Some 208 million people in the United States plan on taking a road trip this summer. For some, nothing’s more exciting than packing up the car and hitting the open road. But for others, being confined to a small space with family members for hours on end can be trying, to say the least. People need entertainment on road trips. That’s just a fact of life. To make your next family trip more enjoyable, we’ve compiled a list of 25 road trip games that the whole family will love.
From classic car games like I Spy and the License Plate Game to new favorites like Would You Rather and Hypotheticals, there’s something for everyone on this list. So print it out, toss it in the glove compartment, and get ready to have some fun!
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Table of Contents
1. I Spy with
This classic game has been around forever. It’s easy and fun, and people of all ages can play it. To play, one person starts by saying, “I spy with my little eye something that is (color, shape, etc.).” Then everyone takes turns guessing what the object is until somebody gets it right. This game is not only good for kids vocabulary, and also good for training a sharp observation.
You can try the Spy Travel Card Game if you have a preschooler in the car. It’s similar to I Spy but with picture cards. The pack comes with 48 different cards with images and corresponding text.
2. The Alphabet Game
Here’s another classic car game that’s perfect for road trips. To play, one person starts by spotting an object on the side of the road and saying its name. The next person then has to find an object whose name begins with the last letter of the first object.
For example, if the first person sees a “Joe’s Diner” sign, the next person might see a “Nissan” car. If you get stuck, just move on to the next letter in the alphabet.
3. Flip to Win Hangman
Do you like retro games? How about your children? Then, you should give Flip to Win Hangman a go. It’s one of the best road games. It comes with a flippable panel, magic wooden letters, and an erasable whiteboard.
The game is quite addictive. It’s basically just a game of hangman. However, the magnetic letters and the whiteboard allow you to play it on the go. It’s quite addictive and one of the best road trip games for families.
4. Travel Blurt
Do you consider yourself a wordsmith as a family road trip games? Do you have a knack for finding the right word at the right time? If so, then you’ll love playing “Travel Blurt.” The game is quite simple. One person starts by reading out a definition from the card deck. The other players then have to guess the word that corresponds to the definition.
It’s a terrific game for people who like words and testing their vocabulary skills.
5. Interstate Highway Bingo
Interstate Highways Bingo is a splendid way to get everyone to unplug and take in the scenery. To play, each player gets their own bingo card. As you’re driving down the highway, look for objects on the side of the road that corresponds to the items on your bingo card. When you see one, mark it off.
Farmhouses, rest areas, and police cars are just a few of the objects you might find. The first passenger to get five in a row wins!
6. 20 Questions
Do you have young kids? If so, you know that every road trip comes with endless questions. Young children want to know everything, and they have a never-ending supply of questions. 20 Questions is the perfect family road trip games for curious minds. One person thinks of an object, and the other players take turns asking questions to try to figure out what it is.
You can make the thing easier or harder depending on the age of the child. Also, try to come up with objects that can be found on the side of the road.
7. Guess in 10
Do you consider yourself a good guesser? Well, there’s only one way to find out.
Guess in 10 is a game where one person draws clue cards and, through a process of elimination, guesses one of 52 cities around the globe. Of course, you have to guess the city in 10 questions or less or lose.
Both kids and parents will have an opportunity to learn about different cultures, cousins, and landmarks.
There are online versions of this game, or you can go to Amazon and grab a physical version.
8. Flash Dash
Do you like games that are fast-paced and require quick thinking? If so, then you’ll love FlashDash. The game is similar to the classic game of memory but with a twist.
It’s a combination of two popular games – Bop It and Simon Says – contained in a simple, compact electronic cube. It features four speeds and memory games. The cube has lights and emits sounds, although the latter is optional.
FlashDash is awesome for kids who always feel like they need to move. It’s one of the best road trip games for kids.
9. Hand Games
Do you recall the hand games you played with your friends or parents? Hand games are straightforward, engaging, and entertaining. What’s more, they can play these games without toys. We had listed 22 fun and interactive hand games for kids here The Most Complete Fun and Interactive Hand Games For Kids. No extra device, no extra waste! Your kids can play the games with their siblings, friends, and other family members, either inside to limit screen time or outside, especially in family road trip car or in a queue. From the most simple “rock paper scissors” to creative magic trick.
10. Name the Artist
If you want a game that will test your knowledge of music or painting, then look no further than Name the Artist. The goal of the game is simple – name the artist who sings a particular song or draw an art.
You can play Name the Artist with any type of music or art, but we think it’s more fun if you stick to one genre. That way, all of you will have a fair chance of winning.
If you want to make the game more challenging, you can set a time limit for each question.
11. The Grocery Game
We’ve come to the free section of family road trip games. Now, let’s talk about a game that concerns actual shopping.
The Grocery Game requires one person to ask another one if they can think of what they can purchase at the grocery store. When they do, the rest of the passengers in the car start asking questions.
You can ask anything, like – how much it costs, what aisle it is in, how many calories it has, etc.
The player who guesses the item first gets the point. The first person to reach 10 points wins the game. You can limit the number of questions per person, or you can make it unlimited.
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12. Punch Buggy
Do you remember playing Punch Buggy when you were younger? If so, then you’ll be happy to know that it’s still just as popular as it was back then.
For those who don’t know, the game is simple. You just need to punch someone whenever you see a VW Beetle. Of course, if you get punched, then you have to do the same.
The winner is the person who punches the most people. Just don’t take Punch Buggy too seriously, and make sure to have fun with it.
13. Triple Threat
Another simple game that’s perfect for road trips is Triple Threat. The game is played by kids and parents together. The parents pick three nouns. Just random nouns, like – animals, countries, or objects.
Then, the kids try to come up with a creative story that features all three of those nouns. A kid that comes up with the best story wins the game.
You can agree on the length and structure of the story before you start playing.
14. Car Color Search
Car Color Search is one of the best family road trip game for kids because it’s both simple and educational. The objective of the game is to find a car of a certain color.
You can make it more difficult by adding other requirements, like – the car needs to have a certain type of license plate, or it needs to be a certain make and model.
And the first family member in the car that guesses the color gets the point. The person with the most points at the end of the trip wins the game.
15. Would You Rather
This is a fantastic family road trip game that simple – one person asks the other person a question that starts with “Would you rather…”
For example, “Would you rather have superhuman strength or the ability to fly?” Then, the other person has to answer the question.
The player who asked the question then gets to choose which answer they would rather have. This game is great for starting some fun and interesting conversations.
16. In My Suitcase
Some games you can start playing before even going on the road. In My Suitcase is a game that’s perfect for when you’re packing for a road trip. One person starts by saying, “In my suitcase, I packed…” and then they say something that starts with the letter A.
The next person then has to say something that starts with the letter B, and so on. Make things more challenging by setting a time limit or by making its alphabetical order.
17. Hypotheticals
Hypotheticals is an outstanding game for when you’re on a long road trip, and you need to kill some time. The game is simple – one person asks the other person a hypothetical question.
For example, “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” Then, the other person has to answer the question. The player who asked the question then gets to choose which answer they would rather have.
This game is great for starting some fun and interesting conversations.
18. The Movie Game
The Movie Game is a great way to pass the time on a road trip. One person starts by naming a movie, and the next person has to name a movie that begins with the final letter of the previous movie.
Of course, this game is better for older kids and adults since they’re likely to have seen more movies. But, younger kids can still play by naming kid-friendly movies.
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19. Play Music and Sing a Song
If your kids are playing music instrument, then they can sing a song together, and also you can sing some old songs in your childhood. Some songs have different versions and last for 100 years already.
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20. IQ Six Pro
This is fun for kids who love the challenges as a family road trip game! IQ Six Pro Series are always good and fun to solve, here are some examples.
21. Count the Animals
Count the Animals is one of those road trip games that’s perfect for young kids. All you need to do is keep track of how many animals you see on the side of the road.
You can make it more difficult by adding other requirements, like – the animal needs to be a certain color or it needs to be a certain type of animal.
22. What Color Is It?
Simple things are often the most fun, and What Color is It? is a perfect example of that. One person starts by saying a color, and the next person has to name an object that’s that color.
For instance, if the first person says “blue,” the next person might say “sky.” Then, the next person would have to name an object that’s blue. This game is perfect for kids of all ages.
24. Mastermind
Mastermind is a superb game for when you’re on a long road trip, and you need to kill some time. The object of Mastermind is to guess the code that the other person has chosen.
To play, one person chooses a code made up of four colors. The other person then has to try to guess the code. The first person can give hints by saying how many colors are in the code and how many are in the right position.
25. License Plate Game
Let’s finish things off with a classic road trip game that’s perfect for when you’re on a long car ride. The object of the Licence Plate Game is to find license plates from all 50 states.
To play, each person keeps track of the license plates they see on the side of the road. The first family member to spot a license plate from all 50 states wins the game.
Final Thoughts from Pragmatic Lifestyle
These are just a few of the many road trip games you can play with your family. So, next time you’re on a long car ride, be sure to try out some of these games.
Not only will these family road trip games help pass the time, but they’ll also help create a lot of memories for you and your young ones.
About me
Hi, there. I am Lin. Together with my husband and two kids, we live in the beautiful Netherlands in Europe. I am dedicated to self-development, creating quality time for the whole family, and fully supporting kids with their potentials and possibilities with all I have learned from engineering, MBA, and 10+ years of working experience in the energy sector.
