Fun Road Trip Games for the Entire Family
Summer break is practically synonymous with long road trips. Whether heading to the beach, camp, or Grandma’s house, keep an arsenal of tips handy to keep the kids occupied after the crayons break, after they’ve listened to their playlist three times through, and the Nintendo loses charge.
Why not try some of these old-fashioned car games? Combine old-school memory work with a fun challenge to keep kids engaged and learning. Not only are these games fun, but they also help develop memory and listening skills!
Fun and Educational Road Trip Games
The I-Packed-a-Suitcase Game
In the repeat-after-me tradition of games, the always-popular suitcase game stands out. Not only is it fun, but it’s also a great way to develop your child’s memory.
Here are the simple rules:
The first person begins with the sentence: “I packed a suitcase, and in it, I put…” followed by an item of that person’s choice, such as “a toothbrush.”
The second person also starts with the same statement: “I packed a suitcase, and in it, I put…” Then, they repeat what the first person said and add their own item: “a toothbrush and a bathing suit,” and so on, until someone forgets to list one of the items!
You can adjust the level of difficulty and absurdity according to your mood, such as packing a battering ram or an elephant…you never know when you’ll need one!
Learn more about the rules here.
Backwards Listening Game
This is a great game to encourage listening abilities. You say a series of random words and have your child repeat them to you in the opposite order! For example:
- You: shirt, cow
- Child: cow, shirt
Start with two words and increase the number as proficiency improves. Or, if you’re feeling up to it, create a backward sentence so that when your child says it back to you, they are decoding your message! Hilarity is sure to ensue!
- You: cheese, like, smell, socks, Dad’s
- Child: Dad’s socks smell like cheese!
The Alphabet List Game
An all-time favourite is the Alphabet List Game. It’s a very simple game that can encourage creative thinking.
Using the alphabet as a guide, select a theme, and create an alphabetized list according to that theme. Some good themes are animals, cities, fruits and vegetables, sports teams, pizza toppings, and underwater. The possibilities are endless!
Now select someone to start. They begin with the letter A and, based on the category chosen, give an example of something that begins with the letter A. For animals, it would be alligators; for cities, it would be Amsterdam. Then the next person gets the letter B, the following person the letter C…and so on, until somebody can’t think of an example for that letter. Some letters are more challenging than others, so everybody is allowed one pass.
The Classic Game of ‘I-Spy’
The old “I Spy With My Little Eye” game is always popular with younger children. Simply select anything in the car or room and say, “I spy with my little eye, something that is [that colour].” Then, the kids take turns guessing what the item is. Adjust the difficulty to meet the child’s age.
Tip: When kids are stumped, give them a phonetic clue. For instance, “It starts with the sound ‘mmmm’.”
Twenty Questions
Think of something simple…it can be anything at all, though regular play usually limits the choice to something that falls into animal, vegetable, or mineral categories.
When you’ve chosen your item, the game begins. Let the players know that you’ve selected something with the simple statement, “I’ve got it!” Then, the kids ask 20 questions to determine what the item is. The trick is that all answers must be a yes or a no; this way, the kids must phrase the questions in a specific way in order to get a yes or no answer.
This game is great for children’s practice of formulating questions in a structured way, and it’s even better for them to take all the replies and deduce the answer. What a fun way to develop critical thinking skills!
Next time you’re on a long road trip, try out these games to keep your kids entertained and engaged. Happy travels!
Find out more about how board games can promote learning.
Summer Learning Programs at Oxford Learning
While playing games that keep kids occupied and learning on road trips over the summer is great, the best way to keep children learning in the summer with with a summer program at Oxford Learning.
Our personalized programs ensure your child focuses on the areas needing the most support to help them get ready to excel once the new school year begins.
Summer programs are now enrolling. Find a location near you and schedule an assessment to get started.
Related Summer Resources
