Are you planning a family road trip and looking for ways to keep everyone entertained during the long drive? Look no further than car games for the family!
In addition to packing your child’s favorite travel toys, these fun and interactive games are perfect for passing the time and creating lasting memories with your loved ones.
In this post, we’ve rounded up 25 of the best car games for the family to enjoy on your next adventure. We’ve even got a fun printable Road Trip activity pack for you to print out before you hit the road!
From classic games like “I Spy” to new twists on old favorites, there’s something for everyone in this list. So buckle up, hit the road, and let the games begin!
Car Games for the Family
Say goodbye to monotonous drives and hello to laughter-filled journeys, all while creating lifelong memories together.
Keep reading, because these games will change your road-tripping game, big time!
License Plate Game
This classic road trip game requires only a keen eye and a competitive spirit. Keep an eye out for license plates from different states and color in each one on the map included in our free activity pack! The one with the most when you arrive at your destination wins!
The Alphabet Game
The Alphabet Game is a great way to sharpen your observation skills. Simply start with the letter “A” and work your way through the alphabet by finding words on signs, billboards, or license plates that start with each letter. This Billboard ABC Order printable is a great way to keep track of what letter you’re on.
20 Questions
This guessing game is perfect for those with curious minds. One person thinks of an object, person, or place, and the others ask up to 20 yes-or-no questions to figure it out.
The Name Game
The Name Game focuses on famous people or fictional characters. One person says a name, and the next person must say a name that starts with the last letter of that name. Continue until someone is stumped or a name is repeated!
Categories
Choose a category, like “fruits” or “movies,” and take turns naming items in that category. Keep going until someone can’t think of anything more, or expand the game by starting new categories.
Fortunately, Unfortunately
This storytelling game is an exercise in creativity. One person starts a story with “Fortunately,” and the next person continues it with “Unfortunately.” Keep alternating, building a tale that’s both imaginative and fun.
Word Association
This is a free-flowing game where one person says a word, and the next person says the first word that comes to their mind. The game continues to bounce from player to player.
Radio Karaoke
Turn up the radio and have a family sing-along! You don’t need to know the lyrics perfectly—just have fun!
The Quiet Game
When you need a moment of peace, play the Quiet Game. Whoever stays silent the longest wins!
Story Chain
In this game, each person adds a sentence or phrase to an ever-growing story. Encourage collaboration and creativity, and see where your family’s tale goes.
Would You Rather?
It’s a perfect conversation starter, especially when you come up with inventive scenarios!
Two Truths and a Lie
Are you a master of deception, or can you keenly pick up on tells? In this game, each person shares two true statements and one false statement, and the others have to guess which one is the lie.
Count the…
Choose an item to count (like red cars, dogs, or billboards for a specific product), and see who can count the most by the end of the road trip.
Scavenger Hunt
Before embarking on the road trip, create a list of items to look for along the way. Each time someone spots something on the list, they get one point. The person with the most points at the end wins!
To make things even easier, print out the road trip scavenger hunt included in the activity pack featured below.
I Spy
This classic game is perfect for long drives. Everyone takes turns looking out for something and saying “I spy with my little eye…something ___(color)___.” Try different colors each time or opt for an object instead of a color if you’re feeling adventurous.
Drawing
Take out the paper and pencils (or even use your smartphone), and let everyone unleash their inner artist. Have each person take turns drawing something for others to guess before moving on to the next round.
Name That Tune
Who has the best ears in the car? Test your musical knowledge by singing a few bars of songs, and see who can name it the fastest.
Guess Whose Line It Is
Think you know your family members’ favorite lines from movies or TV shows? Take turns guessing whose line it is when someone quotes a phrase from a show or film. Let’s see who knows their pop culture best!
Charades
Bring out the physical actors and silent detectives with this classic game of charades! Allow each family member to act out characters, animals, books, and more for others to guess.
Animal Sounds
One person makes an animal sound, and the next must make a different one. See how long you can go without repeating a sound!
Word of Mouth
Start with one word, and have each family member add another until you build a sentence or phrase. This game is great for encouraging imagination and creativity.
Last Word
This game is all about word association. Pick a topic, like animals or colors, and one person starts by saying a word related to the topic. The next person has to say another word that begins with the last letter of the previous word, and so on until someone can’t think of anything else!
Draw It Out
Put your drawing skills to the test in this game! One person draws something while others guess what it is before time runs out!
Make sure everyone gets an opportunity to draw—who knows who will be crowned champion artist?
Road Trip Bingo
Print out some Road Trip Bingo boards and see who can get a straight line or fill their entire board first?
Wrapping Up
These road trip games are perfect for keeping everyone entertained while on the move. So turn up the tunes, gather your family and friends, and hit the open road! And who knows you might just have more fun than you bargained for with these awesome activities.
And there you have it, 25 fantastic car games to make your family road trips absolutely unforgettable.
- What game are you most excited to try with your family?
- Which of these car games do you think will be the biggest hit?
- Is there a family you know who could benefit from these games during their road trip?
- What was your favorite car game growing up? (I was all about the License Plate Game.)
Let me know in the comments below.
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