Road trips are the perfect time for games as they keep the kids entertained, make the time pass quicker, and can be fun for adults too.  It is also a great opportunity to spend some quality time together. A little undivided attention from Mom or Dad can go a long way toward a little person’s happiness. It is sometimes nice to sit in the back of the van with your kids while dad is doing the driving and play these games right along with them.  In that vein, here are some travel games, ideas and car tips for the road:

License to Spell
Spot a license plate and call out the letters on it.  Everyone then tries to come up with a different phrase using the letters in the order they appear on the license plate as the first letter of each word.  For instance KEW could be “kittens eat watermelon” or “kiss every warthog.”  When you can’t think of any more, look for another license plate.  This is bound to make the whole family laugh.

I Spy
Look around and pick an object that is in the car.  You could choose objects on the side of the road, but in the car can be really challenging if you put your thinking cap on.  It may be easier this way as the objects are always in view rather than whizzing past the window.  Then give others a clue such as, “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…”  Continue to give more clues until the kids can guess correctly.  Extra clues may be given if necessary. 

Twenty Questions
Think of an object, it can be anything as long as it is general. The first question the players will ask is: “Is it classified as an Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral”, or you may prefer “Person, Place or Thing”. The players can then ask anything they want about the object as long as you are able to answer “yes” or “no” to their question. They try to ask questions that will help them narrow down their ideas until they are able to guess the object.  If they can do it in less than 20 questions, they win!

Guess How Far Away That Is
Pick an object and have everyone guess how far away it is, then clock it on your odometer. Take turns picking the object or let the winner pick.

Official Count
Official Count is a twist on the usual counting games. Choose a couple of types of vehicles to count such as VW Bugs and motorcycles. Tally them on a clipboard or in a travel journal and break them down by color. At the start of the trip, have the kids guess which will be the most popular colors for each vehicle.

The Alliteration Game  
This one can be funny. Find alliteration words for their name, or a friend’s name. Make them as funny as possible. Or use names of animals. For example, “loud little Louie” or “silly Sammy Snodgrass” or “leaping Larry lizard.” When your child gets the hang of it, he/she will take off on its own.

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