6 Clever Car Games for Kids
Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
Being trapped in a car with children on a long drive can sometimes seem like a form of torture. One great way to prevent bad moods and complaining? Playing games. We’ve come up with six car games for kids, to make the kilometres roll by faster.
Car Games for Kids: Geography
Here’s a great car game for kids. The first person names a geographical location (city, country, state, mountain range). Then the next person has to give a geographical location too, but it has to start with the last letter of the first person’s place. So if the first person says “London” the second person can say “New Delhi”. The third person’s would need to start with “I” – and on and on it goes.
Car Games for Kids: Memory
Another fun car game for kids: Start by saying something like “I’m going to the World’s Fair, and in my trunk I packed….” The first player states an item that starts with the letter A. The next player repeats the item, and adds one that starts with the letter B. Keep going round and round; players have to drop out when they make a mistake in repeating the list of items, until just one winner remains.
Car Games for Kids: Who Are They?
Pick out another group on the road and have everyone in your car help create a story about these fellow travellers. Where are they going? Why? Etc. This is a great car game for kids.
Car Games for Kids: Acronyms
Acronyms is a great car game for kids. A person gives three letters, and everyone dreams up a funny organization or expression that starts with those letters. CSZ? The Committee of Stout Zebras, of course!
Car Games for Kids: Keep the Beat
Keep the beat is a great car game for kids on a road trip. Play a familiar song, then one player sings along to the song. Without warning, the driver or front passenger turns off the sound for a few seconds, but the person singing has to carry on. If the singer is still in time with the song when it is turned back up, they’re still in the game. Take turns until only one person is left.
Car Games for Kids: Roadway Bingo
Roadway bingo is a great car game for kids. Each player is randomly given a colour, and the first person to see 10 cars of that colour shouts “Bingo!” and wins the game. For a more complicated version, make a list of 10 objects you might see along the way for each passenger (do this before the trip starts). Each person’s list is different (though some overlap is allowed) and, if the bingo master is clever, will be tailored to the age and ability of the players. It might even take account of specific things or landmarks that are known to be on the route. The first person to tick off all the objects on their list is the winner.
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