Road Trips with Kids: Activities & Tips for a Smooth Journey

Stress-free driving is the ideal situation whether you’re the only one in the car or not, so let’s remember that as we try to navigate what is often a lively and potentially distracting scenario - taking a road trip with children on board. 

Kids tend to be naturally animated and impatient passengers even on a good day, so you’ll need to have your wits about you in order to focus on a safe journey while keeping the young ones engaged and entertained. 

Not to worry, we’ve got plenty of useful ideas and fun activities to help you out.

Classic Road Trip Games Everyone Loves

Sure, we’re well into a high-tech digital age with increasing amounts of time spent looking at screens, but there’s something to be said for old-school time-sinks. 

With that in mind, let’s spotlight some great kid-friendly family road trip games that haven’t gone out of style… 

 

I Spy

Play along if you know the words: I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…

Seriously, ‘I Spy’ is something of a cheat code and perfect for travelling long distances - and for keeping your own driver fatigue at bay.

Remember to keep your eyes on the road as you look for nearby items of interest, be it local wildlife, unique buildings, or colourful monuments that you can draw the kids’ attention to.

 

20 Questions

A great building block for any aspiring quizmaster, 20 Questions is pleasingly straightforward; think of something - be it a person, an object, a place, a country, etc… - and challenge the kids to guess it correctly within 20 questions that can only be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Throw in the occasional ‘maybe’ if you’re feeling generous. 

 

The Alphabet Game

Another enjoyable uncomplex game here; one player starts off by naming something - it’s up to you if you want to theme it around celebrities, footballers, movies, etc…  - that begins with the letter ‘A’, the next player conjures up something that starts with the letter ‘B’, and so on until there’s a last man, woman, boy, or girl standing. 

If you want to make it specific to your journey, only allow answers in the form of things that relate to inside and outside the car - there can be a surprising amount!

 

Licence Plate Challenge

It might sound like a niche independent video game, but the licence plate challenge can be quite the, er, challenge as you take the information found on the registration plates around you and make a puzzle game out of them. 

You can play bingo by writing out the alphabet and whoever ticks off the corresponding letters first wins. You could try and make a full word out of the handful of letters available on the plate in question. Or you could take the number of the year on the plate - 22 for example - and then use the remaining numbers to find a way to ‘get to’ the number 22. 

 

Name the Artist

If you have the radio - or a streaming service - on, whoever can name the artist or band that’s playing first wins the point. Don’t feel too upset if your kids wind up having cooler music taste than you do, though. 

 

Car Colours

Another form of bingo here - print off a generic sheet with a drawing of the same car repeated in different colours and have the kids circle them off when they spy the corresponding colour driving by. 

 

Would You Rather?

Would you rather be the President of Ireland or an astronaut? Would you rather have a house made of gold or a rocket car? Would you rather score a goal in a World Cup final or win the main event at WrestleMania? You get the idea…

 

Scavenger Hunt

Another one that requires a little bit of pre-production. Draw up a list (with pictures if possible) of things you are likely to encounter on your road trip - farm animals, bridges, beaches, motorbikes, and so on - and tell the kids to always be on the lookout should one appear. 

 

Quiet Road Trip Activities for Kids

If you’d prefer a more serene journey, you might want to turn the volume down a little. 

Thankfully, there’s a good variety of quieter games to play on a road trip when driving with kids. 

 

Audiobooks and Podcasts for Children

As times change, so too do our entertainment options. 

Audiobooks and podcasts have represented something of a revolution in the last couple of decades, and there’s no signs of their popularity slowing down. 

It’s not just football and movie podcasts or the newest crime thriller voiced by an A-list actor for you to enjoy; there’s a whole world of audiobooks and podcasts purpose-built for children of all age ranges to choose from. 

Chances are, their favourite book is available in audio form, but if you want to try something different, consider National Geographic’s Greeking Out podcast for exciting age-appropriate stories from Greek mythology, the award-winning Story Pirates which takes stories submitted by children and acts them out as comedy sketches, or Brains On, a science podcast that’s so fun the kids won’t even realise they’re learning as they laugh along with it. 

 

Drawing Pads, Colouring Books, Travel Journals

If you’d prefer to keep the screen time to a minimum, there’s nothing wrong with pen and paper - or, rather, pencils and crayons depending on what the occasion calls for. If you’ve got a budding writer in the family, maybe encourage them to start a travel journal and see where it takes them. 

 

Sticker Books or Magnetic Board Games

The same ‘leave the phones and tablets aside’ principle applies here - sticker books have never gone out of fashion, while magnetic board games have only gotten more inventive and easier to use over the years. 

 

Tips for Road Trips with Kids

You’ve heard the expression ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ before, and while it wasn’t specifically dreamt up with a road trip with kids in mind, it most definitely applies. 

Strategy is vital here. You basically need to turn your vehicle into a cosy mobile playground of sorts - figuratively speaking, anyway. 

Don’t even consider setting off for an adventurous weekend break with the little ones without considering the following first:

 

Snack Planning

Pre-arranged snacks and drinks are a must, and so too are the inevitable eventual bathroom needs that will almost certainly arise. On that note…

 

Stretch Breaks and Rest Stops

You’ll want to factor in rest stops and comfort breaks along the way, preferably with a garage or two noted on your map in advance. If nothing else, pulling over and taking a break to stretch the legs on a long journey is a healthy idea for everyone. 

 

Road Trip Checklist for Families

Again, strategy. Put together a detailed checklist beforehand - you’ll thank us later. 

 

Essentials to Pack

• Change of clothes (for all passengers)
• Food and drink
• A surprise or two (works as a morale-booster, or a calming down technique)
• Comfort items such as pillows and blankets 
• Wet wipes and hand sanitiser 

 

Entertainment Extras 

• Portable speaker
• Tablet / Laptop 
• Headphones 
• Portable games console - Nintendo Switch, etc 
• Books / Magazines / Comicbooks 
• Toys
• And of course… all the games and activities listed earlier! 

 

Emergency Items

• Emergency contact list
• First Aid Kit
• Water
• Medicines / Prescription Items (if required)
• Flashlight
• Jumper Cables
• Spare Tyre
• Insurance and any other documents you may need

 

Peace of Mind on Every Journey with AIG Car Insurance

At AIG Ireland, we want our customers to feel confident and secure when they get behind the wheel. 

Our wide range of car insurance options means there’s something to suit drivers of all levels, and we’re always on hand to support you and answer your questions.

If you would like more information on car insurance, contact us today to learn how we can help. We aim to provide a hassle-free experience and be there for you when it matters most.

Looking for a quote? Go right here and let’s get started.