There should never be mixed feelings experienced when the whole family piles into the car together and hits the road for a long journey. If the thought of a road trip makes anyone in the family roll their eyes to the ceiling, then it’s time to learn how to entertain everyone in the family when they are traveling together in a car.
Roadtrips can be one of the most cherished family memories if you prepare a few top tricks to keep active minds occupied and little hands busy. You might want to have a look at investing in audio tech equipment such as headphones, portable speakers, etc. – to have some tunes on your trip. OuterAudio.com is a great place to start.
So let’s start!
Contents
The Classics
These games have been fun to play in the car since Model-Ts first hit the tarmac. They have been around for so long because they are effective ways to pass the time and look at the passing landscape.
Road trips are excellent ways for our bodies and even our mental state to enter a resting phase. Make sure you inform yourself about road trips and see the benefits it has in store for you!
Source: driving
I Spy
I can be played using the alphabet to signal the item that has been spied or the color of the item. You can spice it up by saying if the item is inside the car or outside, indicate a close hit by saying “hotter” and “colder,” and even put a time limit on the item if you are driving passed it. The player who guesses the correct item goes next, and don’t forget to say those magic words: I spy with my little eye, something beginning with.
Categories
One player picks a category (one with which everyone in the family is familiar), and everyone takes a turn in naming something or someone in that category: Favorite sports teams, musical artist’s songs, ice cream flavors, etc. The person who can’t think of something in the category is the loser, and it’s their turn to choose the next category. If you have small children, it makes it more fun to team up.
Alphabet
Each person gets to name something inside or outside the car, beginning with the letter “A”. So, it can start with someone saying “air conditioner”, then the next person has to think of something like “arm”, the text says, “armrest” and it carries on until no one can think of anything starting with the letter A anymore. The person who was stumped gets one point, and then it starts again with the letter “B”. The winner is the person who has the fewest points at the end of the alphabet. Little ones can pair up with grown-ups for more fun.
Source: mentalfloss
Word Games
These games are highly entertaining for children in elementary school and upwards. Smaller kids can be paired up with older family members.
Going on a Picnic
This is an entertaining way to tell a story and test your memory at the same time. Someone begins by saying out loud, “I’m going on a picnic, and I am going to bring…” and then they list one item brought on a picnic, such as salt. Then, the next person says, “I’m going on a picnic, and I’m going to bring salt and…” and they add their own item that is found in a picnic basket. The game finishes when the last person can’t remember the list in the correct order. If you want to keep a record of what’s on the list, use the record function on your smartphone. Never allow anyone to read or write in the car in case of motion sickness.
The License Plate Game
When you see a passing car’s license plate details, whoever comes up with the funniest interpretation of the letters gets a prize. For example, ABC can mean A Bad Car or NGD can mean Not Good Driver. This is a good game for keeping the kids scanning the road actively and concentrating hard.
Source: familyeducation
Rhyming Words and Word Pairs
This game can take two forms: the words can come in pairs, such as riff-raff, bow-wow, and harum-scarum, or only single words can be used, such as bike, pike, spike. Both kids and adults find this game fascinating as everyone realizes just how many rhyming words there are in every category.
Entertaining Activities
Any game that offers the car occupants a chance to look outside at the passing landscape is a good idea. These are some of the most popular family activities that encourage visual engagement.
Rules
Everyone in the car takes a turn in thinking up one a nonsensical rule. Let the imagination go wild as each family member tries to think about something bizarre. Some ideas are – Every time we see a cow, we have to moo, or every time we drive over a bridge, everyone has to touch the ceiling. Attention has to be paid, as there is always one poor person who lets their mind wander, and forgets the Rules. Much laughter and giggles when someone forgets.
Source: mothersinsights
I Am a Celebrity
This activity gives the family a chance to be a celebrity for a little while. Everyone takes turns to pretend to be one celebrity, and the others can ask them questions which they must answer honestly as the celebrity. The first person to guess which celebrity they are takes the next turn.
The Movie Game
Where would we be without celebrities to help us pass the time on road trips? As pleasurable it is to listen to them on the radio or podcast, it’s also entertaining to name a famous person and then take turns listing one of their movies. The one who can’t remember the next movie loses, and then another star is chosen.
Attention Games
These are great for getting everyone to pay attention, but they are also good for generating excitement even before the trip. Keep prizes on hand in the car so they can be handed out to the winner to sweeten their triumph.
Source: tripsavvy
Who Sees It First
If you are going to the beach, ocean, or seaside, you have to play “Who sees the sea first?” Keeping your eyes peeled for that grey or blue stretch on the horizon is the perfect way to make those final twenty miles bearable. If you are on your way to the mountains or lakes, the same game rules apply.
Best Trip I Ever Had!
Each time the family gets into the car, the first person who says “Best Trip I Ever Had!” when the car hits the first freeway – wins. Many family members forget this game is always in play until someone remembers to shout it out.
Rock, Paper, Scissors
This may draw attention away from the road, but it’s the best game to entertain the family and needs no supplies. You might want to keep some treats on hand for the winner. Best of 21 games is the usual number of plays allowed per tournament pairing. If you are a data and statistics fan, you might want to keep an eye on scorings, because this game can yield up some uncanny wins and losses.
Source: tripsavvy
In Conclusion
The most important thing to notice during a road trip is if anyone is displaying the following symptoms:
- Pale
- Sweating
- Producing excess saliva
- Leaning head against a window or between legs
- Complains about nausea
These are signs that the person is suffering from motion sickness and must be looked after. Sometimes the sufferer will feel better if they sit in front, or if they are too young to do so, get them to look at the horizon straight in front. Don’t play any games that will get them turning their heads from side to side and taking their eyes off the horizon in front. Buy the anti-nausea medication at your next stop.
