Top 10 activities for a long car trip
Taking a long car trip with adults can be very boring. While you could spend the trip sleeping or watching videos, we think your journey can be much more fun. Plus, remember that the driver can’t sleep or watch a screen. We’ve decided to make your life easier by giving you some fun ideas, it’s up to you:
Summary
1. The celebrity game
Although simple and childish, this game is ideal for passing the time on a long car trip. It starts with one of the players choosing a first name, for example, Robert. Then, each participant must name a famous person with that name.
Admit it, at first you think, OK, easy! So, let’s hear it for Robert? How many can you find?
Solution: De Niro, Downey Jr, Pattinson, Redford, Duvall, Patrick, Rob Lowe (Robert Helper Lowe), Carlyle…
The pressure of the turn, the points, and the passing time will quickly catch up with you. The advantage is that you can quickly improve at this game with a bit of practice, and you can spend a lot of time with this type of activity.
2. It starts with...
With this activity, the driver chooses a letter of the alphabet. Each passenger, in turn, must suggest a word starting with that letter. If a player fails to find a word, they are eliminated. The driver then selects a new letter, and the game continues with the remaining participants. This process continues until only one player is left. This game encourages quick thinking and enriches the participants’ vocabulary in a fun way.
3. I'm going on picnic
The game “I’m going on a picnic” is a memory game for all ages where participants take turns choosing items to bring on a picnic. Each player must repeat all the previously mentioned items before adding their own. If a player makes a mistake or forgets an item, they are eliminated from the game. This game is great for exercising memory and is perfect for various occasions such as birthdays, gatherings with friends, or long car rides.
For more details on the game and examples of how to play, you can find the game sheet on our website here.
A variation of the game: Start each item with a letter of the alphabet, beginning with A for the first player, then B for the second, C for the third, and so on.
4. Crossword puzzles
Alright, we can agree that doing crossword puzzles seems quite studious. The fact is, on a long trip, when you’re in a relaxed mode and want to forget for a bit that you’re on the road, crosswords are not bad at all. It will appeal to those who like to work on their knowledge, and the teamwork aspect is really nice.
Here are some online crossword puzzles: www.washingtonpost.com (or for kids, www.crosswords-for-kids.com)
5. Music QUIZ
In the car, we have everything we need to do a music quiz, as long as it’s possible to connect a phone or tablet to the sound system. Once that’s done, it opens up a lot of possibilities.
In our case, we can play songs, and the first person to guess the name of the corresponding cartoon wins. Here are some links to play this game:
6. Touch it or not
This game is a classic among classics. It’s not a game you’ll play for an hour, but it can make quite an impression. The basic idea is not to explain the rules to the players; they have to figure out the trick themselves. You will gently provide examples, and they will have to say if “it touches” or “it doesn’t touch.”.
Since we’re nice, we’ll explain everything to you. You will say words or phrases and ask if they touch or not. The players need to understand that “it touches” means that to pronounce the word or phrase, your lips had to touch. Let’s agree, it will take them a while to figure it out, and it’s up to you to motivate them to keep trying. An advantage is that, even if they don’t understand, they have a 50/50 chance of guessing correctly, which will help them. When someone figures it out, it’s better if they don’t explain it to the others—at least not at the beginning. Don’t hesitate to make absurd sentences; it makes things funnier.
Whatever happens, start the game with this briefing: For this game, I will say words or phrases, and you need to tell me “it touches” or “it doesn’t touch.” I give you two examples with the answer. The first one: “It touches > it doesn’t touch” and the second one: “It doesn’t touch > it touches.”. Now, I start and you answer me (taking turns).
Examples?
- The kiwi says yes: It doesn’t touch
- He sticks: It doesn’t touch
- Grandpa tinkers: It touches
- The dog goes crazy: It doesn’t touch
- Kirikiki goes karakaka: It doesn’t touch
- Kiripopo smells bad: It touches
- The cuckoo’s cheeks are gray: It doesn’t touch
- Oops, he has my nose in his ear: It doesn’t touch
- Dad loves candy: It doesn’t touch
- Mommy winks: It touches
- Hey, the car is turning: It doesn’t touch
7. The word trail
If you want to have fun with words during your trip, check out “The Word Trail,” a creative game that will test your ability to juggle words! Players create a chain of compound words using the last word of the previous term to form a new one. For example, if someone says “spokesperson,” the next player might say “person of interest,” then “interest rate,” then “rate hike,” and so on. It’s a great way to stimulate your imagination while having fun!
8. Two truth and a lie
This game is perfect for livening up a car trip and can also serve as an icebreaker in a group. Each participant must share three statements: two truths and one lie. The other players must guess which ones are the truths and which one is the lie. Those who guess correctly earn a point. The number of points required to win is decided by the group. In case of a tie, the game continues until a winner is determined.
9. Find the intruder
Ready for a quick-witted game on the road? Try “Find the Intruder”! One passenger presents a series of five words, among which an intruder is hiding. It’s up to you to spot the odd one out before the others! Whoever finds the intruder earns a point and gets to propose the next series. For example, imagine a list that includes four fruits and one vegetable, or four names containing the letter A and one that doesn’t (Ariana, Carla, Christopher, Jane, Richard). Fun and laughter guaranteed for all budding detectives!
10. Betting on the most
Taking turns, players will propose a category of objects. When a player announces a category, the following players, in clockwise order, must bid on the number of objects they can mention within a (truly) reasonable time frame. The turn goes back to the player who chose the category, who can also raise the bid. The player who made the highest bid must now list their objects. If they succeed, they earn the number of points of their bid. If they fail, they lose the number of points of their bid.
You decide how many points to play up to or how many rounds to play. The player with the most points at the end wins.
Examples of object categories: kitchen utensils, vegetables, tools, sports equipment.
Ideas to Keep Kids Entertained on the Road
Now, to keep our little ones entertained, there are some more solitary activities. Here are a few games that will keep them busy for quite a while.
