Fun Travel games for kids

Road trips are as integral to summer as barbecues, camp and swimming. But if a long car drive is all about getting from Point A to Point B, why not plan your next family road trip as a road journey instead?

A journey suggests new experiences, exploration and learning, all of which are possible during family travel. Kristin Townsend, a mom and educational consultant from Burke, Virginia, shares her motivation for using time in the car for creative games: “Not only do they get our minds moving, but they start a lot of interesting discussions and help my husband and me clue in on what our kids are thinking about these days.”

Use any of these creative car games or curiosity questions to make your next journey more enjoyable without having to pack any extra supplies!

• “That’s not something we see every day!” Karen Burkhart, a mother of two elementary school-age boys who travels regularly between the United States and Canada, plays this game every time they visit her family and friends in Canada. Alpacas, French-language signs and ferry crossings have been among the creative things the Burkhart family has spotted during long car journeys. Burkhart comments, “We have some good laughs!” Try this activity either as a game you play the entire time you are in the car, or as a speed game to see who can spot the most unusual or out-of-the-ordinary item during a set time interval.
• “I wonder where that car is going?” A fun game to play with very young children. Choose interesting vehicles and make up stories, such as a grandma visiting her grandkids, a family traveling to go camping, or a big rig operator and what’s in his haul. Another way to make this game educational is to look at the state on the car’s license plate and determine if the car is going toward or away from the state.
• Category ABCs. Pick a category such as fruits and vegetables, first names or even PBS KIDS characters and go through each letter of the alphabet, taking turns coming up with items beginning with the letter. For an extra challenge, go backward through the alphabet.
• The Alphabet Hunt. For younger children, instead of trying to think of words that start with a certain letter, encourage letter recognition by working your way through the alphabet visually, suggests Anna Grashorn, mom to a young son in Columbus, Ohio. She encourages using signs, billboards, license plates or anything else outside your car to work your way through the ABCs.
• The License Plate Game. Make a list of all the different states’ license plates you find on your route. To make the game more interesting, have goals and prizes, such as a special snack when you find 10 states or a prize for the first person to find a license plate from a state with a certain letter, such as N, in its name.
• “Let’s Google It!” If you have access to a smartphone...