Game ideas for long car journeys with kids

Car journeys can feel like they go on FOREVER. Full disclosure - it’s my least favourite thing, being in the car with frustrated and sad kids, simply because you feel pretty helpless in the front seat! As they are getting a bit older, the tablets have become a life saver but travel sickness can kick in if they are on for too long. It’s also great to mix things up and have some family fun along the way. Here are a selection of games to play in the car, some absolute classics mixed with some that require a bit of prep.

I’ve added in some for little people as well as some for older children…

I Spy
A classic! One person picks something they see and says, "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with [letter]." The others guess what it is.

20 Questions
One player thinks of an object, animal, or person, and the others have 20 yes/no questions to figure out what it is.

Car Colour Counting
Choose a car color, and each player counts how many cars of that color they see in a set time (e.g., 5 or 10 minutes). The person with the highest count wins.

Road Trip Bingo
Create or print bingo cards with items like “red car,” “train crossing,” “dog in a car,” or “speed limit sign.” Mark off items as you spot them, and the first to get five in a row wins!

Backseat DJ Battle
Let the kids take turns being the DJ, playing their favorite songs. Each person gets 30 seconds to play their track and convince the rest why it's the best. The "judges" vote on who had the coolest pick.

Time Traveler
Ask each player to imagine they’ve traveled back in time or into the future. Everyone takes turns describing what the world looks like, what people wear, or what kind of technology or animals they see.

The Memory Game
The first player starts with "I’m going on a trip and I’m bringing..." and names an object (e.g., "a toothbrush"). The next person has to repeat that and add their own item. Keep going until someone forgets the list…

Soundtrack of the Trip
Assign a song or sound to different sights outside the car. For example, every time you see a truck, everyone has to make a silly truck sound, or when you pass a river, you hum a certain tune. The challenge is keeping up!

Invent a New Superhero
Each person in the car contributes to the creation of a superhero. One person starts with the hero's name, the next adds a power, another creates a weakness, and someone else invents their sidekick. See how crazy and creative your superhero becomes…

Mystery Storyteller
One person begins a story, but at random points, they must pass it to the next person, who must immediately continue the tale without hesitation. The sudden hand-offs make for unexpected twists.

Car Brand Battles
Choose two car brands (e.g., Ford vs. BMW). Each person picks a brand, and for a set time, you score a point every time you spot a car from your brand. The first to 10 wins the round.

Foreign Language Challenge
Pick a foreign word or phrase, and everyone in the car has to try and use it in sentences throughout the journey. Whoever uses it the most (and correctly!) by the end of the trip wins a prize.

Animal Name Game
One person names an animal, and the next person has to name another animal that starts with the last letter of the previous one (e.g., "Elephant" → "Tiger" → "Rabbit"). The game continues until someone can't think of an animal.

Would You Rather?
Take turns asking silly or tough questions like, "Would you rather have a pet dragon or a pet unicorn?"

The Alphabet Game
Find letters of the alphabet, in order, from road signs, license plates, or anything outside the car. The first person to complete A-Z wins.

License Plate Game
Try to spot license plates from as many different places (cities, regions, countries) as possible. Create a list and see how many you find during the trip.

Story Chain
One person starts a story with a sentence, and each player adds another sentence to keep it going. The story can take fun twists and turns!

Guess the Animal
One person makes animal sounds or gives clues, and others have to guess the animal they’re pretending to be.

Name That Tune
Hum or whistle a song, and the others have to guess what it is. You can even use the car radio to shuffle songs and guess them.

Count the Cows (or Other Animals)
If you're driving through rural areas, have a contest to see who can spot the most cows, horses, or other animals.