Hit the road with these 20 screen-free activities for your next road trip
We’ve got you covered with this list of fun road trip activities for kids (and adults) of all ages.
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Family road trips can be a great way to see the country—not to mention it’s often the most economical travel option. And we’re all looking for ways to save money these days. As fun as road trips can be, they can also be a slog sometimes. Without road trip activities, kids (and parents) get antsy and bored. The struggle is real, and the temptation to sink into our screens is high. I’m not one to shy away from some screen time to occupy little ones (and myself), but we all need a break from screens now and then.
Never fret, we’ve got you covered with this list of fun road trip activities for kids (and adults) of all ages.
20 fun screen-free road trip activities
1. Play 20 questions
Lest you forgot how to play this game from your own childhood, one person thinks of an object. This person is the “answerer.” Everyone else asks the answerer questions that are answered with a “yes” or “no” response. Based on this information, the group tries to guess the object in 20 questions or less. Depending on the age of children involved, you can give hints (such as “animal” or “someone in our family”) about the object before the questions begin.
2. Conversation cards
3. Travel Bingo
4. Books, books and more books
When my kids were little, I’d stock up on cheap books and then hide them away until the next car ride. If you want to save a few dollars on road trip activities, visit a your local library or do a book swap with friends.
5. Travel craft set
6. Listen to podcasts or audiobooks
Listening to audiobooks and podcasts are a great way to pass the time in the car. I still have fond memories of listening to “The Magician’s Elephant” on audiobook while on road trip with my family. Now that my kids are older, we listen to books like “Looking for Alaska” and “Hatchet.” Podcasts are also a great way to pass the time, and there are even music-focused podcasts the entire family will love.
7. Window markers
8. Play the alphabet game
Start with the letter A and each person in the car tries to find something that starts with A. Move on to B and try to find something that starts with B, and so on. This game is best for children who are school-aged or know their letters.
9. Play the “first person to see…” game
Before the road trip, make a list of things that you might see on the road. If your children are younger, you can include things like “cow” and “yellow car” on the list. If your kids are older, make the list a little more challenging with things like “skydiver” or “cloud that looks like a fish.”
10. Take photos
11. Tell a story
12. Road trip-approved card games
13. Spot it!
14. Go (scavenger) hunting
15. Sing
Blast a few of these road trip songs and see who can sing the loudest.
16. Play the quiet game
As a kid, my aunt would gather all of us cousins into a room and sit us down for the “quiet game”. We loved it. Little did we know it was so the adults could hear themselves think for a few minutes. Because sometimes you just need everyone to hushhhhh, especially on road trips.
17. Would you rather…?
Keep this popular road trip activity G-rated with questions like “would you rather wear your shoes on your hands or your mittens on your feet?” Or “would you rather eat spaghetti with pickles or mac & cheese with anchovies?”
18. Track your progress on an old-school map
Forget Google Maps, buy an old school map at the gas station and track your progress along the way.
19. Stickers
20. Make art
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