Road Trip Games
As mentioned last week, the term “Road Trip” has the ability to evoke terror in the hearts of parents – especially those of little children. Furthermore, while kids may cheer at the prospect of adventure in the car together, they can quickly become bored as time passes slowly down the highway. Still, the daunting “Road Trip” is oftentimes inevitable, especially when travelling to St. George. Considering the predicament parents find themselves in, why not take measures to make the trip fun? Though many parents choose movies or TV to distract their children while on a road trip, using the games above may prove more entertaining and will doubtless bond your group together to a greater degree. Here are a few tried and true activities to get you and your kids through the car time together.
I-SPY
The game starts with one person saying: “I spy with my little eye something _____”, filling in the blank with the color of an object they see inside or outside of the car. This game is particularly suited for younger children as it encourages them to look around and notice colors around them. Make the game even more challenging for older children by choosing to “spy” objects that are small or fastly fleeting as you drive down the highway.
99 BOTTLES OF BEER
The game consists of singing in rounds:
“99 bottles of beer on the wall,
99 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around.
99 bottles of beer on the wall.”
And then continues on down from 99 to 98, 97, 96, etc. This game may be your best friend or worst enemy. It has the ability to distract children for long stretches of time, but can get repetitive. Use it as a tool to distract them while you and your friend or spouse distract yourselves in conversation. The song can also be edited from beer to rootbeer should you find that fitting.
I’M GOING TO ST. GEORGE AND I’M BRINGING….
A personal favorite, this game starts with one person saying “I’m going to St. George and I’m bringing______”, filling in the blank with an object that starts with the letter “A”. The next person will then follow up by saying “I’m going to St. George and I’m bringing (“A” object that was just chosen) and (“object that starts with letter “B”)” The task is to remember the objects chosen in alphabetical order so that, by the time the group gets to “Z”, the person whose turn it is has to remember all 25 objects that the group is bringing to St. George and add one more. This game is excellent for kids of all ages and proves challenging even for adults. You’ll be surprised at what your kids come up with!
THE ALPHABET GAME
This competitive game challenges those participating to find letters along the highway in alphabetical order. Sound easy? Try finding a “Q” somewhere between Beaver and Fillmore on your way to St. George! No easy task. Make the game more competitive by instituting rules such as: you cannot use a letter that was found by someone else or you cannot (or can only) use license plates. If your kids aren’t buying into the game, challenge them by offering a candy bar or drink at the next pit stop as a prize. You may even get into the challenge yourself!
THE SILENT GAME
The title speaks for itself. This game is a favorite among adults, but should only be used in dire circumstances as the kids need to buy into the challenge wholesale. It is to be used after all other games have worn out their welcome and the adults in the car are desperate for repose from the unnerving question: “Are we there yet?” Offer prizes and do what is required to encourage taking this game seriously and you’ll be rewarded. Who knows, the kids may even silence themselves into a blissful slumber as you drive down the highway in peace.
Hope this post inspired some great ideas for “Road Trip” games. Please email or message us with any of your favorite road trip games.
Live Well, Travel Better,
Weston Sill