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Planning a fun-filled road trip with your kids? Car games can keep them entertained so they’re not glued to their electronics the entire time. You’ll also need to prevent them from distracting you so you don’t make dangerous driving mistakes. Here are five road trip games to keep your kids entertained throughout the journey.

1. Fun questions

road trip games for kids
Family road trip | Mindy Schauer/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images

A simple way to occupy your kids on a road trip is by allowing them to ask fun questions. Let them pose random questions to other riders, and if you can, offers gifts to the winner who answers the most questions correctly.

You can limit the number of questions each child can ask and answer to lay a fair playing ground. Parents magazine suggests the following queries for kids to ask:

  • What makes you happy?
  • Where would you like to travel to? How will you get there?
  • What does it feel like when I hug you?

Consider the age of your children when coming up with the questions, and do it in their preferred language.

2. Telephone

Another easy way to entertain kids on road trips is playing telephone. Nominate a storyteller who whispers a tale to the person seated next to them in the car. Then that person should whisper the same story to the next, and the game continues until the last person.

The last person should repeat aloud the story as whispered to them for everyone to hear. The fun of this game is hearing the last person’s version of the tale because it likely won’t be the same as the original story. This can create lighthearted, humorous moments in the car.

3. License plate game

The license plate game is a good diversion for children aged 7 and older. Hand out pencils and notepads to everyone who wants to participate.

You should have set rules, a timer, and a list of all U.S. states. Start the timer, and give a point to each child or team for every license plate from a different state or county they spot. You can restart the game and play over and over to get more winners (because kids love winning).

4. I spy

Another popular road trip game for kids is I spy. The items each child spies can be inside or outside the car. Because an adult should start the game, choose the first object you want them to spot.

Offer some clues indicating the object, such as “I spy something that is blue” for the sky. You can also bring a spyglass to make viewing even more fun. If you have more than one kid in the car, let them take turns guessing the answer, and your response should be a yes or no. Also, let the players ask questions like, “Is it in the car?”

5. Alphabet game

The alphabet game is another way to keep children entertained on a long road trip. Give paper and a pencil to each child and have them look out the window. When thexy spot a word that starts with a letter of the alphabet, such as a cloud for the letter c, they write it down. The first person to finish the list wins.

To make the game easier for younger children, omit q, x, and z. Kids can also play the game by being the first to call out the word instead of writing it down. The first person to say the word wins that round.

Long car trips can be boring for kids. However, these road trip games can keep the journey enjoyable. And choosing games that interest your children will limit their time on electronics.

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