Whenever you’re heading out on the road with kids, it’s important to find a way to keep them busy – and happy. Failing to do so means more stops for bathroom breaks, more whining, and possibly kids who sleep in the car – then don’t sleep when you get home. Fear not – here are ten ideas for when you’re taking road trips with kids.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Should you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a percentage of that sale at no additional cost to you.
Creative and Artistic Activities
If you want your kiddos to stay quiet and have some introspection time while you’re navigating city highways, you may want to consider having some artistic activities to choose from.
1. Keep a Travel Journal
Keeping a travel journal is a great way to stay busy in the car and record any memories your child might want to hold onto. A kids travel journal like this one by Promptly Journals not only has various prompts for your child to fill out to record their experiences on your road trip but also fun travel activities. You may even wish to pair the journal with some fun pens to make the experience even more special.
2. Portable Art Kit
Portable art kits like the Art on the Go kits by Bright Stripes are a great option for kids on road trips. These fun portable kits include chunky crayons – making them great for younger passengers (and easier to find should one slip from a kid’s hand), stickers, and plenty of fun coloring pages. My own kids loved these when we took them with us on our June trip to Colorado. We have them put up right now so that they can look forward to them the next time we take a road trip.
Interactive Games and Activities
If you’re up for it, or if you have multiple kids you’re road-tripping with, classic interactive games can be a lot of fun. Here are a few classics that will keep kids entertained while you drive.
3. Storytelling
One of my favorite games to participate in with kids is the progressive story. One person starts the story and then another continues it, with each person adding on the next part of the story. This is a fun activity for a road trip because kids love to add in features they see out their windows. There are a few ways to do this – you can set a timer and when the timer goes off the next person picks up the story where the first left off, by sentence, or when you see certain landmarks. The choice is up to you!
4. Road Trip Bingo
Road Trip Bingo is a classic activity for road trips with kids. Before heading out, you can make a bingo card or you can download one – like the one created by The Road Trip Expert. Once you’re on the road, kids can keep their eyes out for different objects. If playing against each other, the first to call out Bingo and have five in a row wins. This is a great game if you’ve got a scenic drive ahead.
5. I Spy
I Spy is another classic game that can be adapted for road trips. There are a few different ways you can play this in the car. The first is bringing along some of the I Spy books for your child to use. The second is picking something out that you see and saying “I spy with my eye something…” and having your child guess what it is. The third is more akin to a scavenger hunt like the one put together by Happiness Is Homemade. It’s a great option if your kiddo is already a reader and you need ideas for what to “spy.”
6. 20 Questions
20 questions is another fun activity when you’re on the road. Someone comes up with a word and others have 20 questions to ask til they guess what the item is. You can play the game organically, or you can use an electronic 20 Questions game. My oldest loved the electronic version, and not only was it a road trip staple, it became a staple any time we traveled by plane.
7. The License Plate Game
When you’ve got a lot of traffic around you, the license plate game is fun. If you’re homeschooling and studying US geography, why not print a map of the United States for each kiddo to color as they spot license plates from each state? This website has a variety of printable maps – including those with state names and without. Alternatively, you can have kids look for letters of the alphabet – in order – or numbers.
Audio Entertainment for Road Trips with Kids
When you have tired kiddos, it might be a good time to focus on audio entertainment – in the form of spoken word, like audiobooks, or music and sing-alongs. If you haven’t heard of Tonies, they’re a great resource for both stories and music. (They also provide entertainment in the hotel, cabin, or tent! You can find Tonies on Amazon.) In addition to portable forms of audio entertainment, there are a couple of other options.
8. Audiobooks and Podcasts
I have friends who enjoyed listening to the audiobook for J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit on road trips. Your local library will have a great selection of children’s books on audiobook if you don’t want to purchase them. Involve your kids in the process of choosing which stories they’d love to listen to.
Another option, particularly if your children are younger and have shorter attention spans is to work in some fun family podcasts on your road trip. Mashable has a list of 16 popular kids’ podcasts to help you get started in choosing what will work for your family.
9. Music and Sing-Alongs
Who doesn’t love music and sing-alongs in the car? When choosing the tunes for your trip, make sure to include ones that are fun to sing along with. Whether you’re grabbing CDs or putting together a playlist, this is another area where it makes sense to involve your passengers in the song selection process. They’ll be more excited about the trip if they know they’ll get to hear some of their favorite songs.
Snacks and Refreshments
Finally, don’t forget to keep your favorite small people fed. This will help prevent unplanned stops for pulling off at convenience stores along the way when someone is inevitably so hungry or so, so thirsty. By planning some snacks ahead of time, you save money and driving time.
10. Snack Packs
While there’s something to be said about running into the convenience store for everyone’s favorite junk food, convenience store foods and beverages add up quickly. Instead, pack everyone’s favorite snacks ahead of time – and consider packing a picnic lunch or dinner if you’ll be on the road for those meals and the weather will be favorable. Pulling off at a park with a playground is a great way to help kids burn off energy – and help you stretch – after being in the car for a long time. These containers from ecolunchbox are environment-friendly and keep food from spilling everywhere.
Keeping Kids Busy on Long Road Trips Keeps Them Safe
Making sure your kids are happy and entertained on long road trips doesn’t just help your car ride be more enjoyable – it also helps it be safer. When everyone’s happy, they’re calm and quiet and you can focus on navigating the road ahead.
What’s your favorite trick for keeping kids entertained on long road trips? Post your thoughts in the comments.
