Skip to main content

7 quiet road trip games for kids to keep them busy in the car

Drawing of road trip items
SunshineVector / Shutterstock

Can’t wait to hit the road again? You’re not alone. Family road trips are an amazing way to spend quality time and have a super-fun vacation any time of the year. The only problem is that the kiddos usually don’t enjoy the time in the car quite as much as parents do, and when that happens, parents aren’t happy, either.

Thankfully, the key is to keep the kids occupied. Of course, there are electronic diversions like iPads and streaming movies or listening to podcasts, but part of the fun of a road trip is car games. Remember those road trip games when you were a kid? Road trip games for kids are a perfect pick to help pass the time as the miles roll by and get them more invested in looking out the window to get a glimpse of the areas you’re passing through. Sure, a rousing game of punch buggy is exciting, but the contact part will lead to tears and arguments.

Recommended Videos

Quiet games are better, and they don’t annoy the driver. Here are seven cool games to play in the car with the kids when your family heads out on the road. They’re great for long or short trips.

I spy

Family on a road trip
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

This timeless classic is a road trip game the entire car can get in on. Play it in between movies or when you hit a stretch of the highway kids are unfamiliar with. The rules haven’t changed since the parents were kids. Someone spies something with their “little eye,” and the rest of the passengers need to guess what it is.

Category ABCs

Family enjoying a podcast during a road trip
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

This alphabet game is another one that spans the ages. One person chooses a category like sports or famous people and starts off the game by naming something or someone in the category, beginning with the letter A. The next person names something in the category with B, and so it goes through the alphabet until a player gets stuck. For example, if the category is food, the first person starts with “apple,” and the next player says “banana.”

In my suitcase

Girl and mom packing clothes in a suitcase
Ivan Samkov / Pexels

Sometimes known as I’m going on a picnic, in my suitcase is a memory game the entire family can get involved in. The starting player begins by saying, “I’m going on vacation, and I packed an apron.” Person two must add on and repeat the previous things packed in the suitcase. For example, “I’m going on vacation, and I packed an apron and a bandana.”

Car trip scavenger hunt

Family posing for a selfie on a road trip
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

Scavenger hunts are super popular, and when you’re heading on a family road trip, make up a scavenger hunt list for everyone to check off. Have a list for each passenger to eliminate shouting out when an item is located. The first one to check off all the items on the list is the winner. Give older kids an incentive to play by awarding the winner the choice for the next movie night or activity during the vacation. Car trip scavenger-hunt item suggestions include:

  • Tall building
  • Bridge
  • Lake
  • Pond
  • Creek
  • River
  • RV
  • Van
  • Red car
  • Dog
  • Cat
  • Squirrel
  • Barn
  • Bus
  • A person wearing a cap
  • Motorcycle
  • Tree
  • House
  • Gas station
  • A person on a cell phone
  • Convertible
  • Truck
  • Train
  • Airplane

License plate game

wall of license plates
Ralphs_Fotos / Pixabay

There are a lot of variations of this classic car game, but in its most basic form, all the passengers in the car collect or make a list of how many license plates from different states they see during the road trip. Having the players write down the states they see in list form eliminates arguments and yelling when a plate is spotted. The person who has the most when you reach your destination is declared the winner. The winner gets to choose a vacation activity or where to eat (within reason, of course).

Would you rather

sister and brother watching a movie in the car on a road trip
Srijaroen / Shutterstock

This is an across-the-ages game that even adults will enjoy. Questions can be straightforward, silly, or even gross. The basic premise is for players to take turns asking everyone “would you rather” questions. All the participants have to choose between the two options regardless of how yucky or ridiculous. Would you rather is often used as a classroom or workshop icebreaker. Here are a few would-you-rather questions for your next road trip:

  • Would you rather be able to fly or have super speed?
  • Would you rather swim or fly around the world?
  • Would you rather go to Australia or Hawaii?
  • Would you rather eat a lemon or an onion?
  • Would you rather have X-ray vision or be invisible?

Six degrees of …

Family packing the car for a road trip
Momo Images / Getty Images

If you’re traveling with teens, Six Degrees is a fun game to play and it gets everyone thinking about connections. Categories can be movies, famous people, TV shows, or athletes. An example, with actors, name one and a movie they were in. The next person must name a person in that movie and another movie he or she starred in, and so on. For example, Tom Hanks — A League of Their Own, then Rosie O’Donnell — Sleepless in Seattle.

Other tips for a successful road trip

family road trip
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

Games are a big part of making your road trip a success, but there are other things you can do to minimize how many times you’ll hear “Are we there yet?” in your travels. Make sure you had your car serviced before embarking on a road trip to ensure everyone is safe and any repairs that are needed have been done. Pack lots of healthy snacks for kids and parents to avoid any hangry outbursts! It’s not always easy to find a place to stop and eat while on the road, so having snacks handy is a must.

Make sure you have your route planned out ahead of time to avoid any confusion while driving and download any shows or movies your kids may want to watch in case you are driving in an area where there is no internet service. You can also stock up on DVDs for the kids if you want to avoid them being on devices.

Part of the fun of a road trip is the process, but a lot of time in the car can be draining, especially for kids. Before you head on the road for your next trip, be sure to prepare one or more of these seven road trip games for the kiddos and adults, too.

Dawn Miller
Dawn Miller began her professional life as an elementary school teacher before returning to her first love, writing. In…
6 creative family game night ideas
These fun games will entertain the whole family
Parents with children playing a board game.

If you're frustrated with how much time everyone in your family spends in front of screens, family game night can be a great way to disconnect and have fun at the same time. And even though board games are fun, there are lots of other games you can play as a family that can be done both in and outdoors. We have some fun and creative games to share that will have your family laughing, giggling, and having the best time together.
Family game night ideas

The alphabet game
This is a rather fun trivia game that everyone can enjoy. It is a simple game that begins with choosing a category. That category could be anything, whether you want it to be desserts, music, or fruit. After that, say, your category was animals, the first person can say whatever animal they want that begins with an 'A.' But the next person has to continue it on, answering with an animal that begins with 'B.' If you can't figure out an animal within an allotted time frame of your choosing, you have to wait until the next go-round.
Family Olympics
Much unlike the actual Olympics, you do not have to be an acrobatic high-flying gymnast or a figure skater. All you have to do is bring your sense of humor. There are all kinds of games that the whole family can play. Some of them include:

Read more
Get the ghosts and black cats, it’s time to throw a Halloween party that rocks
Go spooky or cute with these Halloween party ideas just for the kiddos
Mother and father with daughter in Halloween costumes

Halloween is one of those holidays kids start talking about before the chill is completely in the air. The topic of conversation is always the same, too: What they're going to be for Halloween. Not all kiddos enjoy walking the neighborhood and knocking on strange doors to ask for candy. Then, there are the children who have birthdays on October 31. They always take second to trick-or-treating.

Well, if you've always thought about throwing a Halloween party for your kids -- what's stopping you? Sure, the thought can be pretty scary. Kids get very hyped up for Halloween. Hosting a Halloween party isn't as difficult as you think, though. It can be a fun way to make October 31 even more special, especially with these Halloween party ideas for kids.
Easy Halloween party ideas for kids

Read more
The best Halloween costumes for a family of 4 that are simple to find or create
Halloween themes for your crew of four
Family of four dressed in Halloween costumes.

Halloween isn't just for kids! Dressing up as a family is a bonding experience that allows you to get creative together. Plus, it might get you guys the good candy for being the cutest family out trick-or-treating. Whether you have little ones or older kids, there are a variety of group costume ideas to get the whole family in the spooky spirit. Check out some of the best Halloween costumes for a family of 4 that will make your crew the neighborhood celebrities on All Hallows' Eve.
Dress up as your favorite animated or movie family

Use being a family of four to your advantage by looking up families that feature four or more members, then each family member could pick their favorite character and bring the beloved show or movie to life. Let the little kids pick out their favorite show or see if the parents want to throw it back to a movie they grew up with.
Iconic animated families to recreate

Read more