Do you love travelling with your children but worry that a long car journey might turn into a little family drama? Don’t worry! With a few good ideas and a little planning, you can get wherever you want to go without the tears and tantrums. Here are 5 fun car games for kids to make your family journeys more enjoyable than ever.
These games require very little preparation, so you can even organise them at the last minute. They’re particularly suitable for children aged 6 to 10. Ready to get started? Let’s discover our favourite road trip games for kids!
1. The Last letter Game
This is a timeless classic among car games for kids.
Players: Any number, playing individually
What you need: A little imagination
Choose a player to start, then continue clockwise. The first player picks a category, such as cities, fruit or people’s names, and says the first word. The next player must think of another word in the same category that begins with the last letter of the previous word.
For example, you could start with Napoli (Naples in Italian), followed by Salento, then Otranto. If a player takes more than five seconds to answer, they’re out! You can adjust the time limit depending on the children’s ages.
If your children aren’t familiar with many city names yet, try easier categories such as animals, fruit, drinks or food in general. The winner is the last player left in the game!
2. “A Truck Full of…”
If you enjoy travelling with children, you’ll love this game, which offers endless possibilities for creative variations.
Players: Any number, playing individually
What you need: A little imagination
Players take turns, moving clockwise or anticlockwise — whichever you prefer. Usually, if the driver isn’t playing, they choose a letter of the alphabet and announce the magic words: “A truck full of…!”
Once the letter has been chosen, each player must say a word beginning with that letter. Anyone who takes longer than five seconds to answer is out. And remember: repeating a word that has already been used is against the rules!
Feel free to adapt the game to suit the children’s ages and interests. Instead of choosing a letter, you could announce “a truck full of animals that roar”, “a truck full of yellow fruit” or simply “a truck full of toys”. The possibilities are endless, and the fun is guaranteed!
3. Number Spotting
If you’re looking for new road trip games for kids, this one is well worth a try!
Players: Any number, playing individually
What you need: Sharp eyes and a little concentration
Each player chooses a number to look out for throughout the journey. You can choose any number, but something between 1 and 100 — preferably a round number — works best.
The aim is to spot your chosen number as many times as possible in the world around you. Keep an eye out for car number plates, road signs and advertising billboards, and don’t miss an opportunity!
Whenever a player spots their number, they must call it out loud so that at least one other player can see it too and confirm the find. If another player verifies it, the point counts; otherwise, it doesn’t. The first player to score 10 points wins!
4. Name That Tune
A family road trip is the perfect opportunity to put your musical knowledge to the test! This game is great fun for both children and adults.
Players: Any number, playing individually
What you need: A playlist of familiar songs
The adult sitting in the front passenger seat chooses a selection of songs the children know and love. You can use the car stereo or play a playlist saved on your smartphone.
Play just the opening few seconds of each song. The first person to guess the title wins the round! Alternatively, players can take turns humming a tune for everyone else to identify.
To make things even more exciting, why not offer small prizes to the winners? A little chocolate treat is always a popular choice!
5. Riddle Me This!
Children love riddles, even at a young age, as long as they aren’t too difficult. As with all car games for kids, the secret is to choose questions that suit the participants’ ages and interests.
Players: Any number, individually or in teams
What you need: A pen, small pieces of paper and a little bag
Before setting off, come up with 15–20 riddles based on a theme your children love, such as animals. Write each riddle on a small piece of paper and put them all in a bag.
During the journey, pass the bag around so that each player can take a turn drawing a riddle and trying to guess the answer. Set a time limit for each question. If the player can’t answer in time, the riddle passes to the next person, who gets a chance to solve it.
At the end of the game, the player who has answered the most riddles correctly wins!
We hope these ideas have inspired you to try some new car games for kids on your next family journey. And who says you can only play them in the car? They’re just as much fun under a beach umbrella or during other moments of your family holiday.
For even more inspiration, take a look at our ideas for games to play on the beach and outdoor games to enjoy with mum and dad. Give these games a try, and travelling with kids will become part of the holiday fun!
