Great Car Games For Kids

Family vacations are incredible experiences that produce good memories to last a lifetime. No matter the destination or the fun on tap, however, there is one problem. Getting to the destination with children in tow can be a real pain in the neck. There are preemptive strikes parents can take to make long distance road trips go a little easier. When the kids are occupied with games and are having fun along the way, the miles will practically melt away.

There are tons of games that can help ease the boredom and discomfort of taking a road trip. Depending on the age of the children in question, these games might help add a little fun to hours stuck in a car:

The license plate game - Challenge the kids to keep an eye out for license plates from all 50 states. Award a prize for the child that spots the most. To keep track, print out a list of the states. A variation on this is the vanity plate game. In this one, the kids look for the funniest or strangest vanity plates they see on the road.

Road trip scavenger hunt - Create a scavenger hunt list of things the kids might find and/or see while on the road. Give them the sheets before leave home for the destination and promise a prize for the winner(s) upon arrival. Think outside the box on things the children might encounter along the way. The first to spot a white cow, for example, might get a point.

Trivia - Grab a box of trivia cards designed for children and read off the cards as the miles go by. This can engage everyone in the vehicle and make for a lot of fun if the cards are age appropriate.

Car bingo - Print out some bingo cards before heading on the road and load the kids up with markers. Call out numbers for a fun game and award small prizes to the winners.

Arts projects - Challenge the kids to make the most creative costumes they can out of aluminum foil while you are on the road. They can also make aluminum foil creatures without the need for scissors or glue.

The Can You Guess Game - Pick an item in the car or on the road that everyone can clearly see and give hints about what you might be looking at. Take turns picking the item and giving clues to so others can guess what it is. To vary this game, think of a favorite animal and give clues.