Planning a road trip with the family? Summer vacations are the best - but hours of traveling by car aren't always the most enjoyable. At least, not without some entertainment. But when the iPad battery dies or your child is tired of watching the same movie again and again, it's time to think of something new. And by new, we mean old-school road trip car games.
Not sure what to play? Here's a list of top favorites among families:
A-Z
In this game, everyone in the vehicle has to be on the lookout for things as they pass outside - street signs, exit signs, license plates - that will eventually create the entire alphabet. The game will start with everyone looking for an "A." The person who sees it first will call out what it is, for example, "Alabama license!" Now they are looking for something that begins with a B, but everyone else still needs to find an A. The person who completes the whole alphabet first wins. You'll be surprised at how fast the trip will go once you get through the entire alphabet! Unfortunately the driver has to sit out of this one, as taking their eyes off the road to look for objects and signs would be dangerous.
20 Questions
For the inquisitive folk, the player who goes first thinks of anything in the world - an object, a food a landmark, etc. The first question should always be something along the lines of, "Animal, vegetable or mineral?" to narrow the thought down. The next 19 questions can be anything the other players in the car would like. For example, "What color is it?" or "What's the texture?" Avoid questions that can be answered "yes" or "no" unless you know that will help you narrow down what the word is. Award points to the person who guesses the correct answer before the 20 questions are up. If no one guesses it, the person who thought of the object gets the points.
Name That Tune
Have a talented musician in the car? You don't necessarily need to be an award-winning singer for this game. Someone in the car will begin humming to the beat of a popular song while other people take guesses at what it is. Whoever guesses the correct song is next in line to be the hummer. To make it more interesting (and a bit easier), choose at theme for the game - anything from nursery rhymes to Brittany Spears.
I'm Going On a Picnic...
This is a game that not only will help kill time, but will also boost your memory. One player starts off by stating, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm going to bring..." then states a picnic-related item or food that begins with an A. The next player will then state, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm going to bring..." and repeats the "A" word and adds a word that starts with B. The next player will repeat the phrase as well as the "A" and "B" words, and add a word that begins with a "C" and so on until the end of the alphabet. The game starts off fairly simple but as you go on, you'll realize how difficult it can be to remember all the items - but that's just the fun of the game. Also, props to anyone who comes up with a picnic favorite that starts with an X!
Team Storytelling
If anyone in the car loves telling creative stories, then this game will be a hit. The first player will begin by starting to tell a story with an opening line - anything from "Once upon a time..." to a more suspenseful line like, "They opened the door and..." To make the game more challenging, make a type of rule - for instance, that each line has to rhyme. The game could go on for however long you want.
Planning ahead can make traveling with kids a breeze and these games are sure to be a hit.
This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, GA.
