{"id":2780,"date":"2022-05-24T16:28:57","date_gmt":"2022-05-24T21:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/going-places.thegeneral.com\/car-activities-for-kids-on-a-road-trip\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T10:04:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T15:04:52","slug":"car-activities-for-kids-on-a-road-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegeneral.com\/going-places\/blog\/car-and-driving-basics\/car-activities-for-kids-on-a-road-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"Car Activities for Kids on a Road Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sometimes the hardest part of a road trip is the long hours spent in the car, so it\u2019s important to prepare by packing entertainment. If you\u2019re planning a <\/span><\/span>budget-friendly road trip<\/span><\/span><\/a>, you may not want to break the bank with expensive tablets or portable TVs for the young ones. Luckily, you don\u2019t need to shell out a lot of cash to make the hours pass quickly. Just keep some of these inexpensive (or free!) road trip car activities for kids in your back pocket the next time you travel.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free Road Trip Activities for Kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to spend a dime to entertain your children during a long drive\u2014just try some of these old-fashioned activities to pass the time instead! Adult passengers can participate as well, but don\u2019t distract the driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I Spy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This<\/span> classic game is <\/span>ideal for <\/span><\/span>your next road trip<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span> Simply<\/span> designate<\/span> someone in the car as <\/span>the first<\/span> spy. Next, <\/span>choose an object and say<\/span>: <\/span>\u201cI spy with my little eye, something that is\u2026\u201d <\/span>Finish the statement with<\/span> an attribute <\/span>that helps<\/span> players identify the object, <\/span>such <\/span>as <\/span>its color or <\/span>the letter it starts with.<\/span> Take turns guessing what the object could be, <\/span>and whoever guesses correctly is the next spy.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would You Rather?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Squeeze in a little covert bonding time with a quick game of \u201cWould You Rather?\u201d while on the road. Like the other games on this list, this game requires little to no memorization. To play, pose a question that starts with \u201cWould you rather\u2026?\u201d and then present your passengers with a choice between two scenarios. For example, \u201cWould you rather take a trip to Florida or California?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twenty Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You might be familiar with 20 questions as it\u2019s a staple car game that\u2019s prevented many children from complaining about travel time. If you want to try it out, think of a person, place, or thing, and let your family take turns asking various yes-or-no questions until they reach the answer. Whoever guesses correctly is crowned the winner and chooses the next object. If they can\u2019t guess what\u2019s on your mind in less than 20 questions, you win!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Alphabet Game<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Turn a long car ride into a learning opportunity with a round or two of the alphabet game. Young kids can participate in this game, and it might even sharpen their spelling skills. To get started, take turns picking objects outside of the car that begin with the letters of the alphabet. Each player takes a turn in order of the alphabet until you\u2019ve made it through every letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inexpensive Road Trip Activities for Kids<\/h4>\n\n\n\n