Keeping kids entertained on long road trips can be a hassle. But sometimes it’s the classic games and pastimes that are the most fun, and the most engaging for all the family.
Eye Spy
Eye spy with my little eye is a classic. It’s so easy to play and all of the family can get involved, especially the young ones. To play, first nominate a starting player. He or she then picks an object that everyone can see, inside or outside the ca. The first letter of the object is then used as the clue. I spy with my little eye, something beginning with S (for sky, for example). The other players then have to glance around and see if they can guess the object. Whoever guesses it correctly is then the next player to pick out an object. If you’re driving with the whole family, four or five people, you can see how this can easily eat up time while on the road.
Car Spotting
Another great game that can be interactive for all is car spotting. First everyone agree on a vehicle. A common one is the classic VW Beetle. Every time anyone sees a Beetle on the road, they shout it out. The person that can do the most spotting wins. This is a game they can stretch over an entire trip, and one that can continue to be played in the background, even after and during rest stops and so on.
Bring a Map for the Kids to Track
It’s easy to track a trip using modern sat-nav systems. But a fun thing for the kids to do is track your journey using a good old fashioned map. You can highlight certain checkpoints before you leave, and even do mini treasure hunts. This is something that will not only keep the kids busy with a task for the trip, but they will also learn about directions, destinations, and how to navigate. It’s sometimes refreshing to do things the old fashioned way.
Bring A Book
Driving along long highways can be boring, leaving passengers with nothing to do for long periods. This could be a good chance to catch up with some reading. Better yet, try a book on CD that the kids can listen to with some headphones. Those prone to car sickness probably won’t enjoy reading as much but listening to a book can be just as fun, and the kids can look out the window. This is another one that not only keeps kids entertained but it can also be educational. A handy tip is try a book that has some correspondence with your destination if you can.
Photography
These days’ digital cameras are very cheap and even an old mobile phone will probably have a decent one. A fun thing you can provide the kids is a camera to take photos along the trip. This will give them a sense of responsibility and you end up with some great (and not so great) photos at the end of the trip. They can even create a photo diary, building up a series of daily entries of the day’s events. This is a great one for all ages as the more experience of kids will be able to focus on producing higher quality and artistic photos.