sick easily and can’t read, then some of these games might help pass some of the time.

You May Also Enjoy Top 10 tips for happy car travel with kids

Fun Games for Car Journeys

I Spy is the classic car game. Take it in turns to guess what the other person spies.

For a variation for younger kids, instead of “I Spy something beginning with T” try the colour version “I spy something coloured red”.

“The only thing with I Spy is you have to be quick or you could be gone past it. My kids love it.”

#2. Blow at the Traffic Lights

Get them to blow at the red traffic lights to turn them green, great for driving around the city.

#3. Car Years

All in car choose a year and then start counting the cars that correspond with your year and see who wins.

“Great way to kill an hour or two.”

You May Also Enjoy 30 Entertaining Car Ride Games for Kids Aged 8-12 yrs

#4. Car Colours

Everyone in the car chooses a colour and then start counting the cars that correspond with your colour and see who wins within a specified time limit, e.g. 15 minutes.

#5. Call out the Cars

Take turns in calling out the year or make of cars.

“My little 5 year old loves playing this.”

You May Also Enjoy 5 Fun Ideas for Kids in the Car  

#6. Car Snooker

You have to spot the cars in the same order as you pot the balls for snooker:

“The pink can take a looooong time”

#7. Car Alphabet

Try to spot words on road signs in order of the alphabet as you travel. (You can skip tricky letters such as Q or X or Z)

You May Also Enjoy Survive the Drive with these 7 Useful Tips for Travelling with Kids

#8. Little Timmy

“We play a game called ‘Little Timmy thought it was a good idea when’……usually ends up in bouts of laughter……or if we are really stuck then we think up ‘Mad Titles for a book'”

You May Also Enjoy 15 Best Apps for Kids When Travelling

#9. The Minister’s Cat

An old Victorian game where you have to think of adjectives to describe the Minister’s Cat in alphabetical order, e.g. start with “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat”. The next person says e.g. “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat and a bouncy cat” and so on.

#10. I Went to the Shops

Memory game where each person adds to the shopping list. First person says e.g. “I went to the shops and bought a pint of milk”.  Second person says “I went to the shops and bought a pint of milk and some butter” and so on.

You May Also Enjoy Download our Free Car Journey Games Sheet

#11. Watch the Moon

At night time watch the moon – show the kids how it changes from one side of car to other as you change roads or road direction.

“At nighttime our kids love watching the moon follow us home.” 

#12. Sing Songs

Try singing a few round songs like Frere Jacques or 3 Blind Mice.  10 Green Bottles Hanging on the Wall or 10 Fat Sausages Sizzling In the Pan is another family favourite.

Or there are the classics like “Somewhere over the Rainbow” or “My Favourite Things” from The Sound of Music.

“One starts a song and they all join in when you call their name, we have a special car song they all love.”

“We like to sing along to nursery rhymes and songs with the younger ones.”

#13. Fortunately/Unfortunately

Start a story and then everyone has a turn where they have to add to the story starting their sentence with “fortunately” or “unfortunately” depending on the turn.  “The stories can get really good.”

#14. Scissors, Paper, Stone

This is a game for 2 people, on the count of 3 each person shows their hand in the shape of either scissors (snipping fingers), paper (flat hand) or stone (fist).

Scissors beats paper as they cut paper, paper beats stone as paper can wrap the stone up and stone beats scissors as the stone can blunt the scissors.

#15. Magnadoodle or Aquadoodle

Mini magnadoodles or aquadoodles are handy for the car, and good fun.

“Magnadoodles are the best to entertain even my 19 month old loves it”

#16. Invest in a Chalk Mat

Mum Sarah says, “I bought a chalk mat which rolls up with a little pocket with a piece of chalk & sponge inside.”

#17. Portable DVD Player or Tablet

A portable DVD player or tablet is great for passing time on long journeys. If you have more than 1 child, you can buy a small splitter which will allow them both to plug in headphones and watch the same movie together.

“We download a few of our child’s favourite movies before we leave the house so she can watch them while we travel.”

#18. Listen to a Story

Bring along some story CDs or download some audio books or podcasts for your phone to listen through the sound system.

“Read along books are great with the CDs, my Lil fella can’t read yet but he loves Disney stories and looking at the pictures. Nursery Rhyme CDs are good too.”

#19. Lucky Dip

Wrap small items e.g. pencils, notebooks, eraser, hair clip, stickers in tissue paper and every hour the kids get to unwrap a present.

#20. Guess Who

Take it in turns to think of a person and the others have to guess who it is asking only questions that can be answered Yes or No.

#21. Geography Game

First person starts with a geographic place name and the next person has to think of a place name that starts with the last letter of the previous place.

So e.g. BlackrocK – KilbeggaN – NicE – EdinburgH.  See how far round the world you can get!

#22. Twenty Questions

First person thinks of something that’s either Animal, Vegetable or Mineral and the others have 20 questions to guess what it is. Questions must only have a Yes or No answer.

#23. Alice the Camel

You recite a verse: “Alice the camel had ten humps, Alice the camel had ten humps, Alice the camel had ten humps, so ride Alice ride.” Repeat the verse until you reach the number zero.

“It is best fun when it is sung really fast!”

#24. Follow the Journey

Give your child the road atlas and have them trace your journey on the map as you go.

Or use your smartphone and Google Maps and have them follow the blue circle as you go.

#25. Name the Theme Tune

Take it in turns to hum a famous theme tune or sing it in a different style. The first person to guess the answer wins.

#26. Guess the Number

Take it in turns to think of a number between 1 and 1,000, keeping it to yourself. The others then take it in turns to guess at what the number is. Each time they are wrong you reply “higher” or “lower” until the correct number is guessed.

#27. Animal Spotting

Give the children a list of animals to watch out for, eg a cow, a horse, a sheep, a bird on a wire. The first person to see the entire set wins the game.

#28. Draw a Map of the Journey

Have each child draw their own version of the map of the journey as you go on a piece of paper, marking the key things you see on the way.

#29. Make up Limericks

Have a go at making up limericks, a limerick has five lines; the first, second, and fifth rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth rhyme with each other.

#30. Create a Group Story

First person starts the story e.g. “Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess” or something more unusual like “Cassie the Camel was miserable”. Each person in the car adds a line and the story builds and builds. Once you reach your destination the kids could write out and illustrate the story.

Have your say! Have you got a favourite activity or games for car journeys that the kids enjoy? Share it with us in the comments below.

About the Author: Jill Holtz

Related Posts

15 of the Best German Christmas Markets to Visit

7 of the Merriest UK Christmas Markets to Visit

Places Where Kids Eat FREE this Summer 2023

Top Tips for Choosing Self Catering Accommodation

You may also enjoy.

9 Skincare Myths Debunked

17 Fun Ways to Celebrate St Patrick’s Day with Kids

Amazing Family Events for St Patrick’s Festival 2024

Things to Do with Kids This St Patrick’s Day Weekend 2024

Our Pick of What’s On and Things to Do with Kids this Month

Our Pick of Family Christmas Movies on TV 2023

You’ve got mail.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Things to Do

Entertainment.

© 2021 • Mykidstime • All Rights Reserved • Privacy Policy • Terms of Use

Games to play in the car with kids on long journeys

When the school holidays roll around, no amount of preparation feels adequate. You may have booked the perfect trip, delicately balancing everyone’s expectations, but a car journey can throw things off course from the get-go. Kids’ moods are unpredictable – fact – and fewer things rile them up (or bring them down) more than a long journey on the motorway.

A decent car game can make these parts of the journey more educational and entertaining. There are lots to choose from that everyone can enjoy. Here, we take a look at ten of the best.

Animal, Vegetable, Mineral

A version of twenty question, this is a classic, loved by children and adults alike. Taking it in turns, each player thinks of something within the animal, vegetable and mineral categories and has the others ask questions, trying to guess what that thing is. It requires logic, concentration, team work and has that all-important competitive edge.

Road Trip Bingo

This is a great one for when the pilot and co-pilot need to concentrate or relax. Give your kids a set of items to visually find on the journey, allowing them to enjoy and utilise the outside scenery as it rolls by.

I went to the shops

A pleasingly old-school drama lesson game that the whole car or just the kids can enjoy. Taking it in turns to name shop items in alphabetical order is not as simple as it sounds when every item needs to be remembered and recited. It quickly descends into hilarious confusion.

Toca Life Vacation App

This extremely fun one-player app lets kids plan and pack for a holiday all of their own. Its unique aesthetic and fantastic design allow for hours of creative entertainment – a perfect choice if your child is by themselves in the back seat, or likes to play alone from time to time. When writing this article this app was available on iPhone, iPad and Android.

Sago Mini Road Trip App

Similarly to Toca Life, this beautifully rendered and interesting app is perfect for single players aged 3 and above – letting them choose which friends the character Jinga goes to visit and enjoy the adventure that ensues. There are no set rules, and there are hints available too. Available for Android and Apple .

Lonely Planet Kids’ Boredom Buster

This fantastic book provides hours of road-related fun, for both individual children and siblings. It’s comprehensive and enjoyable, and you don’t even need stationery! Available from Lonely Planet online, or Amazon.

Spot the car

A simple, effective game. Simply tell your kids a car make or model, and get them to find one, or more, in the allotted time! Motorways can allow for rare and common sightings alike.

Secret place race

If you’re one of the few who still keeps a map in the car, then this is a good choice. One person chooses an obscure location – a village, town, river etc. – and the other has a mere 60 seconds or 6 minutes to find it. See? Maps are fun.

Heads Up! Kids app

There was a time when you couldn’t get on an off-peak train without stumbling upon a Heads Up! match. This kids’ version substitutes the slightly obscure cultural references and figures of the original for more straightforward subjects and questions, but keeps the hilarious and frantic phone/head interplay intact. By turning the device’s volume down, and kindly requesting that no one shouts their answers, will ensure that the driver isn’t distracted. Find it on the App Store .

Number plate sentences

Using only the letters (leave out numbers for simplicity’s sake) of car number plates, get your kids inventing silly sentences. BM51 SMR? Bring Me Sally-Marie’s Raincoat, more like.

We know how hard long journeys can be as a family but with these games your car journey could be a breeze. As a new driver with a family, we know how tough long journeys can be on you too. Planning games and activities for the kids ahead of time can make your journey a breeze.

As well as making sure you have the kids games covered, why not make sure you’ve got adequate insurance cover at an affordable price with our new driver car insurance too.

Get your instant online quote today!

QUICK AND EASY TO GET A QUOTE UK-BASED CALL CENTRE 3 STAR DEFAQTO RATING 24/7 CLAIMS LINE

Blog Categories

CAR INSURANCE NEWS WOMENS CAR INSURANCE LEARNER CAR INSURANCE YOUNG DRIVER INSURANCE NEW DRIVER INSURANCE STUDENT CAR INSURANCE FIRST TIME DRIVERS CAR INSURANCE COMPETITIONS

Related Posts

How To Check How Many Previous Owners a Car Has

If you’re on the hunt for a second hand car, then you’ll want reassurance that any car you buy will be as safe and reliable as possible –...

Is It Safe To Drive In Snow?

Driving in snow brings increased risks. The heavier the snow, the greater the risks. In this post we’ll outline some essential hints and tips for...

Baby on Board Signs – Where To Put Them and What Are They For?

We’ve all seen those baby on board signs on cars. But have you ever wondered if they actually work? What is a Baby on Board Sign For? A baby on...

Privacy Overview

Join our Adventure: Get all our tips for kids outdoor activities and grab your FREE nature scavenger hunt!

Best Travel Games for long journeys with kids

*This post contains affiliate links*

Table of Contents

Best Travel Games for Kids

Travel Games are an essential item if you’re travelling with kids on a long journey. You need games to keep kids occupied and busy so you can keep your eyes on the road or even relax on your long journey! When it comes to keeping kids entertained on road trips, on ferries, planes or even during the evening in hotel rooms, you need travel games for kids to be engaging but not overly complicated, easy to pack and versatile to play on a variety of surfaces. But travel games don’t just have to be for kids – the best travel games are also fun for adults. There are plenty of amazing travel games for kids that adults will love just as much. These are the best kind of travel games that can be whipped out in a delay at the departure gate or on even at a restaurant on holiday. You can see our other screen free ways to entertain kids on a long journey here and if you’re travelling with babies, the ultimate checklist for flying is a must read!

 And there’s lots of Free Fun Printables for kids to do in the car on this page.

Here’s our round up of the Best Travel Games for Long Journeys.

Best Travel Games for Long Journeys Ages 4+

Dino dump (age 5+).

OK Play (age 5+)

OK Play is a travel game which is a little like Connect 4 but played flat. There are two things that make  OK Play stand out from the crowd. One is its ultra-portability. There is no box and the pieces are carried with a carabiner at the top, so you can easily hang them up. The pieces are hard plastic, meaning that they can be played indoor or out and are washable so be played in any weather. The second is, as it’s small, it can fit in any bag easily! You’ll love this printable passport for kids to keep them occupied on a long journey!

Dobble (age 5+)

Dobble is a card game, easily stored in a tin and on each card are 8 different symbols.  All you have to do is be the first to spot and name out loud your matching symbol but it’s sometimes harder than it sounds! There are 5 different suggested games that you can play and it’s designed for kids of all ages which makes it a perfect family game for travel. It’s an observational game where kids can beat adults too which makes them feel super special!

Voxblock Screen Free Audiobook Player

A must-have for kids on long journeys is an audiobook, we love our Voxblock audio player which enables kids to pause or change your audiobook at any time, and return to where you left off the next time you listen. What I loved was that the Voxblock is that it’s screen free and ready to play right out of the box, with no wifi or setup required – there are hundreds of titles and series from Alex Rider to Horrible Histories to classics such as Oliver Twist or Peter Pan. It’s designed for kids, and made to last all the rough and tumble kids can throw at it as it has a sturdy, colourful case to protect it. The voxblock is small enough to carry with you wherever you go, whether that be in the car, on a plane, or a train. Plus, the battery lasts for days with just a single charge. Just pick a audiobook, place it in your player and play. Even the youngest of kids can operate it by themselves which makes it perfect for travel because you don’t have to rely on a grown up to change the audio book. Find out more about the Voxblock here.

The JBuddies Studio headphones from JLAB are volume limiting, wired and wireless headphones that are ideal for keeping the kids entertained on long car journeys or flights without having to worry about damaging their ears. Both wireless (and wired – Jbuddies for easy movement) are great for travel, whether kids are watching films, listening to music or gaming, they are comfortable, great quality and also are volume limited for kids hearing protection. What I love about these headphones are how compact they fold up and the protective cases they come in which make them perfect for travel!

Spades (5+) Spades, a classic card game ideal for travel, centers on players forming teams to bid and win tricks by strategically playing cards, with spades as the trump suit. It’s an excellent game for kids to develop skills in strategy, teamwork, and arithmetic. The popular platform Spades.co provides a dynamic and interactive way for kids to play and enjoy this game remotely, making it perfect for travel or at-home entertainment.

Sinco Keychain Games

A perfect travel companion to keep kids entertained on a train, plane or even in the car, these keychain games are family favourites in our house!  Sinco Creations have created these Keychain games which clip to any bag or keyrings, making them accessible to play on the go, wherever you are! They feature all the classic favourite family friendly games in a mini hard case to protect the game .  If you have a trip planned for ages 6+, these keychain games are the best things we’ve found to keep kids entertained and busy in a long journey.

Sneak Peek (age 4+)

Sneak Peek operates very similarly to ‘Snap’ but you find cards that match by colour, symbol or both. You find a match to keep the cards and the winner is the player who has the most cards. There are two fun and fast ways to play! This is one of the Best Travel games for kids, particularly young kids.

Pointz (age 4+)

Pointz can be played by young children as well as older kids too. You have to race against the spinner and complete game challenges that make you move, speak, act, think, look and react to win the point! This a great game to play in a restaurant or at an airport. You do need a variety of things around you to have the most fun so it doesn’t always work to play in a car. It’s one of the best travel games for kids to play at an airport on on a ferry!

The player with the most Pointz cards wins!

Othello Travel Edition (age 5+)

This is one of our kids favourite travel games and they love the full size version too! Othello On The Move is a foldable, travel version of the internationally acclaimed two-player strategy game that you can now enjoy on the move. Othello’s catchphrase ‘it takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master!’ Trap and capture your opponent by placing your disks on the board.  This is one of my kids favourite games, they love beating each other! It’s a good travel game for the plane as it’s nice and small and packs up quickly. It works well for mixed age groups playing as well. Buy Travel Othello here.

Rummikub (age 7+)

Rummikub needs very little space to play so it’s a great travel game that can be played almost anywhere! It’s like a more immediate, fast paced, Scrabble. It’s an educational word game – so perfect for keeping kids learning in the holidays. I love how it packs away into it’s retro red case neatly, perfect for travelling! This is our kids favourite game to play on a long summer’s evening on holiday. Buy Rummikub here.

UNO (age 5+)

Best screen free creative activities for kids on a journey, busy bots (age 18 months+).

I really love these travel busy bags for kids aged 2-6. They are small, neat and easy to carry around. They have some really inventive ideas to keep little ones busy for ages. We tried Puzzled Shapes for my 5 year old and Bugs in Numbers for my 2 year old – kept them both busy for around 40-60 minutes and they regularly asked for it both at home and during the journey. Busy Bots are educational, small to pack and perfect for occupying kids. l will be definitely be investing in some of these for our next road trip! They have unique ideas that I haven’t seen anywhere else such as ‘Ellie’s Equals’ or ‘Fox Sat on the Mat’.

My Little World (age 4+)

My Little World   brings together beautifully drawn characters and scenes to create an exciting new role play world that will spark a child’s creativity and imagination. This is a small, easily packed envelope which opens up into a whole world to cut and stick and create. My daughter particularly loved the Space Station Characters and creating a whole world for them to live in. This was started by my kids on a car journey and then finished off over the holiday until they had a whole Space World. What I love about this set is there are also realistic worlds to create – including Edinburgh Castle and Loch Ness as well as Fairy Villages and worlds focusing on the emergency services!

The Dinosaur Creativity Book and The Princess Creativity Book (age 3+)

Journey play prompts (age 2+).

These are super useful cards for a variety of travel situations. They helped us wile away an hour in a ferry queue!

Each journey playPROMPTS contains 100 fun ideas on how to keep your child entertained on any journey – be it a plane, train, boat or car ride – simply pick out a card at random and see what it suggests… It could be a game, a song, or something to look out for – all designed to keep little minds distracted. These are entertaining for kids of all age – our 10 year old and 2 year old had fun playing these!

Yahtzee (age 5+)

This popular board game is a fun and entertaining way to spend those long hours traveling. 

Yahtzee is a classic dice game where players roll five dice to create combinations and earn points. The objective is to score the highest possible total by strategically choosing which combinations to go for and which dice to reroll, making it a thrilling game of luck and decision-making. 

The online version of Yahtzee is a perfect alternative to the board game as its playable in car rides and tight spaces. The kids and family will all love it!

Solitaire Bliss (age 7+)

Solitaire Bliss offers a wide range of solitaire games to play online for free. Their collection includes popular variations like Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, and many more, providing a diverse selection to suit different preferences and skill levels. Each game comes with a detailed rulebook making it the perfect choice for kids new to card games, and as they develop their skills, they can try out harder difficulty levels.

Cribbage (age 7+)The fast-paced card game is an excellent choice while traveling. Card games can be messy, so this digital version of the game is perfect for the whole family. The objective of Cribbage is for players to score points through a variety of card combinations, the player who scores 121 points first wins. The online version of Cribbage can be played in single player mode, and is available in easy, standard, and pro modes.

More ideas for kids to do on long journeys

Here’s more great ideas for travel games and toys to keep kids busy when travelling.

*This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase through the links, I get a little commission at no extra cost to you.*

Similar Posts

Start-Rite Vegan School Shoes Review

Top 10 Best places to visit in South London #3 Greenwich

Top Tips for Fun Family Picnics!

Things for kids to do with Conkers!

Nature Mother’s Day Gifts for mum’s who love the Outdoors

Games to play in the woods with Kids

Privacy overview.

For more audio journalism and storytelling, download New York Times Audio , a new iOS app available for news subscribers.

• March 29, 2024   •   48:42 Hamas Took Her, and Still Has Her Husband
• March 28, 2024   •   33:40 The Newest Tech Start-Up Billionaire? Donald Trump.
• March 27, 2024   •   28:06 Democrats’ Plan to Save the Republican House Speaker
• March 26, 2024   •   29:13 The United States vs. the iPhone
• March 25, 2024   •   25:59 A Terrorist Attack in Russia
• March 24, 2024   •   21:39 The Sunday Read: ‘My Goldendoodle Spent a Week at Some Luxury Dog ‘Hotels.’ I Tagged Along.’
• March 22, 2024   •   35:30 Chuck Schumer on His Campaign to Oust Israel’s Leader
• March 21, 2024   •   27:18 The Caitlin Clark Phenomenon
• March 20, 2024   •   25:58 The Bombshell Case That Will Transform the Housing Market
• March 19, 2024   •   27:29 Trump’s Plan to Take Away Biden’s Biggest Advantage
• March 18, 2024   •   23:18 Your Car May Be Spying on You
• March 17, 2024 The Sunday Read: ‘Sure, It Won an Oscar. But Is It Criterion?’

Hamas Took Her, and Still Has Her Husband

The story of one family at the center of the war in gaza..

• Share full article

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Produced by Lynsea Garrison and Mooj Zadie

With Rikki Novetsky and Shannon Lin

Edited by Michael Benoist

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Dan Powell ,  Diane Wong and Elisheba Ittoop

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

Warning: this episode contains descriptions of violence.

It’s been nearly six months since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel, when militants took more than 200 hostages into Gaza.

In a village called Nir Oz, near the border, one quarter of residents were either killed or taken hostage. Yocheved Lifshitz and her husband, Oded Lifshitz, were among those taken.

Today, Yocheved and her daughter Sharone tell their story.

On today’s episode

Yocheved Lifshitz, a former hostage.

Sharone Lifschitz, daughter of Yocheved and Oded Lifshitz.

Background reading

Yocheved Lifshitz was beaten and held in tunnels built by Hamas for 17 days.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Fact-checking by Susan Lee .

Additional music by Oded Lifshitz.

Translations by Gabby Sobelman .

Special thanks to Menachem Rosenberg, Gershom Gorenberg , Gabby Sobelman , Yotam Shabtie, and Patrick Kingsley .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Advertisement